A year ago, the two chief organizers for Communities Crushing Cancer planned an event in which eight of the 10 radiology residency programs in Massachusetts participated.

Fast forward 12 months, and Somiah Almeky, MD, and Liz Lin, MD, now fourth-year radiology residents at Boston University Medical Center, are casting a wider net for the resident-led initiative aimed at raising cancer awareness and increasing screening rates. Programs from across the country are interested in the October 30 event.

“We’re trying to reach as many people as possible,” said Dr. Lin, who is a future abdominal imager. “We’ve already had interest from people in Puerto Rico and Hawaii.”

Last November, radiology residents from participating programs set up information tables for Communities Crushing Cancer in their hospital lobbies and cafeterias to attract the public. Residents served as diagnostic imaging experts and provided informational brochures that focused on cancer screening, specifically breast, lung, and colorectal. The one-day event was planned from noon to 2 p.m., and residents received protected time from their institutions to participate.

The audience was diverse, ranging from patients/community members to various healthcare workers and hospital employees. There were more than 200 total interactions during the event.

“We tailored the conversations based on the health literacy level of the individual we were engaging with, and the specific screening exams relevant to their circumstances,” said Dr. Almeky, a future interventional radiologist.

More than 70 residents participated in the first Communities Crushing Cancer. The good turnout gave trainees an opportunity to bond with colleagues while helping the public.

“The feedback we got from resident participants was overwhelmingly positive,” Dr. Almeky said. “The event proved to be a valuable learning experience not just for patients, but for residents as well, allowing them to see the value of our work in radiology in a new light. Residents also felt that they got to bond with their co-residents in a way that was unique from traditional social events. Stepping outside the reading room and coming together for a meaningful cause was truly rewarding and refreshing.”

The residents were pleased to have face-to-face conversations and hopefully leave an impact on the attendees, many of whom had family or friends in the hospital at the time.

“There were residents who said it was one of the most meaningful experiences they’ve had in residency so far,” Dr. Lin said. “As radiologists, we are not always on the front lines. Hearing that it was meaningful to them also made it more meaningful for us.”

Dr. Lin said a conversation she had with an attendee proved that the event was worthwhile.

“She told me she had lost two siblings and a mother to breast cancer,” she said. “It was an eye-opening experience for both of us to talk about differences in breast cancer treatment and outcomes after diagnosis based on how early the cancer is detected.”

This year, Drs. Almeky and Lin are working with the Radiology Health Equity Coalition (RHEC) to plan the event. The coalition is a collaborative initiative that is financially supported by several partners, including the ABR. RHEC Executive Director Carla Brathwaite said the residents are also helping spread the word about the coalition’s mission.

“The Communities Crushing Cancer task force, a consortium of residents and medical students, has done a fantastic job in planning this event,” she said. “Their dedication to patient advocacy is truly admirable. Engaging these emerging leaders in community outreach helps build trust between healthcare providers and underserved communities, which is essential for effective health communication, and for encouraging individuals to seek preventive care and adhere to recommended screenings and treatments.”

Planning and pulling off the first statewide event was a big accomplishment for the team. Members built on their volunteer experiences to create a valuable community outreach vehicle.

“I hadn’t initially envisioned something like this within radiology, but there is an important and growing role for trainees and radiologists in this space,” Dr. Almeky said. “Many of us were involved in community outreach before pursing radiology, so being able to maintain that connection while integrating it with our specialty has been worthwhile and a lot of fun.”

Drs. Almeky and Lin wrote about the event for the ACR blog with a goal of recruiting more volunteers. They want to see the event continue long after they finish their training, something that will require a new cohort of residents to take charge.

“Sustainability is a big goal,” Dr. Lin said. “We’re envisioning the Communities Crushing Cancer initiative as a series of recurring events and have a lot of ideas on how to continue building it in the future, beyond this year’s event. We don’t want to lose momentum.”

