Highlights From the 2025 Intersociety Summer Conference

On Aug. 1, 2025, the 2025 ACR® Intersociety Summer Conference (ISC) kicked off in Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico, in a ballroom full of radiology leaders at the Inn and Spa at Loretto. As first timers to the meeting, we learned that the ISC is an annual conference with the following goals:

1. Promote collegiality within the field of radiology.
2. Foster and encourage communication and interchange among the national radiology societies.
3. Evaluate and make recommendations on the problems and areas of concern identified by the member societies or at the Summer Conference.

By chance, the theme this year was very pertinent for members of the ACR Resident and Fellow Section, “The Degradation of the Academic Mission and Its Impact on U.S. Radiology.”

The first day began with the moderator, Frank J. Lexa, MD, MBA, FACR, warmly welcoming all attendees. He introduced the opening speaker, Alan H. Matsumoto, MD, MA, FACR, who spoke about, “The ACR and Its Importance to the Academic Mission,” which highlighted ACR support of the academic mission by recapping the historic achievements and current initiatives that shape radiology practices today. He also detailed opportunities to contribute and volunteer for the ACR, which included ACR fellowships and grants.

Next, invited speaker Jay R. Parikh, MD, FACR, described, “Disappearing Contrast: The Decline of Academic Radiology,” exploring the changing landscape of academic radiology, from acquisition of community practices to reduced time for education and research, and the blurring scope of practice between radiology and our nonradiology colleagues. Speakers presented many research articles and data from literature, including JACR®, which detailed widespread changes within radiology practices.

Ann K. Jay, MD, elaborated on a topic that resonated with us: “A Higher Calling: Are Medical Education’s Answers Enough?” As an academic radiologist, she examined medical education through the lens of both trainees and faculty. Within her five trains of thought, she revisited the pillars of academic medicine, explored the generational differences in our medical workforce and detailed the evolution of undergraduate and graduate medical education. It was fascinating to learn about the different experiences of multiple generations of radiologists and how radiology training has evolved over a span of a few decades.

The first day wrapped up with a brainstorming session that asked, “What do we need to collectively succeed in the academic mission?” Attendees discussed and shared creative ideas such as developing national standards for remote and in-person teaching, implementing non–pixel-based AI to improve workflow and building stronger decision-support tools to reduce unnecessary exams. Overall, the need to have more “slack” in academic radiology was recognized to reduce burnout and upkeep morale.

Day two commenced with a talk by Laurie A. Loevner, MD, who spoke about “Preserving the Academic Mission: Strategy and Tactics in a Busy Division.” As Division Chief of Neuroradiology, she shared her role in preserving the academic mission through deliberate, transformative changes such as centralizing radiology services, individualizing faculty development and integrating patient-facing radiology practices. It was inspiring to hear a success story of how cultural and systematic changes can make a department flourish.

Michael J. Tuite, MD, FACR, shared his experience and expertise in: “Impact and Strategies to Handle Increasing Volumes.” As Vice Chair of Clinical Operations, he emphasized fostering shared responsibility and a team-first culture, prioritizing fast response to staffing crises, using metrics-based justification for support requests and hires, and ensuring fairness and transparency in shift work and compensation. Through the talk, we had a glimpse into the adaptability and creativity required from his department and faculty to operate smoothly under ever-increasing volumes.

Furthering the topic of volume management, speaker Bruce B. Forster, MD, MSc, presented his experience with clinical decision support systems with the talk: “Can Choosing Wisely® Work for Your Practice to Reduce Low-Value Medical Imaging Exams?” He explained that when implementing clinical decision support systems, the best outcomes occur in targeted areas, such as low-back pain and minor head trauma, widespread adoption faces workflow and cultural resistance, and shared ownership by radiologists and referring clinicians is essential.

To close out the meeting, Brent J. Wagner, MD, MBA, offered updates from the American Board of Radiology (ABR), including upcoming changes to the Oral Certifying Exam that will take effect in 2028. He also highlighted the important volunteer work behind ABR’s mission and how these efforts impact the broader academic community.

Serving as Member-in-Training Intersociety Committee Representatives was an incredible experience, and we hope this recap gives you a sense of the energy and collaboration shared in Santa Fe. Visit the ACR Resident and Fellow Section online to learn more or get involved.