Two awards have been made to champion the work of women in medicine.

Portrait of confident scientist using microscope in laboratory

The American Medical Association’s Women Physicians Section and the AMA Foundation have announced the winners of the 2014 Joan F. Giambalvo Fund for the Advancement of Women.

The scholarships, up to $10,000, are awarded to research programmes focused on identifying and addressing issues affecting women physicians and medical students.

The 2014 recipients are: Elizabeth H. Ellinas, M.D., Associate Professor of Anesthesiology; Assistant Dean of Faculty Affairs; and Chief of Obstetric Anesthesia and Obstetric Anesthesia Fellowship Director at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Her research topic is Gender Differences in Promotion and Retention: Enhancing the Position of Female Faculty in Higher Academic Rank and Leadership Positions

Sneha Harshad Shah, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine and Associate Program Director of Emergency Medicine Residency Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Her research topic is Gender Differences in Empathy and Burnout amongst Emergency Medicine Residents

Robert Wah, M.D., president, American Medical Association, said: ““We are proud to recognise two outstanding members of the medical cowoman1mmunity, whose work is raising awareness about these issues. 

“Their work will help propel the AMA’s advocacy efforts on the advancement and understanding of women in medicine.”

The AMA Women Physicians Section (WPS) consists of the more than 70,000 members of the AMA and aims to increase the number and influence of women physicians in leadership roles.