Leadership, Advocacy and Global Health Work

What does it mean to be a “doctor”?

I’m sure many ACR® RFS members have asked this same existential question. I’ve grappled with it through my education, diagnostic radiology residency and into fellowship.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, one definition is “a person skilled or specializing in healing arts.” It seems that now, more than ever, is a time to reflect on how being a doctor involves engaging in healthcare leadership: To advocate for the health of our patients, translate ideas into practical systems as well as learn from and contribute to our medical community.

For trainees motivated to achieve a career in radiology leadership, take advantage of your member-in-training discount on the Leadership Accelerator course from the ACR Radiology Leadership Institute® (RLI), Jan. 16–April 10. You’ll review pre-recorded lectures in preparation for a one-hour weekly live session focused on hospital operations, finance, performance metrics, team building and strategic influence to emerge as a confident, capable healthcare leader.

Opportunities to build and collaborate are endless at local, national and international levels. Through my training, I’ve had the privilege of participating in leadership, advocacy and global health work. I hope this article inspires other trainees to get involved.

Local Service

Local leadership opportunities in radiology are perennial, often right in front of us. For example, if you’re eager to help shape the policies and framework of the radiology profession, submit your nomination to serve on the RFS Executive Committee by Dec. 8.

Involvement in hospital committees can also be an easily accessible way to make a tangible change in your work environment. Personal and professional interests can lead to sitting on relevant committees. My quality improvement project, for instance, comparing practice implementation of volumetric analysis programs led to sitting on the hospital’s developing AI Governance Committee.

Additionally, both Chief Residents and residents/fellows from unique backgrounds are regularly sought after to sit on Graduate Medical Education Committees. These positions are of particular interest since they affect our day-to-day work and training.

For me, the role of Chief Resident presented a unique challenge. As a liaison between the attending and house staff, I served as a resource for both sides. Policy and advocacy became intertwined with management, and I learned firsthand how closely politics and policy are intertwined. As other Chief Residents can attest, issues that came up ranged from routine to challenging, such as rotation schedules and call distribution, to unexpected personal issues and conflict management.

Ultimately, local policy is sometimes the most impactful and satisfying work, since these are directly tangible for your community.

National Service

My path to involvement with the ACR in a policy/advocacy capacity began when I ran for a position to represent my state society at the AMA Resident and Fellow Section. My interest was piqued, and as I got more involved in representative leadership in organized medicine, I secured a position as an Alternate Delegate in the AMA House of Delegates (HOD), endorsed by the ACR, and then I joined the AMA ACR Delegation. The AMA HOD is a body constituted of representatives from various medical societies, who meet biannually to form policy for the largest physician organization in the United States.

I’ve found the ACR Delegation incredibly welcoming, having fostered my potential with countless opportunities. Not only did I chair the review team for resolutions on Graduate Medical Education, but I also had the privilege of hosting a panel discussion on low-dose lung screening at the AMA.

In addition to the HOD, my participation in the AMA exposed me to the AMA National Advocacy Conference (NAC) in Washington, DC, in which I met with state and district Congressional representatives to share my story as a trainee physician on a visa in the context of workforce shortages with my state society.

In March 2025, I joined other AMA ACR Delegates from states around the country and other AMA Delegations to participate in NAC White Coat Day for practice reimbursement reform.

International Service

By a stroke of fortune, one of my attendings founded our hospital’s local chapter of RAD-AID®, a global health radiology organization affiliated with the WHO. Through working with this attending, I piloted the residency’s Global Health Radiology track, created a curriculum and worked with trainees in Guyana.

I also completed a Certificate in Global Health Radiology and Radiation Oncology, which equipped me with the skills to serve as a liaison with our residency program to categorize and identify deficiencies in their text library and participated in weekly case readouts under the supervision of attendings.

My ACR involvement as a trainee with low-dose lung screening was also highlighted at the European Society of Radiology, an example of how different levels of leadership are interconnected.

Lessons for the Trainee

Below are the pearls of wisdom that I’ve gained through my experiences in policy, advocacy and global health work:

• Substance Over Form. Engagement is more important than box-checking. Be open-minded in exploring but go deep into the projects that interest you rather than disperse your efforts across every opportunity that comes your way.
  
  
• Seek Mentorship and Dialogue. Leadership is not a solo sport. Many times, senior physicians have been doing similar work for years, if not decades. Learn from them, stand on their shoulders and look to their experience to guide your efforts. For example, the RLI Career Confidence Collection allows you to access critical tools year-round, including on-demand lectures and mentorship advice as well as a live, interactive workshop.
  
  
• Be Introspective, Reflective. Leadership starts with self-awareness. Learn from your setbacks, listen to divergent viewpoints and approach challenges with humility. In Tolstoy’s words, “Everyone thinks of changing the world; nobody thinks of changing himself.”
  
  
• Knowledge, Knowledge, Knowledge. The hours and hours of study spent during training translates to putting the patient in front of you first. Clinical mastery should be the priority of your training; this will give credible, practical context to your advocacy.
  
  
• Physician, Heal Thyself. Medicine is a marathon. We know burnout continues to be endemic in the profession: Protect your balance. Don’t overburden yourself. Know when to ask for help. Build a life that sustains and nurtures your body, mind and spirit. Integrate your work into that rather than getting consumed by your profession.

The Future of the Radiologist

I don’t think there’s ever been a more exciting time to be an early-career radiologist. The rapid development of deep learning means that the role of the radiologist is also evolving, perhaps even more profoundly than the transition to PACS.

In this emerging new world, we should be prepared to engage with systems for the health of our patients and community, not just react to changes. Health leadership is a privilege and responsibility that requires practice and longitudinal engagement.