At Murj, we are thrilled to join the global celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD) on Friday, March 8. This significant day serves as an opportunity to honor the remarkable achievements of women and promote awareness of gender equality. This year’s theme, #InspireInclusion, resonates deeply with our commitment to creating an inclusive and empowering environment for the women on our team and in our communities.
Fostering diversity and empowerment is a crucial component of our mission as a company. #InspireInclusion is a powerful call to action, urging us to celebrate the unique contributions of women from all walks of life and challenge the biases hindering their progress.
Murj is fortunate to collaborate with many talented women in the CIED space. From doctors and nurses to administrators and leaders, these women play a pivotal role in enhancing patient care and driving innovation in cardiac device management.
Read on for some inspiring stories and unique perspectives from women in the Murj CIED ecosystem.
Sirena Bridges FNP-BC, MSN, MSPH, CCDS
Electrophysiology Nurse Practitioner, Centennial Heart
What advice would you give to your younger self starting in your career?
Don’t be afraid to fail.
How do you navigate challenges and setbacks in your professional journey?
Understand that setbacks are a part of the process. Keep pushing and never give up.
Megan McCabe
Manager, Clinical Data & Analytics, Murj
What advice would you give to your younger self starting in your career?
I’ve found regular goal setting to be a helpful exercise of reflection on what’s gone well and where I want to go next. I like to keep the goals fairly broad (e.g., “I want to switch jobs to work in the healthcare industry again in the next two years” or “I want to become proficient in writing Python for data science”). Broad goals have been especially helpful early in my career, when I’m not sure about the specifics, and want to keep myself open to unexpected opportunities. I’ve found taking unexpected opportunities to be immensely valuable for discovering new passions and expanding my skill set.
How do you navigate challenges and setbacks in your professional journey?
I find it helpful to reflect on challenges or setbacks as an individual first, and then with other people. Individual reflection is important to formalize your thoughts independent of anyone else’s. Reflection with a teammate often furthers that initial reflection, through speaking your thoughts aloud and through gathering ideas from a teammate that has their unique background and perspective.
In what ways do you think workplaces can better support women’s career advancement and leadership opportunities?
- Programming within the company to connect women and provide learning opportunities. I’ve found this to be most useful when there is broad participation, across departments and seniority levels.
- Strong family leave benefits and open-mindedness about flexible hours, for parents of both genders and other caregivers.
- Equitable hiring and promotion practices, meaning candidates of many backgrounds are given equal opportunity to apply and progress through the pipeline.
Read Megan’s co-authored white paper.
Julie Box RN
Device Specialist, Centennial Heart
I have been in the EP field for over 30 years and going into this field was the best thing I have ever done with my professional life. I am as inspired about this field today as I was the first day I began to train. This is how exciting this field continues to be. The growth that I have seen has been unfathomable and it has been a privilege to be a part of this industry.
What advice would you give to your younger self starting in your career?
You are your own compass. Stay true to your core values and work ethic (strong!), and everything else will pay off. The respect of others will come only if you can respect yourself and your work
How do you navigate challenges and setbacks in your professional journey?
Stay the course, admit failures, and grow from them. Be patient. This is when you learn the most and can teach others from your experience.
In what ways do you think workplaces can better support women’s career advancement and leadership opportunities?
First, we have to advocate for ourselves. Let our work speak for itself. Stand up for yourself and do not let someone speak for you. Join women’s groups and clubs for support. Surround yourself with strong respectful leaders, both men and women.
Gaby Sewell
Sales Director, Northeast, Murj
What advice would you give to your younger self starting in your career?
Have faith in yourself, it’s all going to be fine. Invest your effort upfront to establish a solid foundation. The well-known saying, “The harder you work, the ‘luckier’ you get” holds true. Prioritize listening over speaking, you’ll never regret it.
Feeling like the underdog who has something to prove fuels the motivation to win every opportunity you have. Each win reduces the inevitable imposter syndrome, but you learn and grow the most from the sting of a loss. Embrace the lesson.
How do you navigate challenges and setbacks in your professional journey?
Don’t miss the opportunity to be honest with yourself and own the failures so you can learn from them. Otherwise, it will repeat until you learn or quit—your choice.
In what ways do you think workplaces can better support women’s career advancement and leadership opportunities?
My feedback would be to avoid confining women to conventional roles, even in executive positions. The first chance a company has to make an impression is the website showing the executive leadership team. Here it is easy to see if the narrative the company tells aligns with reality.
Accountability is number one because it means there is a clear goal, transparency, and metrics in place to show progress. This includes pay rates. Build a culture on merit and the rest should take care of itself.
Going deeper
Check out more Murj content featuring women leaders in the CIED space.
Breaking barriers, fostering inclusion
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion goes beyond just acknowledging the achievements of women; it extends to creating an environment that values their unique perspectives and contributions. We recognize the diverse talents and experiences that women bring to our organization, and we celebrate their roles in advancing both Murj and our industry as a whole.
This IWD, we pledge to continue breaking down barriers, challenging stereotypes, and creating environments where all women are valued and respected. Through our collaborations and initiatives, we aim to contribute to the global movement for gender equality and empowerment.
Murj stands proud alongside the diverse and talented women who contribute to our success, and we remain dedicated to fostering a culture where everyone, regardless of gender, can thrive.