Residents or programs interested in participating in this year’s event should visit the Communities Crushing Cancer website and sign up to join the effort.

As planning for the new Diagnostic Radiology Oral Exam ramps up, an ABR volunteer who has dedicated his career to resident education is joining the Board of Governors (BOG).

Jim Anderson, MD, who will become a BOG member at the end of the fall meeting in late September, holds multiple roles at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). He’s a professor of diagnostic radiology, vice chair of radiology education, and assistant dean for Graduate Medical Education-Strategic Alignment & Integration.

“I love radiology and I love the idea of being a teacher,” Dr. Anderson said. “Resident education is always fresh. It’s always new.”

He served on the ACGME Radiology Review Committee from 2012-’20, including five years as committee chair. He is a member of the executive board and president of the Association of Program Directors in Radiology (APDR). He’s also a member of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-International Review Committee.

Dr. Anderson was once asked by the APDR to participate in a debate about the new DR Oral Exam at an Association of Academic Radiology event. He had to do a little acting because he was tasked with arguing against the idea.

“I’m actually in favor of going back to it,” Dr. Anderson said. “Especially given the changes the ABR has made to the scoring structure/method, which make it a more objective assessment than the old oral board.”

He’s already thinking about one of the big challenges that the ABR will face before the oral exam returns: finding enough examiners.

“I’ll be recruiting people at my institution,” Dr. Anderson said. “I know several people who would be great examiners, and we’ll see if we can get a few on board.”

A former program director, he’s spent the past year working with residents as an ABR volunteer with the Diagnostic Radiology Initial Certification Advisory Committee. The group serves as a liaison between the ABR and candidates; there are committees for all four specialties that the organization certifies.

“With the oral boards coming back, it’s important to have residents, program directors, and the training programs represented and make sure that we’re all aligned with what the ABR is trying to accomplish,” he said. “We need to see how fast the programs can change things over.”

As an educator, he was happy to see that the ABR provided five years’ notice about the new oral exam.

“I think the ABR is doing a really good job of protecting the residents from being overwhelmed by giving them a lot of lead time,” Dr. Anderson said. “I think they’re very conscientious about that.”

Another area of his interest is the plight of International Medical Graduates. He’s part of the ACGME International Review Committee, which accredits programs in other countries.

“The ABR already has the alternate pathway, which we contribute to (at OHSU),” he said. “However, the landscape of how IMGs are able to practice in the U.S. is changing. The ABR needs to stay on top of these changes and be proactive about keeping the quality of radiologists in the U.S. at a high level.”

Dr. Anderson came to OHSU in 2001 a year after finishing his neuroradiology fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He has spent the past two decades in Portland building the residency program and establishing partnerships across campus.

Joshua Nickerson, MD, an ABR volunteer, neuroradiologist, and colleague of Dr. Anderson’s at OHSU, praises his friend’s attention to detail and the fact that he takes all data into account before making a decision. More important, Dr. Nickerson said that his coworker treats people with respect while creating an inclusive atmosphere.

“What makes him stand out even more than his skill with a spreadsheet is his ability to share his knowledge, experience, and expertise with those around him in a way that is always collegial, collaborative, and constructive rather than feeling top-down or condescending,” Dr. Nickerson said. “He is a great consensus builder who is always focused on making each challenge an opportunity for improvement for everyone involved.”

Becoming part of the Board has long been on Dr. Anderson’s wish list. He already has BOG connections, including Secretary-Treasurer and OHSU colleague John Kaufman, MD, and Donald J. Flemming, MD.

Once the fall board meeting is complete – he and fellow incoming BOG member Karen Ragland Cole, MD, will attend as nonvoting guests – he’ll be ready to start work.

“I’m excited to meet everybody,” Dr. Anderson said. “I always hear great things about the people and how smart and thoughtful they are, how the discussions are always good. I’m looking forward to being part of it.”

