Women in Medicine: Dr. Sharon Andrade-Bucknor
A “quiet” leader by nature, the assistant professor of clinical medicine has used her position in Women in Academic medicine to champion women faculty.
Sharon Andrade-Bucknor, M.D., medical director of cardiac rehabilitation at UHealth — University of Miami Health System, understands the importance of mentorship in academic medicine. In this Q&A for Women in Medicine month, Dr. Andrade-Bucknor, also assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, offers a perspective on leadership that champions recognition, inclusion and advocacy. Read on to learn about the impact she strives to make in cardiology and beyond.
Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that significantly shaped your leadership journey?
I believe that there are many forms of leadership. For most of my career, I have been comfortable with the “quieter” form of leadership concerning my medical directorships and fellowship role.
Two years ago, I was entrusted with the role of vice president of Women in Academic Medicine and subsequently transitioned to the president. This pivotal moment thrust me into a different type of leadership role. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity. It has allowed me to serve on a larger scale and appreciate up close the enormous contribution of women to the university and the profession of medicine as a whole.
This has further fueled my passion for championing the cause for improved recognition and rewards for the fantastic job done by women faculty while facing unique challenges daily.
I hope to inspire other Black women, who are grossly underrepresented in cardiology. There is a great need for Black cardiologists to care for the Black population.
—Dr. Sharon Andrade-Bucknor
How have mentors influenced your career path?
In addition to guiding me on my chosen career path, my mentors have challenged me to broaden my vision of myself, allowing me to take advantage of opportunities I may not have otherwise envisioned for myself.
A few years ago, one of my mentors suggested I apply for the Public Voices Fellowship. This fellowship was way outside my comfort zone and something I had never considered. Being chosen for the fellowship, an experience I am very thankful to have had, gave me the confidence to pursue other opportunities outside my comfort zone. This has resulted in further successes, which will significantly impact the future of my career path.
How do you balance your personal and professional responsibilities?
Being a physician inherently comes with many compromises, with long days and busy weekends, even more so than in previous times. I try to designate times for my patients and my family as best as possible and be fully present in those moments, recognizing that I won’t be able to attend every soccer game or conference.
An early morning run is my “me” time, which energizes me and starts my day off on a positive note, feeling that I have already accomplished something worthwhile.
What legacy do you hope to leave behind in your field?
I hope to inspire more women to enter cardiology and not be daunted by or fearful of a still male-dominated specialty. In particular, I hope to inspire other Black women, who are grossly underrepresented in cardiology. There is a great need for Black cardiologists to care for the Black population, and studies show that this will improve outcomes.
I hope to continue encouraging advocacy for women to be given leadership roles and equally compensated as their male counterparts.
Tags: cardiology, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dr. Sharon Andrade-Bucknor, inclusion, mentoring, women in medicine, Women in Medicine Month