FOCUS believes that by creating solutions to maximize the talent of women in medicine and biomedical careers, all faculty will benefit and the contributions of women will advance health care in our country and across the globe. For over 20 years, since 1994, FOCUS has been a voice for women and an engine for culture change in academic medicine.

FOCUS leads with a multi-pronged approach:
-- Develops a wide array of interventions to provide skill-building and mentoring for leadership and advancement over the career life-span and to lead institutional change efforts
-- Conducts NIH-funded research in the causal factors and interventions to support the academic careers of women at Penn and nationally
-- Tracks faculty gender data and monitors progress at Penn, comparing Penn data with national statistical averages for medical schools compiled by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
-- Advocates for change in policies and procedures which may disproportionately affect women's career advancement
-- Awards grants to medical students and faculty to stimulate research and investment in the field of women's health while simultaneously promoting the careers of women and junior investigators
-- Builds a community of women and men who work together to create a culture where all faculty can thrive

The FOCUS Program leadership is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of Penn Medicine faculty and women with specific expertise and interest in women's health and career:
Stephanie Abbuhl MD, Hillary Bogner MD MSCE, Patricia Scott BA, and Lucy W. Tuton PhD

A leader in advancing women in medicine and biomedical careers, FOCUS has won two prestigious national awards from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), has been highlighted at numerous national meetings, and is regulary invited to present and consult at medical schools across the nation.