#ACR2025: A Celebration of Progress, Advocacy and Community

Dana Smetherman, MD, MPH, MBA, FACR, Chief Executive Officer of the American College of Radiology® (ACR®), contributed this piece.

#ACR2025 is officially in the books, and what a remarkable meeting it was! I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make this event such a success. The energy and commitment from our members, volunteers and staff throughout the week exemplified the strength and passion of our radiology community.

The meeting kicked off with a powerful start on Saturday with meetings of the Resident and Fellow, Medical Student, and Young and Early Career Professional Sections, a two-hour CME session for our Radiation Oncology members, and the Chapter Leaders Workshop. As always, this was a day of engagement, leadership, and laying the groundwork for a successful meeting.

Sunday was brimming with activity, most notably the opening Council session led by Timothy Crummy, MD, MHA, FACR. We recognized our Global Humanitarian Award honorees as well as the recipients of Chapter Recognition, Abstract Gold Merit, and RAN Advocacy of the Year Awards. We inducted 134 new ACR Fellows and 3 Honorary Fellows during Convocation and bestowed the Gold Medal on Jacqueline Bello, MD, FACR; Beverly Coleman, MD, FACR; and Alan Kaye, MD, FACR.

Tuesday was packed with meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and more recognition. The ACR Council reconvened for the presentation of Reference Committee final reports and the symbolic “Changing of the Guard.”  We recognized Cindy Moran, Executive Vice President of Government Relations, Economics and Health Policy, with the ACR Thorwarth Award for her decades-long leadership in radiology health policy and economics.

Another key highlight on Tuesday was the Economics Forum, Radiology Regulatory Triumphs: Paving the Way for Future Success. Gregory Nicola, MD, FACR and Christoph Wald, MD, PhD, MBA, FACR moderated a powerful session showcasing recent wins for our specialty — including Medicare payment for CT colonoscopy and new CPT codes for MRI safety — and outlined how our ACR Data Science Institute and Quality and Safety teams are partnering with ACR’s Government Relations and Economics groups to develop a portfolio of programs to monitor AI in real-world practice and engage in advocacy to ensure the safe and effective use of AI.

Another standout session was the Open Microphone discussion on the “Current and Future Impacts of Consolidation in Radiology,” led by Eric Rubin, MD, FACR and Richard Duszak Jr., MD, FACR. This candid exchange of perspectives shed light on the ongoing movement toward larger radiology practices and its impact of this evolution on our profession.  The conversation on consolidation was continued as part of our Listen and Learn lunch sessions, a new program where attendees had a chance to meet and network with ACR leadership.

Congratulations are also in order for the Pennsylvania Radiological Society, who won our first ChAIpter Challenge — and to the five individual physicians who reviewed the most case.

Wednesday, also known as #ACRHillDay, was all about advocacy in action. More than 450 ACR members, proudly wearing white coats, met with lawmakers and staff to raise awareness about issues important to radiologists and their practices. Our message was clear: radiologists are physicians, and what we do is essential to patient care. Our efforts focused on issues such as Medicare payment reform and appropriate use criteria, and our white coats helped us stand out — even among a crowded Capitol Hill.

Overall, #ACR2025 was a wonderful reminder the power of our ACR community. Together, we continue to advance radiology and ensure our voices are heard — for the benefit of our members, their practices, and the patients and communities they serve.