17/03/2026
As part of International Women’s Day, we hosted a casual catch-up: ‘Give to Gain: The Power of Mentorship for Women in Leadership.’
It was an empowering, honest conversation about the hurdles women face and how we can build a better future together. Here are our key takeaways:
🚫 Breaking barriers: We discussed how a lack of flexibility historically forced many women to step away from medicine - but now we're seeing progress with flexibility becoming more common, ensuring we don’t lose "great minds".
🚀 Thriving vs. surviving: Training shouldn't feel like a "gladiatorial sport." We want to move away from a rigid hierarchy to a culture where support and flexibility is built-in at every stage, not just at the end of your career.
🤝 The power of mentorship: You don’t need a formal title to be a mentor. Whether it’s in the workplace or your community, anyone can reach back and support someone else. We discussed how rare it is to see women mentoring men, and how having women lead the development of their male colleagues is a powerful step toward true equity.
🌟 Inspiration is everywhere: We looked at our role models who didn't just succeed, they fought for it. Mentioning Serena Williams and Jasmin Paris shattering records, Hannah Spencer as Manchester’s first Green MP, our own Sekina Bakare, and of course our mothers. Women who often faced rejection, pushback, and were "the first" in spaces that didn't make it easy for them.
While we’ve been lucky to have supportive male mentors, we highlighted how vital it is to see women in influential positions. Having Katie as the CEO of the Intensive Care Society isn’t just a highlight; it’s a powerful reflection of the representation we need.
Let’s keep mentoring, keep supporting, and keep empowering the women around us. Let’s keep the conversation going. Who has been a mentor for you? 👇
