The annual SWIU conference is a national professional development and mentoring meeting that brings together women across all career stages in urology, with a focus on leadership development, career sustainability, mentorship, and well being. Under Dr. Smith’s leadership, the 2026 program centered on navigating change in medicine, sustaining fulfilling careers, and strengthening professional community across generations.
A highlight of the meeting was the keynote address by Sasha Shillcutt, MD, founder of Brave Enough and a nationally recognized leader in physician well being and leadership development. Dr. Shillcutt’s keynote set a powerful and reflective tone for the conference and was especially meaningful to attendees given the meeting’s emphasis on thriving through change.
The conference featured a dynamic mix of keynote presentations, panel discussions, interactive sessions, and mentoring opportunities, creating an engaging and supportive environment for participants from across the country. Dr. Smith also serves as President Elect of SWIU, further highlighting UNC Urology’s national leadership in mentoring and professional development within the specialty.
The full conference program is available here:
https://virtual.association-service.org/swiu/videos [swiu.org]
Angela Smith, MD, reflects on key themes from SWIU 2026 (Source: Urology Times)