By Jolie Leung & Dr. Bonita Sawatzky
On June 10, 2023, BC Children’s Hospital opened its doors to the inaugural Women in Orthopaedics workshop, known as WORTH for short. In a partnership with the UBC Department of Orthopaedics, this workshop stands apart from the usual orthopaedic conference; rather than aiming for postgraduate fellows, orthopaedic surgeons, or even medical students, it was dedicated to young female, non-binary, and gender nonconforming high schoolers in grades 10-12.
When it comes to envisioning a person working in orthopaedics, the first thing that may come to mind for many is an orthopaedic surgeon. The WORTH event went above and beyond by showcasing a wide range of exciting roles in the field of orthopaedics. From engaging panel discussions to hands-on workshops, attendees got the chance to learn about diverse positions such as cast technicians, nurse practitioners, and biomedical engineers. The event was filled with enthusiasm and offered a bright outlook on the exciting possibilities within orthopaedics. “As a woman in orthopaedics myself, with the fact that I’m a researcher and I work with surgeons [and] other clinical people all the time, I’m super passionate about getting high school girls involved and aware that a career in medicine doesn’t just have to be a surgeon or a doctor,” says Dr. Emily Schaeffer, UBC Department of Orthopaedics Research Associate one of the key organizers of WORTH. “There are so many other careers out there that you can be [in and] still be making a meaningful difference in patient’s lives.”
With five workshops in casting, orthopaedic devices, surgery, research, and engineering applications, each student got a taste of different career pathways in orthopaedics, before regrouping in the afternoon for a discussion panel and question period led by a researcher or healthcare professional. The event was capped off by a question period open to all of the panellists and presenters who attended to share their knowledge. During the lunch break, students gathered in groups to enjoy a meal and share their experiences. Having come from across the Lower Mainland, students of different schools and cities were encouraged to meet each other.
Students were drawn to the event for different reasons. “My grandma’s a doctor, so she saw that there was a WORTH women’s workshop, and this was not [a common] opportunity back in her day … so she suggested it,” shared Vanessa Domina who goes to St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Secondary School, North Vancouver. Makenna Yen from Crofton House School in Vancouver, has a similarly personal reason. “In December I tore my ACL playing volleyball,” she recounted, “and I got surgery four months ago with Dr. [Christopher] Reilly. That opened me up to the world of orthopaedics.” While some were new to medicine entirely, others cited an interest in anatomy, biology, and even veterinary sciences as the reason that brought them to WORTH.
What was clear was that each student had the chance to take away a new perspective on orthopaedics – importantly, one that includes them as young women entering their careers. “I’m going to be really honest,” shared Gurbani Rajput from North Delta Secondary School candidly, “I have no idea what I want to do after high school…[but] I could see myself doing this.” Sol Tarra Suava of John Oliver Secondary School in Vancouver agreed. “Now that I’ve seen all of the staff, I’m taking a lot home. I’m thinking of going into [one of these] careers.”
While the first event has concluded, it marked the beginning of an exciting journey for WORTH. “We wanted to use this as a launching-off point of just the start,” Dr. Schaeffer stated. “We hope an event like this will be yearly, and that we will also engage in quarterly, monthly, or bimonthly content in some form for the girls, and generate a long-term program.”
“I had one young woman come up to me today and say ‘I’ve found my passion with this,’” shared Dr. Tony Cooper, Head of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at BC Children’s Hospital. “If we’ve just converted one person to a career within orthopaedics, I think that’s a success. Hopefully we’ll bring many more.”
Thank you to everyone involved in organizing this important workshop! We look forward to what the future has in store for women in orthopaedics!
A Reflection from UBC Orthopaedics READI Director, Dr. Bonita Sawatzky
When I first came into the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute atrium on June 10, I was thrilled to see the excitement on the 120 young women eating their lunches and enthusiastically chatting away to each other. On the tables on one side of the room was a whole row of baby dolls with Pavlik harnesses on. Hmmm -curious. Dr Hayley Spurr comes out of one of the rooms with sawdust all over her! She was just leading a sawbones workshop where the girls could take their try with drills and driving a k-wire. In another room, the girls were in a casting session learning how to put on a forearm cast with BC Children’s Hospital’s latest cast tech, Jamie Rumford. There was quite the buzz in the room after their variety of learning experiences.
This was the Division of Paediatric Orthopaedics’ first ever WORTH workshop for young women in high school (Gr 10-12). Dr. Emily Schaeffer and the whole clinical and research team at the Paediatric Orthopaedics Division hosted this fun filled event to inspire young women to think about this field in their future. I loved it that not all the “experts” were surgeons. After all, not everyone in orthopaedics does surgery. There were the three female surgeons who work at BCCH, two female surgical fellows, OR nurses, a nurse practitioner, a cast tech, OTs and PTs, residents, an administrator, and several research and engineering folk – like myself. I participated in an afternoon smaller panel with several women who are researchers. Students who signed up for this group joined us for a Q&A session. The 25 students were genuinely curious about the various aspects of what an orthopaedic researcher is. I know I had no idea I could do something like this when I was in high school. I felt it was a privilege to be part of such a wonderful team of younger women who are our researchers.
The final session was the large panel of all the “experts” across all disciplines in the larger lecture hall with all the high school participants. I believe there were 17 women from one side of the front of the hall to the other who represent the variety of roles needed to do the work that a division in orthopaedics does. After introductions, the students could ask any of the members any question about what they do. Dr Andrea Simmonds moderated this session. The students asked excellent questions about life as a surgeon or other roles, even something as simple as, “Do you like what you do?” Dr Spurr responded enthusiastically, “I love my job. I look forward to getting up and going to work because I get to work with such great people.” I think that line was really heart felt. Also, Dr Christine Alvarez provided her wise counsel that doctors care a lot about their patients and do a lot of listening. Make sure you develop your communication skills because you do a lot of communicating. Also, make sure you pick a career that you really love to do and are passionate about it.
There was a vibe in the room that I do not typically feel at any orthopaedic or academic event. There was genuine enthusiasm from these folks that they enjoy their work in helping our kids in BC and beyond with orthopaedic challenges. They, and their male colleagues, seem to have created a space to work where women can thrive in orthopaedics. What have they done to make it happen? I hope to find out!
Dr. Bonita Sawatzky
Director, READI & Associate Professor, UBC Orthopaedics
