FACR: A Celebration of Service to Our Profession

Amy Kotsenas, MD, FACR, Chair of the American College of Radiology® (ACR®) Commission on Membership and Communications, contributed this piece.

Each year during the ACR Annual Meeting, as I watch new Fellows walk across the stage at Convocation, I’m reminded of what an extraordinary honor it is to be a Fellow of the American College of Radiology (FACR).

The title FACR carries meaningful distinction in our profession because of what it represents: a career built not only on clinical excellence, but on service, leadership and a commitment to radiology that reaches beyond our day to day work.

In 1923, the College founders intended this membership award to be conferred on a small and elite group of ACR Fellows. The following year, the founders inducted seven Fellows at the first convocation in 1924. Today, becoming an ACR Fellow remains a recognition of contributions that go beyond the scope of employment — the advocacy, mentorship, scholarship, leadership and volunteerism that strengthen our profession and advance patient care.

When I reflect on my own pathway to FACR, what stands out most is the memory of watching the convocation at my first AMCLC meeting. I was in awe of the accomplishments of the men and women on the stage; of all they had done to serve the College and our profession over the course of their careers. Their accomplishments inspired me to get involved in my state chapter and later at the national level to advocate for radiology and our patients and reflecting on their achievements motivated me to continue to give back the profession over the course of my career in radiology. 

For me, being an FACR means that my contributions, just like those of the women and men on the stage so many years ago, had a positive impact.  It is a reminder that our work matters, that service matters, and that each of us has the ability to shape the future of radiology.