In high school, Josephine Young was the quiet valedictorian who never raised her hand in class. As a young medical manager, she was offered big responsibilities paired with skimpy pay and inadequate titles. When she said yes, she regretted it. She's a more prominent boss now, confident in her ability to stick up for herself. As she puts it: "If you are not at the table, you may be on the table."
Dr. Young is one of 24 female M.D.s whose life stories appear in "Lessons Learned: Stories From Women in Medical Management." It's a fascinating and timely book, chronicling the victories, setbacks and personal growth of an ambitious cohort. The book's overriding message: the path to success isn't a straight line. Everyone in Lessons Learned has worked through trouble at some point, becoming a stronger manager and a more resilient person by doing so.
