2026 Women’s History Month Recognition
Women's History Month
Sunita (Soni) Dodani, MBBS (MD), PhD
Professor of Clinical Medicine
Founding Director, Center 4 Health Research
As a woman, a minority in Pakistan, and someone living with polio, Dr. Soni Dodani personally experienced the barriers women face in pursuing medicine. She has turned personal challenges into a platform for impact by building a career bridging medicine and research, improving outcomes for underserved populations, and mentoring others to reach their full potential. She says, “Each patient I help and every student I guide reaffirms that perseverance can overcome even the greatest odds.”
Jacqueline Fischer, MD
Professor of Clinical Medicine
Associate Chair for Educational Affairs (Dept of Medicine)
Jacqueline Fischer, MD, has advanced the careers of learners both through Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education while also providing mentorship for faculty. She has also supported learners across numerous specialties and disciplines. In addition to teaching the next generation of healthcare professionals, she is also teaching the next generation of physicians how to teach. Any task Dr. Fischer takes on is done steadfastly with excellence and finesse. Dr. Jackie Fischer is an inspiration to all and a cornerstone of the programs in the UICOMP Department of Medicine.
Marie Ann Heimerdinger, MD
UICOMP Class of 1983
Growing up on a farm in rural Loran, Illinois, Dr. Marie Heimerdinger aspired to be a doctor when she was a young child. Careful planning, scholarship availability, and a program for medical school supported by Farm Bureau together paved the way for her journey to UICOMP and then to residency in Fresno, California. She returned to practice medicine in Freeport, Illinois, where she practiced for 40 years. She is an advocate for rural medicine and both the need for gratification that accompanies physicians serving in rural communities.