News
Why advocacy-orientated CPD matters for the future of cardiology
By Women As One
At the 2026 Alliance Annual Conference, Women As One presented a poster that asked a powerful question: What if continuing professional development (CPD) did more than teach clinical knowledge— and instead helped shape the future of the workforce itself?
For decades, professional education in medicine has focused primarily on what clinicians know and how they practice. That work remains essential.
But persistent gender gaps across cardiology—from leadership positions to research participation and speaking opportunities—demonstrate that knowledge alone is not enough to ensure equitable advancement.
To truly strengthen the field of cardiology, professional development must also support who clinicians become, the opportunities they access, and the voices that shape the future of cardiovascular medicine.
Our poster, More Than Education: Elevating Equity and Identity Through CPD, explores how a new model of advocacy-orientated CPD can help close these gaps.
Advocacy-orientated CPD expands the traditional model of professional education. In addition to building clinical expertise, it intentionally supports the structural elements that shape career advancement—mentorship, sponsorship, leadership development, visibility, and professional networks.
By integrating these elements into professional education, CPD can become a powerful engine for advancing equity—and ultimately improving patient care.
Why this matters
Gender inequities in medicine are not simply workforce issues. They influence research priorities, clinical trial representation, leadership decision-making, and ultimately the care patients receive.
When women clinicians have equitable opportunities to lead, research, and shape clinical practice, the entire healthcare system benefits.
Yet structural barriers remain. Women physicians often have less access to mentorship, sponsorship networks, and leadership pathways—factors that are critical for career advancement.
This is where advocacy-orientated CPD comes in.
By intentionally designing programs that foster mentorship, build leadership skills, create visibility, and support long-term professional growth, organizations can help ensure that the next generation of cardiovascular leaders reflects the diversity of the patients they serve.
Turning opportunity into impact
Since its founding, Women As One has supported thousands of women cardiologists across more than 100 countries, expanding access to mentorship, research opportunities, and leadership development.
Through programs like CLIMB, RISE, Mentorship Awards, and our global digital community, The Pulse, thousands of women cardiologists have gained mentorship, leadership training, and opportunities that accelerate their careers and expand their influence.
Today, the outcomes of these programs are shaping the field in tangible ways:
- Women As One alumnae are leading clinical trials and advancing cardiovascular research
- Clinicians supported through our programs are building registries, launching new care models, and expanding access to specialized care
- Women cardiologists are gaining greater representation on speaker panels, advisory boards, and leadership pathways
- A global community of more than 3,000 women cardiologists is strengthening collaboration, mentorship, and visibility across the profession
These outcomes demonstrate what becomes possible when professional development goes beyond traditional education to intentionally support leadership, identity, and community.
A call to the cardiovascular community
Advancing equity in cardiology is not the responsibility of one organization—it requires a collective effort across the entire ecosystem of clinicians, educators, institutions, and industry partners.
For women cardiologists, this means engaging in the programs, mentorship networks, and leadership opportunities that help shape the future of the field. Whether through CLIMB, RISE, research initiatives, or participation in The Pulse community, your involvement strengthens a growing movement dedicated to advancing women in cardiology.
For our partners and supporters, this work demonstrates the powerful impact that strategic investment in equity-focused professional development can have on the workforce and the patients we ultimately serve.
Together, we can redefine what professional development looks like in medicine—not just as a pathway for learning, but as a catalyst for leadership, opportunity, and lasting change.
Explore the poster
We invite you to explore the poster below (click here to download it) to learn more about the evidence, framework, and real-world impact behind this work—and to join us in continuing to expand what professional development can achieve for the future of cardiovascular medicine.
Learn more about Women As One at womenasone.org
The Femtech World Awards is proud to reveal the shortlist for Research Project of the Year as part of the third annual global celebration of innovation, impact and leadership across women’s health.
From fertility science and perimenopause research to regional ecosystem analysis, the shortlisted projects reflect the breadth and growing influence of femtech research worldwide.
The category is sponsored by OncoGenomX, with the winner to be selected by a representative from the organisation.
OncoGenomX is dedicated to offering solutions and providing comprehensive support services that empower Drug Developers, Clinical Researchers, Oncologists,NextGenSeq Diagnostics Laboratories, NextGenSeq Service Organisations, Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics Companies to achieve their ambitious goals
The shortlisted entries for Research Project of the Year are:
Women’s health remains significantly underserved in South-East Asia, with persistent gaps in access, awareness, and quality of care carrying substantial social and economic costs.
