2025 ACOMS Elaine A. Stuebner Scholarship Award Winning Essay: Angel (An Qi) Wu's Vision for OMS Training

Angel Wu wrote the following essay and is the recipient of the 2025 Elaine A. Stuebner Scholars Award.

If I were to design my own oral and maxillofacial surgery training program, I would make deliberate modifications to both its structure and culture to foster an environment where more women feel welcomed and supported in pursuing the field. The goal is not to meet a quota, but to strengthen the specialty by expanding the range of mentorship styles and leadership models. By cultivating a more inclusive culture, we better reflect the patients we serve and the diverse talent we hope to train.

At my home institution, the Mayo Clinic, one of our greatest strengths is the opportunity to work closely with full-time faculty who are deeply committed to resident education. Our mentorship model is fully integrated into the curriculum and we benefit from working with a wide range of personalities and surgical approaches. However, in the more than 80-year history of our program, there has never been a single female faculty member. While the mentorship I’ve received has been exceptional, the absence of women in leadership positions limits the diversity of perspectives available and may subtly affect how welcome female applicants feel. Prior to my cohort, the program went over a decade without a single female resident. Interestingly, after one female joined the program, the environment began to shift. Today, women comprise approximately 33 percent of our residents (4 out of 12). While multiple factors likely contributed to that change, it is difficult to overlook the powerful impact of even one visible female role model.

In contrast, when I rotated in Puerto Rico, I was fortunate to work with several female faculty members, including the female program director at the time, Dr. Guerrero. Representation wasn’t merely symbolic, it actively shaped the program’s teaching style and communication culture. Female residents had more natural access to role models who understood their unique challenges and, as a result, helped raise expectations around professionalism, advocacy, and work-life balance across the board.

If I were to make adjustments to my program, I would begin by actively prioritizing the recruitment of diverse faculty, including women and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. Their presence would not only offer meaningful representation but also help cultivate richer learning environments and more varied mentorship experiences. Building on our current model, which pairs each resident with a single faculty member for an extended rotation, this structure would continue to support the development of strong, individualized mentorship relationships. These bonds do more than boost confidence, they can also shape long-term career goals and increase the likelihood that women pursue leadership or academic roles after residency.

Next, I would invest in early exposure initiatives targeting dental students, especially during their preclinical years. Making oral and maxillofacial surgery approachable early is key. I remember telling an endodontics faculty member in my third year of dental school that I wanted to pursue oral surgery and his reaction was one of confusion and disbelief. He questioned how I could possibly take on such a demanding career and also raise a family successfully. That moment stuck with me. To counteract that kind of implicit discouragement, we need targeted programs that connect students with female oral surgeons who can model diverse and realistic ways of balancing career and life. These initiatives could include mentorship-based externships specifically for underrepresented dental students as well as Women in Oral Surgery panels integrated into the core oral surgery curriculum of dental school. Collectively, these efforts would help prospective applicants not only envision themselves in the specialty, but also feel seen and supported by it.

In addition to formal mentorship and early exposure programs, I would incorporate the thoughtful use of social media to increase visibility and access to female oral surgeons. Platforms like Instagram and YouTube have become informal yet effective tools for mentorship, allowing students to observe surgical cases, follow the daily lives of surgeons, and hear candid reflections on training and career paths. Female surgeons who share their experiences online expand the narrative of who belongs in surgery and inspire students who may not see themselves traditionally represented. Encouraging this type of professional engagement can expand outreach and make the field feel more approachable, especially for those without direct access to role models.

I would also advocate for a more holistic review process in how we evaluate potential trainees. Traits like leadership, resilience, empathy, and emotional intelligence are equally important predictors of residency success, yet because they are harder to objectively measure, they are often undervalued. Since it is difficult to gauge these qualities in a single hour-long interview, letters of recommendation should carry more weight, especially those that speak to a candidate’s character and collaborative spirit.

Finally, I would work to normalize discussions around work-life balance at the faculty level by fostering a culture where topics such as family planning, burnout, and career flexibility are openly addressed rather than avoided. When those conversations happen transparently, they make the path more accessible and less intimidating for anyone thinking of entering the field.

In short, I wouldn’t change the surgical rigor or the academic expectations of residency, but I would be intentional about reshaping the systems and culture that determine who feels like they belong. Creating an environment where women not only feel welcomed but also thrive requires conscious and sustained effort. While meaningful progress has been made in recent years, there is still much work to be done. We cannot expect the face of our specialty to change if we do not first change the conditions that shape it.

Angel (An Qi) Wu

Dr. Angel Wu is a Mayo Clinic-trained oral and maxillofacial surgeon dedicated to improving the training environment for women in OMS. She has been actively involved in mentorship and resident wellness initiatives that support female voices in the specialty. Wu recently began her journey in private practice in Rochester, Minnesota. Outside the operating room, she and her husband enjoy exploring Minnesota’s food scene and are excited to welcome their first child in March!