The Radiology Leadership Institute® (RLI) announced award recipients from three distinct categories at ACR 2023, including the distinguished Luminary Award for exceptional lifetime achievements, innovation, leadership and service to radiology or radiation oncology. The RLI also announced its Impact in Leadership Award and Emerging Leader Scholarship recipients during the event.

The RLI was launched in 2012, and in the past decade nearly 9,600 radiologists have participated in the RLI’s leadership and professional development training. Through these offerings, participants attain essential non-clinical business skills needed to succeed in today’s ever-changing healthcare landscape.

The RLI Leadership Luminary Award is the Institute’s highest honor, acknowledging the legacy of radiologists who have devoted most of their professional careers to the field. “The Luminary Award recognizes extraordinary leaders who embody the highest values of the RLI and whose lifetime achievements have had a significant impact on the field of radiology,” says RLI Chief Medical Officer Frank J. Lexa, MD, MBA, FACR.

Making a Difference

“When I was a senior undergraduate student, a mentor showed me MRI. It was in that instant that I knew I needed to be a radiologist — because if you can see disease, you can cure it,” says Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., MD, MHS, FACR, Luminary Award recipient and executive vice president for Health Sciences at Michigan State University (MSU). Prior to that position, Beauchamp was dean of the MSU College of Human Medicine.

One project Beauchamp focused on with the ACR was getting more radiologists appointed as medical school deans. “In working with thought leaders at the College, we realized that a dean is in a position to shape areas of focus for a medical school and university,” Beauchamp says. “That work was one of the drivers for me and a number of us to become deans, believing this is an underused avenue to advancing the field.”

Beauchamp also wanted to put together an organization that had the scope and scale to impact and improve health across the state of Michigan. He is president of Spartan Radiology, a joint venture between MSU and Advanced Radiology Services. “We created this partnership between academics and private practice comprised of approximately 240 radiologists and advanced practice providers. I believe in this type of partnership because I believe radiology is the way to transform healthcare in this country,” he says. “My goal is to bring health, hope and healing to all. Radiology is an optimal tool to do so.

“One of my life goals has been to lessen disease. I have really focused on doing as much good as I can in the field — as an individual and as a leader,” Beauchamp says. “The RLI prepares people to assume leadership roles. To be recognized in such a significant way by the Institute truly validates a lifelong commitment to making a difference in the field of radiology.”

We need to develop leaders who can guide individuals and physician groups through consolidation and business economics so the specialty can perpetuate itself.

Mentoring Aspiring Leaders

“I believe the RLI Luminary Award shows a commitment by the ACR to fostering leadership in both clinical and non-clinical skillsets,” says Luminary Award recipient Lawrence R. Muroff, MD, FACR, immediate past CEO and president of Imaging Consultants Inc. (ICI), courtesy clinical professor of radiology at both the University of Florida and the University of South Florida Colleges of Medicine and president emeritus of Educational Symposia Inc. (ESI).

Since 1975, Muroff has developed symposia for ESI, as well as state, regional and national imaging organizations that are structured to bring together professionals who are passionate about medical education. These educational efforts provide practical and clinically relevant CME programs and workshops physicians can use to prepare for and maintain certification, to learn about the latest clinical procedures and to better serve patients.

“I have been involved with education for most of my professional career,” Muroff says. “The most satisfying part has been mentoring aspiring young radiologists who later become leaders of our specialty.

“The ACR is a unique organization in that it recognizes how important leadership is to ensure the specialty’s survival in a time of turmoil and uncertainty,” Muroff says. “The RLI’s programs create more informed, action-oriented radiologists capable of leading in both academic and private practice settings.”

Muroff was an inaugural member of the board of the RLI. “What makes this award very special to me is knowing that this was voted on by my peers,” he says. “These are radiologists with whom I have worked on the RLI board for a decade. I am honored that they have recognized the goals I have been advocating for and the accomplishments I have been fortunate enough to achieve.”

