Celebrating the Muriel Steele Society’s National Recognition from the AAMC
Muriel Steele Society has been awarded the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS) Emerging Organization Award.
This extraordinary national recognition recognizes the exceptional innovation and impact the Muriel Steele Society has had in advancing equity, inclusion, and gender representation in academic medicine. It is a powerful testament to what our community can accomplish together. My congratulations go to Dr. Mika Varma and D. Lucy Kornblith, who have led this remarkable society from its inception, as well as to the many faculty, trainees, and staff who have built and supported its mission. I also would like to recognize the support of Drs. Elizabeth Ozer, Christina Mangurian, and Renee Navarro for their participation in the nomination process and collaboration in bringing national visibility to the Muriel Steele Society and the Department of Surgery at UCSF.
Dr. Kornblith and I had the honor of traveling to San Antonio to accept the award at the AAMC Annual Conference. During the ceremony, Dr. Kornblith delivered an acceptance speech that captured the heart of this accomplishment: “This recognition means so much to our community – a community born from a shared vision: to create a future in academic medicine where all women and underrepresented gender identities, can thrive, lead, and be fully seen.
The Muriel Steele Society was founded in 2018 by a small but determined group of faculty and trainees who wanted to address persistent inequities and amplify the voices of historically marginalized gender identities in surgery, a field that Dr. Muriel Steele herself helped to pioneer at UCSF. She broke barriers, and her legacy continues to inspire us to do the same. In just a few years, our society has grown into a vibrant community that spans departments, supports mentorship and sponsorship across all career stages, and drives systemic change. We’ve built programs that uplift residents and medical students, created spaces for honest dialogue about belonging, and worked to make surgical culture more inclusive for everyone who chooses this path.
This award is not just a recognition of what we’ve done, but rather a call to continue this work with even greater intention. Because while progress has been made, we know the journey is far from complete. To the AAMC and GWIMS community: thank you for shining a light on organizations like ours. To Dr. Sosa, our UCSF colleagues, mentors, and allies: thank you for believing in this mission from the beginning. Most importantly, to our community: the students, residents, fellows, faculty, and staff who show up every day to mentor, sponsor, advocate, and lead, this award belongs to you.
Dr. Muriel Steele left doors open for those that came behind her, and we accept this award in the spirit of Muriel Steele. We are committed to keeping those doors open, wide, and welcoming for generations to come.”
Please join me in celebrating this incredible recognition. The Muriel Steele Society’s impact has extended far beyond the Department of Surgery, and it has become a model for how academic medicine can and must evolve to ensure opportunity for all. The Muriel Steele Society will be planning a celebration for our community in 2026.
For more information on the award and the GWIMS Leadership Awards program, please visit: AAMC GWIMS Leadership Awards.