As one of only six female pre-meds, Stephanie Chambers finds inspiration wherever she can

By Katie Ashton

April 26, 2005 | Being strong, dedicated and driven are not unique characteristics to have when pursuing a pre-med degree.

However, Stephanie Chambers, one of six women in the Utah State University pre-med program, has never faltered ­ even in the face of a male-dominated field.

For five years, Chambers has watched women leave her pre-med courses for less demanding careers. With the common trend of Utahans marrying at a young age, Chambers has witnessed her female counterparts buckle under the conflicting demands between their cultural values and the medical field.

"I think the reason women don't pursue [the medical field] in the same ratio is because they are concerned with culturally specific gender roles," she said while at her research desk on the second-floor of the Widtsoe chemistry building.

"For example, I know a lot of women that switch their career goals because they don't have examples of women that combine family and work."

The female role models Chambers looks for are those who have succeeded in both family and their medical careers.

However, these role models are not as prevalent in Utah as they are nationwide. In a lab with a female adviser who juggles both a family life and medical research, Chambers considers her surroundings atypical of university life.

In addition to her adviser, Chambers also works with two female doctoral students and two female undergraduate students as well.

"I think that it is just refreshing to be a person in a lab rather than a female in a lab," she said. "I don't think you would feel that way in a lot of places, but you could fall into that here."

Although the statistics favor USU male pre-med students, Chambers considers herself lucky.

She knows she won't give up.

The challenges Chambers has witnessed with this male dominated field are not uncommon to the few women who pursue medical professions, outside of nursing and dentistry, in Utah. Nationally, women and men share almost equal percentages in the realm of medicine and medical research.

Yet, Utah State's program boasts a mere 5 percent to 10 percent of female students in its pre-med courses, Chambers said.

According to an article in the Rocky Mountain News, the Washington, D.C.-based Association of American Medial Colleges reported that for the first time more women than men applied for admission to U.S. medical schools in 2003.

Women now make up 20 percent to 30 percent of all doctors.

"Women are starting to figure out you can do it and still have families and a personal life," Maureen Garrity, Colorado University's School of Medicine's associate dean for medical students admissions, told the Rocky Mountain News.

Although national numbers are impressive, Chambers worries about the women in Utah not receiving enough support to pursue their careers.

Young marriages are an attributing factor to women leaving USU's pre-med courses prematurely.

In Utah, the average age a woman marries is 21, whereas the national average is 23. There is a similar correlation with men as well.

In Utah, the average man will marry at 23, which is four years earlier than the national average.

"I think that people aren't encouraged to finish their degrees after getting married," Chambers said. "Because people do get married a lot younger here then on average, it becomes a big problem."

Financially it is very difficult to support two people going to college. Usually one of those people has to work to support the other one and usually it's the woman.

Linda Woertendyke, academic adviser for the USU biology department, agrees with Chambers. With the students she has seen this year, only six of the 51 going through the pre-med committee process were women.

However, this doesn't mean women stay clear of the medical fields all together. Many women pursue a nursing degree, Woertendyke said, to better accommodate the demands of a family.

Despite having the statistics against her, Chambers continues to pursue her career.

"I get burned out, but I think everybody gets burned out. I think that's when outside things become really significant to inspire you," she said.

Chambers draws on the Women in Medicine organization for support. The group was created as an alternate resource for women pursuing the medical field. This group allows other women to inspire each other, Chamber said, and offers women opportunities to meet with female professionals in their field of interest.

However, Utah is not the only place lacking in female role models.

"I still think the number of women in leadership positions is lower than what you would expect, given the denominator," Jean Kutner, division head of internal medicine at the University of Colorado, told the Rocky Mountain News.

"Because there are a few women in leadership positions, there are few role models. There're not many people out there where you'd say, 'Yet, that's the person I want to be when I grow up.'"

Chambers values her connection with the group of female students in Women in Medicine. It is critical that the group exists for women to have information access, she said.

For example, there are many gender specific interactions that facilitate the flow of information and this group allows women to access information they might not otherwise have the opportunity to.

Despite this outside resource, Chambers said she understands why women consider marrying rather than finishing their pre-med courses.

"It's hard to put your self out there and risk so much pursuing something that may or may not happen," she said. "I think that it's easy for a lot of people to feel comfortable using their husband's education or potential career as a fall back career."

At some point Chambers said she is interested in starting a family, but also her career as well.

"I would very much like to get married to somebody who wasn't expecting me to make that sacrifice," Chambers said referring to compromising her career for her husband's advancement. Chambers said she understand the challenges that she will face when she starts juggling a family and a career.

However, it is "very possible to have kids and have a career and be successful.

On a recent Saturday, Chambers took the MCAT -- the medical college entrance exam -- for the second time, and said she was shocked with the turnout. There were three women out of 60 to 65 men.

Chambers said, "I didn't think the discrepancy would be so huge."

Although this was an example of what Chambers faces in Utah, she said it doesn't discourage her. Rather it is disappointing.

"I think that people by this point in time should be more confident in themselves. I have nothing against people who go into nursing or become a dentist, I just know that the national percentage of women going into health careers is a little over 50 percent, and here it is 6 percent," Chambers said, with her eyes shifting down slightly.

"I really don't think that is indicative of what people really want to pursue."

Despite the challenges that surround other women, Chambers remains steadfast with her dreams. Her parents have etched the "stick to it even if you don't like it" mentality into Chambers personality.

Chambers passion for finding answers and being a part of the solution continues to follow her. The science of medicine encompasses an array of fields, yet, behind the scenes, researching and developing drugs to help people better understand their own bodies is what Chambers continues to strive to be a part of.

"You're not just helping one person, you may contribute to the development of a drug that will impact thousands or maybe you'll make a better drug," Chambers said. "Even helping people understand their own bodies better and understand what is happening to them with a disease…it gives them a sense of empowerment."

Although she hasn't thought much about which medical schools she is applying to, Chambers will graduate with the class of 2005 from Utah State.

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