How do we build the future pediatric radiology workforce?

In this episode we explore one of the most important issues facing our specialty today: recruiting, training, and supporting the next generation of pediatric radiologists.

Inspired by the Society for Pediatric Radiology's (SPR) Thomas L. Slovis Career Development Course, this episode brings together leaders in pediatric radiology to discuss innovative solutions that extend beyond the workforce shortage.

Our guests examine how to increase medical student exposure to radiology, dispel common myths about pediatric radiology, and strengthen the pipeline into the specialty.

We also discuss new training opportunities, including the ABR 15-Month Pathway to Pediatric Radiology Certification and the Alternate Pathway for International Medical Graduates, and how these programs may help address future workforce needs.

Finally, we look ahead to the future of pediatric imaging with conversations about hybrid work, maintaining culture in multi-site practices, the evolving role of advanced practice providers and advanced practice sonographers, and how AI may transform pediatric radiology workflows in the years ahead.

Whether you're a medical student, radiology resident, pediatric radiology fellow, practicing radiologist, or department leader - this episode offers practical insights into the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of pediatric radiology.

Guests

Dr. Desi Scheiss, University of Colorado and Colorado Children’s Hospital

Dr. David Bloom, University of Michigan and CS Mott Children's Hospital

Dr. Shannon Farmakis, West County Radiological Group, Inc. and Mercy Children’s Hospital

Dr. Sherwin Chan, University of Missouri-Kansas City and Children’s Mercy Hospital

Dr. Carolina Guimares, University of North Carolina

Dr. Ramesh Iyer, University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital

Dr. Jesse Courtier, Bay Imaging Consultants

Featured Slovis Career Development Course Webinars

• Fun with Medical Student Education: A Retrospective (October 2024)

• Myth Busting in Pediatric Radiology (August 2024)

• ABR 15-Month Pathway to Pediatric Radiology Certification (March 2026)

• Navigating the Alternate Pathway in Pediatric Radiology for International Medical Graduates (January 2025)

• Maintaining Camaraderie in Multi-Site and Hybrid Groups (May 2025)

Resources

SPR Slovis Career Development Course

Farmakis S, Bhatia A, John SD, Martinez M, Milla S, Pfeifer C, Schiess DM. Myth Busted! Dispelling Myths Surrounding Pediatric Radiology as a Career. JACR, 2025; 22, 967-971.

Farmakis SG, Chertoff JD, Straus CM, Barth RA. Perspective: Mandatory Radiology Education for Medical Students. Acad Radiol 2023; 30:1500-1510.

Join us for a special episode of Inside Pediatric Radiology recorded at the International Pediatric Radiology Congress (IPR) 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. Held only once every five years, IPR brings together pediatric radiologists, trainees, researchers, educators, and healthcare leaders from around the world to discuss the future of pediatric radiology and pediatric imaging.

Through conversations with congress organizers, presenters, award recipients, trainees, and attendees, we explore some of the most important topics facing the specialty today.

Hear reflections from leaders who have shaped the field, educators inspiring the next generation of pediatric radiologists, and trainees whose enthusiasm offers optimism for the future of children's healthcare.

More than a conference recap, this episode captures the voices, ideas, and connections of IPR 2026, highlighting why collaboration, education, and community remain essential to advancing pediatric radiology worldwide.

What does it really feel like to transition from pediatric radiology fellow to independent attending?

In this episode of Inside Pediatric Radiology, we explore the personal and professional challenges of the first years in practice.Through candid conversations with early career radiologists, this episode examines the internal dialogue many physicians experience during the transition to independent practice, the role of mentorship and departmental culture, and how challenges can gradually become opportunities for resilience, perspective, and professional growth.Whether you're a trainee preparing for independent practice, an early attending navigating those first years, or a senior radiologist supporting the next generation - this episode offers an honest and thoughtful look at one of the most formative periods in a radiologist’s career.

Guests:

Dr. Derek Wang, Sanford Health

Dr. Brianna Vey, ARA Health Consultants

Dr. Jerry Thomas, Rady Children’s Hospital of Orange County

Dr. Charlie Fry, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Links to topics discussed in this episode:

Patel AK, Heitkamp DE, Fleming MM, Beavers KM, Parikh JR. Transitioning to Independent Practice: An Early Career Perspective. J Am Coll Radiol. 2021 Jun;18(6):774-776. https://www-sciencedirect-com.proxy.library.upenn.edu/science/article/pii/S1546144021002301?via%3Dihub

Rotenstein L, Harry E, Shanafelt T. The Early Career Phase: Fostering Physician Well-being Over the Career Life Cycle. Mayo Clin Proc. 2025 Oct;100(10):1836-1845. https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(25)00305-2/pdf

Better Together: Physician Coaching at the University of Colorado https://bettertogetherphysiciancoaching.com/research/

SPR Slovis Course: How To Build a Career After Training https://myedu.spr.org/products/how-to-build-a-career-after-training#tab-product_tab_speaker_s

What is it like to practice pediatric radiology after hours?

Through a roundtable discussion with experienced after-hours radiologists—including members of the SPR Emergency and Trauma Imaging Committee—this episode explores how pediatric imaging care is delivered when it matters most.

Together, they share how pediatric radiologists navigate high-acuity cases, 24/7 imaging demands, evolving emergency radiology workflows while balancing career growth, academic work, and physician wellness in a shift-based world.

We also look ahead at the future of after-hours pediatric imaging, the need for better support, sustainability, and recognition of this essential workforce.

Tune in to learn how pediatric radiology is adapting after the sun goes down, and why the pediatric radiologist no one sees matters more than ever.