This report examines the femtech landscape in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, highlighting market trends, emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, and the evolving support ecosystem.
It identifies key challenges facing femtech founders, including limited access to finance, low awareness and persistent stigma, marketing constraints linked to content moderation, and gaps in tailored ecosystem support.
Led by Stephanie Willson, MD, of the IVI RMA Global Research Alliance, the study explored whether embryos that show certain chromosome abnormalities during genetic testing may still have the potential to result in a healthy pregnancy and live birth.
The research analysed more than 7,600 frozen embryo transfers and found that some embryos previously considered unlikely to succeed were still capable of leading to successful pregnancies, although at lower rates than embryos without abnormalities.
The findings could help fertility clinics and patients make more informed decisions during IVF treatment, particularly in cases where there are limited embryos available.
Rather than automatically discarding these embryos, the research supports a more evidence-based and personalised approach to fertility care.
For many women, perimenopause can feel confusing and unpredictable, with limited research explaining what is happening in their bodies.
Natural Cycles set out to change that by leading one of the largest studies ever conducted on menstrual and ovulatory patterns, uncovering new insights into how ovulation behaves as women approach menopause.
Conducted in collaboration with researchers from George Washington University, Seattle Clinical Research Center, Gennev and the University of California San Diego, the study analysed nearly one million menstrual cycles from more than 197,000 women aged 18–52 across more than 140 countries.
The scale of this dataset made it possible to explore menstrual patterns and ovulation in far greater detail than has traditionally been possible in women’s health research.
The Femtech World Awards celebrates the innovators, researchers and organisations driving meaningful progress in women’s health.
What happens next
Winners across all categories will be revealed during the virtual ceremony on June 19, with winners receiving a trophy and an interview with a Femtech World journalist.
Women over 40 are seeking raves for mental and physical wellbeing, with a study suggesting the benefits go beyond nightlife.
The findings challenge the idea that nightlife and electronic dance music events are mainly for younger people.
Published in Psychology of Music, the study focused on the common misconception that nightlife is only for younger audiences.
Researchers surveyed 136 female clubbers aged 40 to 65 about their experiences at electronic dance music events.
The study, carried out at the University of Leeds in England, found women reported mental and physical wellbeing benefits from attending these events.
Seeing favourite DJs was the most common motivation, but many women also described dancing as a way to relieve stress and find emotional support.
The research found that 65.9 per cent of participants described attending a rave as “spiritual”, while 62.9 per cent said it offered an escape from everyday life.
A further 58.3 per cent said they felt like a different version of themselves in a club environment.
Nine in ten participants said they felt at home at electronic dance music events, with many pointing to a shared passion for music and the sense of community around it.
The study also suggested physical fitness played a role, with some women saying they had made clubbing part of their regular exercise routine.
However, the findings also highlighted challenges for older women in nightlife spaces.
One fifth of participants said they felt visibly out of place because of their age.
Nearly half reported unwanted physical contact, leading some to seek out different venues or attend only with friends.
Osteoporosis may raise the risk of death in postmenopausal women by up to 47 per cent, a new study suggests.
The findings point to an inverse relationship between femoral bone mineral density and mortality risk, especially within certain ranges.
Femoral bone mineral density is the amount of mineral in the thigh bone, which is often measured to assess bone strength and osteoporosis risk.
Dr Monica Christmas is associate medical director for The Menopause Society.
She said: “Osteoporosis often remains a silent threat after menopause, despite its profound effect on women’s lives—from loss of height, poor balance, and reduced mobility to disfigurement, pain, and even premature death.
“Early screening and preventive measures, including a calcium-rich diet (preferably from food sources), regular weight-bearing exercise, and hormone therapy when appropriate, can significantly improve bone health and reduce risks not only of fractures but also cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and dementia.
“It’s time we bring this conversation to the forefront.”
In the study involving nearly 3,000 postmenopausal women, bone mineral density at four femoral sites was assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, a scan commonly used to measure bone strength and fracture risk.
The analysis found that mortality risk was significantly higher when femoral bone mineral density reached the osteoporotic threshold or when osteoporotic fractures were present.
After full adjustment, osteoporosis was associated with a 47 per cent increased risk of mortality.
A stronger inverse association between increased bone mineral density and mortality risk was seen within specific ranges, suggesting bone mineral density could serve as a prognostic marker of wider health.
The relationship appeared especially notable within the range of 0.46 to 0.71 g/cm² for total femur bone mineral density.
Previous research has shown that postmenopausal women face a significantly higher risk of death within one year of hip or vertebral fractures.
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