In order to ensure that WIMS is reaching and including as many COM faculty as possible, the following membership model is being introduced in 2025. Please review the level of membership you are seeking:
- General Member (receives WIMS email updates (additional opt-in to our email list-serve, separate from current newsletters and Faculty Matters updates), can attend all open WIMS meetings/town halls and general member meetings, can attend all WIMS events)
- Committee Member (same as General Member, plus actively involved in at least one WIMS committee, see committee descriptions below)
- Alumni Member designed for individuals who have finished their formal education and/or training at The Ohio State University College of Medicine (OSUCOM) and want to remain connected to the mission and momentum of WIMS. WIMS alumni members gain access to a dynamic range of virtual offerings- including workshops, webinars, and professional development opportunities, and annual celebration. If you have completed your terminal degree and/or training at OSUCOM, the alumni membership is a great way to stay involved, supported, and inspired.
**WIMS members can only hold one type of membership at a time (i.e., one cannot hold both a general and alumni membership simultaneously) **
Brief Subcommittee Descriptions
- Advocacy: The Advocacy committee focuses on identifying barriers to faculty success and advocating for data-informed solutions for achieving promotion, supporting career advancement, and retaining academic faculty talent. Faculty in academic medicine face challenges in balancing education and teaching, academic research, and clinical duties. Advocacy's mission is to advocate for change and foster a collaborative and supportive environment for all faculty, particularly for those facing barriers to success.
- Awards: The Awards Committee enhances awareness of existing awards, facilitate nominations for and applications of faculty at the College of Medicine for local, regional, and national awards and create new local awards. This committee will partner with FAME and the COM Awards committee in nominating faculty for awards.
- Data: The Data Committee carries out the important role of collecting and analyzing data to direct and support WIMS. These data help to identify barriers to the professional success of faculty in medicine and science, focusing on fairness, promotion, and leadership and foster a positive culture and environment that supports the goals of all faculty in medicine and science. Our data initiatives provide the evidence that identifies gaps and procedures towards improving these gaps, as well as celebrating successes of the COM. Importantly, data provides transparency and the opportunity for information sharing that empowers both the current and next generation of clinicians and scientists.
- Events: The WIMS Events Committee develops and implements a variety of dynamic events that support all COM faculty. In addition to co-sponsoring educational experiences relevant to faculty resources for professional development, our group is further committed to curating events that both promote the visibility of and address the needs, strengths, and barriers faced by faculty in medicine and science. Collectively, the WIMS Events Committee strives to cultivate events that educate, inspire, and celebrate a welcoming community.
- Media/Communications/Outreach: The Media/Communications committee supports the mission of WIMS by promoting awareness, engagement, and empowerment through strategic communication and outreach. This committee manages internal and external communications, including monthly newsletters, social media, and the communication champions network, which disseminates information across departments and large divisions. In addition to highlighting the accomplishments of faculty and promoting events, the committee leads outreach efforts aimed at building community, increasing visibility, and advancing faculty success both within the College of Medicine and beyond.
If you have any questions about WIMS membership or have trouble accessing the membership application, please contact: wims@osumc.edu.