Guests:

Dr. Michael R Aquino, Cleveland Clinic Imaging Institute

Dr. Mark Bittles, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University

Dr. Summer L Kaplan, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania

Links to topics discussed in this episode:

Aquino MR, Maresky HS, Amirabadi A, Koberlein GC, Dinan D, Ho-Fung VM, John SD. After-hours radiology coverage in children's hospitals: a multi-center survey. Pediatr Radiol. 2020 Jun;50(7):907-912.

Aquino MR, Shah J, Kaplan SL. Challenges of after-hours pediatric imaging. Pediatr Radiol. 2025 Nov 28.

Zafar AM, Mathur D, Barnacle BD, Magera RW. Design of overnight radiology shifts - primum non nocere. Emerg Radiol. 2024 Jun;31(3):429-434.

Abu Mughli R, Alsoub B, Tahaineh S, Niaghi F, Stewart M, Du Plessis J, Alvarenga P, Khosa F. Emergency radiology: an evolving subspecialty facing rapid growth and unique stressors, with a path toward sustainable clinical practice. Emerg Radiol. 2026 Feb;33(1):97-105.

Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR) 2025 Trauma and ER Imaging Course (On-Demand)

“We should write that up.”

It’s a phrase every pediatric radiologist has heard — sparked by a question, a pattern, or a teaching moment in clinical practice.

But how do you turn that idea into a published paper?

And why does publishing still matter?

This is a key challenge in our field, where only about 40% of abstracts presented at pediatric radiology conferences ever become published papers. That means more than half of the work we present never becomes part of the scientific record — and never reaches the broader pediatric imaging community.

In this episode of Inside Pediatric Radiology, we break down the practical path from idea to publication — across clinical research, quality improvement, and education scholarship.

The episode also features a conversation with Dr. Geetika Khanna, Managing Editor for the Americas for Pediatric Radiology, who offers an inside look at the editorial process, what makes a strong submission, and the evolving role of medical journals.

Because publishing isn’t just a CV line — it’s how ideas move from one department to pediatric radiologists around the world.

Guests:

Dr. Geetika Khanna, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University

Pediatric Radiology Journal

https://link.springer.com/journal/247

SPR Thomas L. Slovis Career Development Course https://myedu.spr.org/products/peer-reviewing-for-scientific-journals-why-and-how#tab-product_tab_overview

Links to topics discussed in this episode:

Meshaka R, Laidlow-Singh H, Langan D, Arthurs OJ, Shelmerdine SC. Presentation to publication: Changes in paediatric radiology research trends 2010-2016. Pediatr Radiol. 2022 Dec;52(13):2538-2548.

Paddock M, et al: ESPR Publications Committee (consortium). The publication fate of abstracts awarded prizes at European Society of Paediatric Radiology annual scientific meetings. Pediatr Radiol. 2025 Mar;55(3):578-584.

Debnath P, Dillman JR, Trout AT. State of original pediatric radiology research in major radiology journals other than Pediatric Radiology. Pediatr Radiol. 2025 Feb;55(2):252-258.

Kliewer MA. Writing it up: a step-by-step guide to publication for beginning investigators. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2005 Sep;185(3):591-6.

Pediatric stroke is rare—but when it happens, every minute matters.

In this episode of Inside Pediatric Radiology, we explore how pediatric stroke care is evolving.

Drawing on the latest evidence—including the 2026 AHA/ASA guidelines and recent multicenter studies—we discuss what makes pediatric stroke fundamentally different, why diagnosis is often delayed, and how imaging plays a central role in guiding real-time clinical decisions.

We are joined by Dr. Mesha Martinez, a pediatric radiologist, neuroradiologist, and neurointerventionalist whose work spans the full spectrum of stroke care—from diagnosis to endovascular treatment. She shares insights on the growing role of mechanical thrombectomy, evolving use of thrombolytics, and the importance of building systems that support timely recognition and treatment.

As pediatric stroke care becomes more standardized, evidence-informed, and increasingly interventional, pediatric radiologists are playing a critical role in shaping outcomes.

Tune in to learn how this rapidly evolving field is moving from uncertainty to action—and what it means for the future of pediatric imaging and care.

Links to topics discussed in this episode:

2026 Guideline for the Early Management of Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Guideline From the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

Fullerton HJ, Dowling MM. Advances in Stroke in Children 2025. Stroke. 2025 Aug;56(8):2324-2326

Sun LR, Lynch JK. Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pediatric Arterial Ischemic Stroke. Neurotherapeutics. 2023 Apr;20(3):633-654.

Sporns PB et al. Endovascular thrombectomy for childhood stroke (Save ChildS Pro): an international, multicentre, prospective registry study. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2024 Dec;8(12):882-890.

Updates to past episodes:

GRI Medical Intussusception wall air kits

#PediatricRadiology #PediatricStroke #StrokeAwareness #MedicalPodcast #Radiology #MedEd #RadiologyLife #PhysicianVoices #MedicinePodcast

What defines a pediatric radiologist?

It’s more than training. More than credentials. It’s aprofessional identity.

In this episode of Inside Pediatric Radiology, weexplore how professional identity is built through the organizations that connect and influence our field—from the sense of belonging within the Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR), to the standards of the American Board ofRadiology (ABR), the advocacy of the American College of Radiology (ACR), the global stage of the Radiologic Society of North America (RSNA), and our clinical partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Featuring conversations with leaders across these spaces, wetake you behind the scenes of the systems that shape how we practice, collaborate, and grow.

Because in the end, understanding pediatric radiology meansunderstanding the communities that shape us—and the role we play within them.

Links to topics discussed in this episode:

Society for PediatricRadiology

SPR Strategic Plan

ABR Beam Newsletter

ABR Volunteer Info

ACR Commission on Pediatric Radiology

ACR Volunteer Info

RSNA

AAP Section on Radiology (SORA)