Embracing Authenticity and Fostering Community Are Essential for Empowering Women in Oncology

Megan Melody, MD

In an interview with OncLive® for International Women’s Day, Megan Melody, MD, discussed her experience as a female oncologist at Tampa General Hospital (TGH) Cancer Institute, underscoring the value of inclusive, supportive environments in leveling the playing field for women in oncology; emphasizing the importance of building trust and fostering open communication with female patients to overcome gender bias in cancer care; and highlighting how authenticity and self-awareness can help prevent burnout and promote long-term career satisfaction for women starting out in the field.

“Being as genuinely ourselves as possible and helping to nurture and foster a community of female physicians, are the [best] things that we as women in oncology can do [to ensure we all succeed],” said Melody, a hematologist/oncologist at TGH and TGH Cancer Institute in Florida. “I really want to encourage the next generation of female physicians to continue to pursue careers in oncology.”

Melody also expands on the significance of International Women’s Day and the importance of female visibility and mentorship for early-career oncologists in a concurrent interview.

How has your experience as a female oncologist at TGH Cancer Institute shaped your perspective on gender dynamics and the role of supportive institutions in fostering a welcoming environment for female physicians?

At my institution… I'd love to see more female physicians at the institution, just because we're [relatively] new and still growing. There is me and one other female physician, Victoria Rizk, MD, who [specializes in] sarcoma and breast cancer. Hopefully we will be recruiting more female physicians. Truthfully, the 3 or 4 gentlemen I work with in the Hematology Malignancies Program are some of the most feminist and forward-thinking men I've worked with, and I feel very supported. If anything, I think that they value my opinion as a female physician taking care of their female patients. I feel very comfortable going to them with my concerns, both personal and professional. I cannot say enough great things about my institution in terms of how supportive they are and how comfortable I feel being a woman in this field with that group. I'm sad that some of my other female colleagues in the field probably don't have that same experience, but one of the things that drew me to TGH Cancer Institute was how kind and supportive these people are.

How do gender dynamics in oncology affect patient care, and what advice would you give to female patients entering treatment on how to advocate for themselves?

Especially on social media, I see a lot of stories about how women feel like they weren't often believed about symptoms or experiences they've had. They feel that they are more easily dismissed when it comes to the medical field, and it's truly heartbreaking. I am so empathetic and can understand [what that’s like] as a woman. What I say to every one of my patients, male or female, is that for me to be their doctor, they have to trust me. If we're having this meeting and they don't trust me, that's okay. This is my job, and I'm not going to take it personally. [I encourage them to] find a doctor they feel listens to them and that they can trust. If that’s not me, I will always help my patients find them.

I would encourage every woman to continue to speak their truth and advocate for themselves. If [a patient] feels like they have a physician who's not listening to them, chances are [that this doctor is] probably trying their hardest, but they're just not hearing [the patient]. Physicians should never take it personally if [a patient] needs to find someone they feel more comfortable with. Medical care is one of the most personal things people will ever engage in a relationship with a stranger about, so [it is important to find someone] they feel comfortable with.

How can oncologists work to build trust and support with their female patients?

We're so often pressed for time in clinic, that we want to [jump right in] and ask our questions about how they’re feeling, get our review in, and make sure that we're able to tell the patient our plan and next steps.

There's a study that was [shared with] me during my residency training [which essentially showed that], if you just give people the space to talk, most people cannot talk for more than 2 to 5 minutes at most without running out of things to say. We all have a busy schedule, but [it is important] to make sure to remember that the patient is going through something so hard that I truly hope my colleagues and I never have to go through. Just taking the time to listen to our patients for 2 to 3 minutes will probably give us all the information we need for your review of systems and most of what we need for social history. It will check off all of those boxes and will also allow you to hear your patients and their concerns. I may be going in with a plan of what to say that may not be what the patient needs from me that day.

Showing up for patients and giving them the space they need to talk for a few minutes can make a world of difference in fostering that relationship and trust. Ultimately, [it’s also important] to give ourselves grace if we didn’t show up for our patients that day in the way we really wanted to, because we’re all human.

What advice would you offer to women entering the field of oncology?

As a woman in medicine, I've been told a lot of things about how to behave, how to act, or how to carry myself. I have a very feminine voice, so I've been told that when I speak to patients, I have to speak lower and slower so that my older male patients can hear me. [I’ve also been told] that women should wear our hair back when we are seeing patients, and those sorts of things. To some extent, all those things are appropriate in certain settings. What I realized is that I work hard, and I truly care about my patients, and the most important thing that I can do for my patients is to show up as earnestly and honestly as I can, however that manifests. Medicine is hard, and [us early-career oncologists] are going to burn out if we don't allow ourselves to show up for our patients as who we truly are. Being genuine and open about that is important. [Moreover,] making sure that we do that for our colleagues is what will help us foster a community. By showing up genuinely, honestly, and openly for each other and holding the door open for each other, [we can] make sure we are extending new opportunities that allow other women to climb the ladder with us or behind us.