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The ACR® 2026 Intersociety Summer Conference took place in Minneapolis, MN, July 24–25, 2026. The meeting brought together experienced and emerging leaders in radiology, including two trainees, including me. Although I’ve been involved with the ACR since medical school, I learned that this conference takes a unique approach to connecting all facets of radiology while fostering a strong sense of community.
The Intersociety Summer Conference emphasizes inclusivity and ensures that radiologists from all subspecialties, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and professionals from academic and private practice settings have a voice. Its goals are to promote collegiality across radiology, encourage collaboration among national radiological societies, and identify challenges facing the profession while developing recommendations to address them.
This year's conference focused on the challenges facing radiology organizations in the United States. Participants explored strategies for collaboration among societies, discussed ways to address shared challenges, and examined how to recruit, engage and retain younger members while encouraging their participation in society initiatives and meetings.
The conference opened with remarks from Program Chair Frank J. Lexa, MD, MBA, FACR, who introduced the participating specialty groups and outlined the topics for discussion.
Christoph Wald, MD, PhD, MBA, FACR, Chair of the ACR Board of Chancellors, then addressed the challenges of recruiting and retaining trainees and early-career radiologists within professional societies.
One of Dr. Wald's comments particularly resonated with me: "Membership is like insurance for the future." As a trainee who’s been involved with the ACR for several years, I have come to appreciate the truth behind that statement.
Throughout medical school and residency, my involvement with the ACR has provided valuable opportunities to connect with radiologists across the country and gain a broader understanding of the work of the ACR and other radiology organizations. Despite their varied missions, these organizations share a common goal: Advancing patient care while advocating for fair policies that support radiologists and the patients they serve.
Matthew Spurgeon, MA, ACR Executive Vice President of Member Value and Experience, discussed how organizations can strengthen member engagement. He challenged attendees to consider how societies can attract new members, support their growth and better leverage leadership to create meaningful experiences.
Throughout his presentation, Spurgeon emphasized the concept of the member value proposition: The benefits, support and resources members receive in exchange for their dues.
For trainees and early-career radiologists, it can be difficult to anticipate future career challenges. One effective way for organizations to demonstrate value is to help younger members understand the issues they are likely to face and show how involvement in the ACR or other specialty societies can help them navigate those challenges.
After a morning of thought-provoking presentations, attendees broke into small groups for lively discussions. Conversations focused on the recruitment, engagement and retention challenges facing radiology organizations, particularly among younger members.
Participants discussed ways to evolve meeting culture and leadership approaches to better engage early-career professionals. We also explored how organizations can create pathways for younger members to assume leadership roles while preserving the institutional knowledge and traditions established by experienced leaders.
The second day began with a presentation from Catheryn Yashar, MD, FACR, on preserving the "House of Radiology." Emphasizing that "We are the system," Dr. Yashar reflected on the growth in radiation oncology residency applicants and attributed much of that success to the specialty's strong advocacy efforts and clear messaging about its value to patients and the healthcare system.
Another statement that stood out to me was: "Leadership is not defined by hierarchy, but by action." The increased interest in radiation oncology illustrates how leadership, outreach and sustained advocacy can strengthen a specialty and attract future physicians.
Saurabh Jha, MBBS, delivered the final presentation of the conference, addressing the politicization of medicine. He discussed differing viewpoints that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic and explored how mistrust can fuel misinformation, while politicization can deepen public skepticism toward medicine, including radiology.
The conference concluded with another small-group session focused on keeping the next generation of radiologists and radiation oncologists engaged while strengthening collaboration among professional societies.
Participants shared a variety of creative ideas, including highlighting opportunities that members might miss if they are not actively involved, such as educational programs, networking events and leadership experiences.
We also discussed expanding outreach to residents, medical students and even high school and college students through grants, mentorship programs and educational initiatives. These efforts could help build a stronger pipeline into radiology while fostering long-term mentoring relationships. One example is the ACR PIER program.
Another idea was "membership packaging," in which multiple radiology organizations would offer a reduced combined membership rate, making participation across several societies more affordable. Participants also discussed the potential value of joint meetings and conferences as a way to increase engagement and strengthen connections across the profession.
Attending the 2026 Intersociety Summer Conference as the ACR Resident-Fellow Section member-in-training representative was both an honor and an invaluable learning experience. I hope this summary provides insight into the important work being done by the ACR and its partner organizations to strengthen the profession, foster collaboration and help shape the future of radiology.
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