This September, PCOM joins the American Medical Association to celebrate Women in Medicine month. This important celebration honors physicians who have offered their time, wisdom and support to advance women with careers in medicine. At PCOM, we recognize our women physicians who serve as faculty members and role models for our students.
This year, Autumn, Dye, DO, assistant professor, family medicine, shares more about her journey to medicine
and advice for future women physicians.
I have always loved children and loved working with children. I felt called to this profession. My parents encouraged me to do what I love to do; they were a huge support in my journey.
Women offer a unique perspective on medicine. The obvious is that about fifty percent of patients are women, so having someone who has our unique characteristics can help to understand menstrual cycles, pregnancy, hormonal changes and other medical issues. The other reason is women are by nature very nurturing and can offer that to our patients and families.
One of my goals as a professor at PCOM and as a pediatrician is to be a role model for women on how to succeed in medicine and balance that with our professional lives. Women do it all! We, realistically, have to balance our family life and our careers. This is helping medicine to change for the positive; for example, better work hours, more understanding for calling out sick and space to take time off for pregnancy and maternity leave.
I started in the spring of 2022 and so far, I have loved my time at PCOM. I have been supported as a woman physician from the day I arrived.
My advice to a young woman interested in being a physician is to pursue what you love, and you will make it work! You can have a career and a family. You can forge your path. If you love being a physician, you can make it through the hard times and find a very rewarding career. I love being a pediatrician. I love children, and that passion for children's health drives me. I love teaching students, and coming to work every day to teach them drives me.
For the past 125 years, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
Brandon Lausch
Executive Director, Strategic Communications
Email: brandonla@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6312 | Cell:
717-371-0609
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