As the daughter of a nurse who plays an extremely active role in the Pediatric Unit at a world renowned hospital, Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland, I have always been aware of the prevalent people that worked there. Learning about Doctor Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon and former presidential candidate, has allowed me to feel like a part of the medical world that I never really had interest in. But after learning about how important he was and his active duties as a neurosurgeon, I became slightly more interested in the life at Hopkins.
The newest headlines that struck my attention were "Hopkins Hospital Hires First Female President" and "In 125-year History Hopkins Names First Female President." I'm not sure why this stood out to me so much. It may be the fact that Redonda Miller will be the first female president or the fact that it took so long for this to happen.
This reputable hospital was founded back in 1889, nearly 127 years ago. From the start, Johns Hopkins has never seen a female president in the lead, but starting July 2016, Dr. Redonda Miller will take on the role as the first female president for the overall betterment of the work community. Ronald R. Peterson, the current president of Johns Hopkins Hospital who has been serving for 19 years, introduces Miller's history, "An extraordinary combination of exceptional medical prowess, years of progressive administrative experience, and well-earned respect of senior clinical and administrative leadership."
Miller started out as a medical student who has given more than 20 years of service to the hospital. Recently, she has served as the Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs for Johns Hopkins Health System and the Vice President of Medical Affairs for the Hospital. She has also served on multiple administrative councils and several professional boards at Hopkins as well.
After putting in so much work and dedication, Miller deserves this position, no matter her gender. Women in today's society account for 78.4 percent of the workforce in health care and social assistance, but only 12.4 percent are executive officers and 18.3 percent of board directors None are CEOs, according to the Center for American Progress.
I've only taken one Women in Gender Studies class during my time in college, but I surely wouldn't consider myself an extreme feminist. Although, I do care about gender equality, especially in the work environment. Almost all companies are significantly lacking leadership positions among females. Seeing a woman become the 11th president of the Johns Hopkins Hospital is surely changing paths for future leadership opportunities among women in the healthcare industry. Congratulations to Redonda Miller -- I can't wait to see the new and innovative ideas you will bring to the people at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