By Mana Moassefi, MD

Does the saying “Put on your own oxygen mask first” stem from a selfish or non-moral origin? Or do we all easily grasp the vital truth that, to save another person, we must be saved first? When it comes to self-care, is it accurate to say that the well-being of a doctor can facilitate the well-being of their patients?

The answer to that question becomes evident when we consider the Revised Declaration of Geneva in 2017, which underscores this necessity: “I WILL ATTEND TO my own health, well-being, and abilities in order to provide care of the highest standard.”[1] This modern iteration of the Hippocratic Oath highlights the importance of self-care for medical professionals, recognizing that attending to one’s health is foundational to providing excellent patient care.

In the pursuit of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the role of the individual is undeniably crucial. Each person must take active steps to claim and retrieve their health, ensuring they engage in regular physical activity and carve out time for personal well-being. This personal responsibility is the most immediate and effective way to manage stress, enhance resilience, and maintain the capacity to care for others.

However, aware that stress negatively impacts your body, you can become stressed about being stressed. The relentless pursuit of a healthy lifestyle can inadvertently become a source of stress and an unhealthy situation, particularly when work environments significantly contribute to our inability to make healthy daily choices. For example, your schedule may not leave time to work out three times a week and you may feel powerless to change it. This brings us to a critical question: How do we balance our personal responsibility for our health with the necessity for supportive work environments that do not cause burnout?

It wasn’t until 2012 that a sharp focus on physician well-being emerged in the medical literature. Shanafelt and colleagues published the first large-scale study of burnout among U.S. physicians, revealing that nearly half were at “high risk for burnout.”[2] The study caught public attention, leading to increased scrutiny and concern about the fitness of the physician workforce. Unfortunately, the initial response was to blame physicians, focusing solely on individual interventions such as meditation, mindfulness, nutrition, sleep, and physical fitness[3].

Further studies and initiatives, such as the 2019 report by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) titled “Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout: A Systems Approach to Professional Well-Being,” have shifted the focus toward a more systemic approach to addressing burnout[4]. The burden of well-being should not rest solely on individuals. Work environments play a significant role in either mitigating or exacerbating stress and burnout. When workplaces fail to provide the necessary support and resources, it becomes imperative not to place all the responsibility on individuals.

The professional culture must shift to acknowledge and address these systemic issues. We need to normalize the expression of needs related to mental and physical health, as well as the needs of loved ones. By creating a supportive environment that prioritizes physician well-being, we can foster a culture that enables healthcare providers to thrive. “Checking the well-being box” without changing the system is as useful as rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Real change requires a shift in how we view and address the culture of medicine, ensuring that physicians have the support they need to thrive both professionally and personally.

Being healthy begins with us and our decisions, but it does not end with us and we are not the only factor! We must advocate for and work toward transforming workplace cultures to move closer to a healthier environment for everyone. Reflect on this: What would that one step toward a healthier community look like for you and your environment?

Dr. Moassefi is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Radiology Informatics Lab, Mayo Clinic. Her research focuses on advancements in neuroradiology and abdominal radiology. She is an alumnus of the Academy Council of Early Career Investigators in Imaging, Class of 2024, and received the Roger A. Bauman, MD, Award from the Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM). Additionally, she serves on SIIM’s education and machine-learning education subcommittees.

1. Parsa-Parsi RW. The Revised Declaration of Geneva: A Modern-Day Physician’s Pledge. JAMA. 2017;318: 1971–1972.
2. Shanafelt TD, Boone S, Tan L, Dyrbye LN, Sotile W, Satele D, et al. Burnout and satisfaction with work-life balance among US physicians relative to the general US population. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172: 1377–1385.
3. Sinskey JL, Margolis RD, Vinson AE. The Wicked Problem of Physician Well-Being. Anesthesiol Clin. 2022;40: 213–223.
4. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, National Academy of Medicine, Committee on Systems Approaches to Improve Patient Care by Supporting Clinician Well-Being. Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout: A Systems Approach to Professional Well-Being. National Academies Press; 2020.