Deeply committed to advancing the careers of women in academic medicine through mentorship, sponsorship, advocacy and academic work, Dee E. Fenner, M.D., is being recognized by the Medical School as the 2024 recipient of the Karin Muraszko, M.D., Advancing Women in Academic Medicine Award.

Fenner, who has served since 2018 as chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Bates Professor of Diseases of Women and Children, will be honored at the second annual Celebration of Women in Academic Medicine at 2 p.m. February 28, 2024, at the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Auditorium in the A. Alfred Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building. The event will include a keynote address by Alison Whelan, MD, chief academic officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges. 

Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP by February 14, as the Kahn Auditorium has limited capacity. It also will be livestreamed.

“We are pleased to honor Dr. Fenner for her tremendous vision and tireless commitment to helping advance the careers — and the impact and fulfillment — of women in academic medicine,” says Executive Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer Debra F. Weinstein, M.D. “Many of her colleagues at Michigan Medicine, and around the country, have a deep sense of gratitude for Dee’s trailblazing work and strong desire to elevate those around her toward the greater benefit of health care and communities. She is a most worthy recipient of the Muraszko Award.”

Fenner’s colleagues throughout Michigan Medicine, from fellow chairs to longtime friends and fellow physicians, speak highly of Fenner and her contributions.

In their letter of nomination, Donna M. Martin, M.D., Ph.D., the Ravitz Foundation Endowed Professor of Pediatrics and chair of the Department of Pediatrics; Michele S. Caird, M.D., the Harold W. and Helen L. Gehring Professor and chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery; Mark E. P. Prince, M.D., the Charles J. Krause Professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; and Paul P. Lee, M.D., J.D., senior associate dean of clinical affairs in the Medical School, executive director of the University of Michigan Medical Group, and past chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, called Fenner an ideal role model who has excelled in all aspects of academic medicine while at the same time effectively challenging the status quo related to gender diversity in academic medicine. 

“As a UMHS Board member she is a strong voice for advancing women into leadership roles. Dr. Fenner always ensures that gender bias is not allowed to impact decision making, including challenging senior leaders and others when needed. This advocacy has frequently impacted decisions to ensure that challenges faced by women in academic medicine are mitigated and that the concerns of women are considered.” They continue: “Dr. Fenner has an in-depth understanding of the challenges and opportunities that must be addressed related to advancing women in academic medicine. She has a track record of providing insightful and meaningful input at a departmental, institutional, and national level regarding these issues and instigating change.” 

Fenner has a been a strong proponent for changes to the family leave policy to better support women and their partners. She has also advocated for “term limits” on leadership roles to create more opportunities for women in academic medicine to advance. This advocacy, her nominators write, has resulted in meaningful changes. She has also impacted women in her role as a residency program director, and she has been recognized with the National Teaching Medal from the Association of Professors in Gynecology and Obstetrics, membership in the Medical School’s League of Educational Excellence, and the Rudi Ansbacher Leadership Award for Support of Women in Health Care.

Fenner said she is honored to receive the Muraszko Award, named for a colleague she calls a role model and exemplar of a physician leader.

“It is hard to express how thrilled I am to receive this award that honors Dr. Karin Muraszko,” she said. “To be nominated by my peers, institutional leaders, and my own faculty is very humbling. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead at Michigan Medicine, and I hope to continue to break down barriers and open doors so that all people can achieve their goals.”

During their time together on the Medical School Advance Advisory Board, Fenner and Sonya Jacobs sought to identify the highest priority issues affecting women and other groups within the Medical School and provide advice on particular programs that should be developed for the specific Medical School context. Fenner helped to create the Rudi Ansbacher Advancing Women in Academic Medicine Leadership Scholars Program, an intensive 18-month leadership development program designed to accelerate the development of women for senior positions in academic medicine and healthcare, and open to all in leadership roles who have a demonstrated commitment to supporting the advancement of women.

The impact of this program has been significant — 100 percent of participants reported that the program enhanced their personal and professional development.

“Dee is a leader in leveraging her voice and her position to support and advance others and she is fiercely committed to supporting women and the faculty she leads,” says Jacobs, assistant vice president, workplace culture and experience, and chief organizational learning officer at the University of Michigan.

Maya M. Hammoud, M.D., MBA, has known Fenner for two decades and says she has the privilege of witnessing her profound impact on the field of medicine, locally and nationally.

“Her tireless dedication to the advancement of women in academic medicine is evident through her multifaceted roles as a mentor, sponsor, and advocate,” says Hammoud, the J. Robert Willson Research Professor, chief of the Division of Women’s Health, associate chair for education, and professor of obstetrics and gynecology. “Her impact extends over the lifespan of women as early as high school to the most senior women including undergraduate students, medical students, residents, fellows, junior faculty, and women more advanced in their career (such as myself )who still benefit from her wisdom and sponsorship on a regular basis.”