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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%
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ROCHESTER