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Though born in the machismo culture of Colombia,   that exists. Though to be honest, I’m glad I’ve never had
        Jimena Cubillos, whose family moved to the U.S.   to see a department chairman in his skivvies.”
        when she was 6, was always told by her parents she
        could be anything she wanted when she grew up.  People in her department have gone out of their way to
                                                    help her advance in her career, Cubillos says. When she
        She would go on to pursue a career in the heavily   recommended someone in particular for the position of
        male-dominated field of urology, becoming the only   division chief in her department, her chair and division
        pediatric surgeon, male or female, to perform robotic   chief both suggested it would be a good idea for her to
        procedures at Golisano Children’s Hospital—and one of   take on the role—for her, personally, and for the field
        a minority of urology surgeons to do so nationally.  on a national level, which needed more female division
                                                    chiefs. At the time she wanted to start focusing on
        Cubillos, with expertise in minimally invasive,   quality efforts instead, so she declined to pursue the
        laparoscopic, and robotic pediatric urology, has been   opportunity, but she appreciated the confidence in her
        at the forefront of social change in academic medicine   potential and the continued support that followed.
        since studying at the University of Rochester School of
        Medicine and Dentistry.                     Cubillos had been careful from early on to choose
                                                    only supportive surroundings. When applying
        “Our class was the first year there was an equivalent   for a residency, for instance, she heard through
        number of males and females, and the class after us   word-of-mouth she should avoid known “malignant
        had more women than men for the first time,” she   programs for women.”
        recalls. “It was definitely a point of pride. We felt like                              Jimena Cubillos
        we had beaten the gender gap, and the administration   Today, the face of urology is changing. While Cubillos
        talked about it on a regular basis.”        used to be able to count the number of women in   (’97, MD ’03)
                                                    urology who attended national meetings, she says that   Associate Professor of Clinical
        In small ways her gender as a female physician comes   statistic is growing.              Urology
        into play, such as when she’s talking socially with                                     Director of Quality in the Department
        male colleagues after rounds and has to split off from   “There are definitely a lot more women now, and   of Urology
        the group when it’s time to change into scrubs in a   they’re younger, so a new generation is coming into   University of Rochester Medical
        separate locker room.                       the field,” she says. “I think the workforce is going to   Center
                                                    change, and it’s going to become more acceptable to
        “You’re not privy to that half of the conversation, but   do things like job share and work part-time. I’m
        it’s not intentional,” she says. “There’s just a reality   hopeful.”




        URSMD Full-time Faculty 2019



                            Female Faculty

                                                Sr. Instructor/                    Male Faculty
         Professor: 14.5%                       Instructor: 14.5%
                                                                                                      Sr. Instructor/
                                                                                                      Instructor: 9.5%

                                                            Professor: 29.7%








                                                       Assistant
                                                       Professor: 42.7%                                      Assistant
                                                                                                             Professor: 32.4%
                Associate
         Professor: 28.2%                                           Associate
                                                              Professor: 28.4%
                                                                                                   ROCHESTER MEDICINE  |   2019 – V2MEDICINE  |   2019 – V2  19 19
                                                                                                   ROCHESTER
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