Leveraging Teams

“Leadership has been a passion of mine for a long time,” says Luminary Award recipient Arl Van Moore Jr., MD, FACR, former chair and CEO of Strategic Radiology and previous president and chair of Charlotte Radiology. Moore is a past chair of the ACR BOC, past ACR president, past ACR secretary-treasurer and past chair of the ACR Task Force on International Teleradiology and the ACR Task Force on Disaster Preparedness.

“When I was ACR board chair, one of the first things I did was put together a task force for strategic leadership development within radiology,” Moore says. “When looking at how to develop more leaders within the specialty, I tapped into my experience in the Navy, where leadership training began very early on.” Post-military, Moore has authored numerous scientific papers and given lectures about leveraging teams to solve problems.

“I think you must continue to develop yourself as a leader — and learn more about leadership not only didactically but with boots on the ground,” Moore says. “I was given a lot of responsibility early in the Navy. In corporate America, you probably won’t find someone who is 24 years old and given responsibility for operating nuclear reactors and developing and managing teams.”

There is a deficit of leadership development within radiology and medicine, and it starts in medical school, Moore says. “There is an emphasis on the academic but not on what you will need to do as professionals to nurture the profession. We need to develop leaders who can guide individuals and physician groups through consolidation and business economics so the specialty can perpetuate itself. The RLI is going to be an important part of that when moving radiology into the future.

“To be recognized by my peers as someone who is a luminary is indeed quite an honor,” Moore says. “It has been a privilege to have the opportunity to lead many groups that have made a difference within the College and radiology in general.”

Recognizing Excellence

The RLI presented awards in two other categories recognizing excellence in radiology. The RLI Impact in Leadership Award recognizes individuals whose participation in an RLI course or program was integral to the successful completion of a specific project or initiative at their practice or institution.

The RLI Emerging Leader Scholarship is given to residents or fellows who have made a significant contribution to their institutions and/or the field of radiology while also exhibiting potential to be future leaders.

One of the eight 2023 Emerging Leader Scholarship recipients is Rebecca Scalabrino, DO, a radiology resident at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. All awardees will be attending the RLI Leadership Summit in September on a full scholarship.

“I am extremely grateful for this RLI scholarship award. It will allow me to combine my passion for service and advocacy with targeted skill sessions in topics essential to practice and hospital leadership,” Scalabrino says. “Leadership training is essential preparation for combining innate talents with targeted efforts. Leaders create lasting impact and change.”

Radiology does not exist in a vacuum, but rather in a complex and sometimes fragile medical ecosystem, Scalabrino says. “To provide the greatest value to our patients and fellow radiologists, we must demonstrate a commitment to using our expert knowledge to take part in critical discussions and decision-making at the micro and macro levels,” she says.

“The typical medical school and residency curriculum doesn’t include dedicated leadership training — or touch on many aspects of business, finance, marketing or networking,” Scalabrino says. “This leaves future radiologists vulnerable when in a position to make crucial decisions affecting patient outcomes and job security — with little experience or knowledge to build on.”

THE 2023 IMPACT IN LEADERSHIP AWARD RECIPIENTS

Ian A. Weissman, DO, FACR, Milwaukee VA Medical Center

Syed Furqan Zaidi, MD, MBA, FACR, Radiology Partners

THE 2023 EMERGING LEADER SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Rachel Grenier, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital Interventional Radiology Integrated Program

Gerald Hefferman, MD, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Russell A. Reeves, MD, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital

Rebecca Scalabrino, DO, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Michelle Shnayder-Adams, MD, MPH, University of Michigan Interventional Radiology Integrated Program

Andrew Sill, MD, College of Medicine Mayo Clinic Arizona

Elliot Varney, MD, University of Mississippi Medical Center

Ufara Zuwasti, MD, MSc, Newark Beth Israel Medical

LEARN MORE

Read about all three categories of RLI Awards.

Read about awardees’ projects.

ATTEND IN PERSON

The 2023 RLI Leadership Summit will be held Sept. 29–Oct. 1, 2023, at the Boston Seaport Hotel. Register today!