Vanderbilt-ACR RLI Scholarship

The Vanderbilt-ACR Radiology Leadership Institute Scholarship was officially launched in 2023. It is supported by VUMC Radiology’s Leadership Endowment funding. The program provides support to our radiologists to participate in a variety of the ACR’s Radiology Leadership Institute’s (RLI) programs and attend the institute's annual summit. The RLI offers high impact training to boost leadership and business skills and level-up radiologists’ professional development.

Key Takeaways

• Eligibility: This program is open to VUMC Radiology residents, fellows and faculty members. You do not need to be a member of the ACR to apply.
• Pathways: There are three pathways available: resident/fellow, early career faculty and mid-career faculty. More information below and within application.
• What's Covered: The award will include registration fees and travel expenses.
• How It Works: Applications are reviewed by an awards committee and are evaluated based on the applicant's leadership potential and experience, potential benefit to the applicant's career development and to our radiology department. Final approval will be granted by the department chair.

ALL PATHWAYS INCLUDE A TRIP TO THE RLI SUMMIT 

2024 RLI Summit - In-Person | September 6 - 8, 2024 

During this immersive weekend, you will learn from renowned radiology leaders and business experts in an interactive environment that will equip you with the tools, strategies and new connections you need to conquer critical business and leadership challenges head-on. Summit attendees represent a variety of practice settings and experience levels and together offer a team learning experience like no other. This year’s program will focus on issues around workforce challenges and how to best manage the continued demand for imaging from a strategic decision making, operations and leadership perspective. Faculty from Babson College, the #1 entrepreneurship MBA for three decades, will share insights and research in these important areas and lead interactive discussions that will provide you with key takeaways and practical strategies for you to implement in your practice. Radiology leaders will guide you through two case studies that will challenge your current ways of thinking and provide you with new ideas for your practice. 

RESIDENTS & FELLOWS PATHWAY 

2024 RLI Summit - In-Person | September 5 - 8, 2024 

(Pre-Conference Resident and young Physician Leadership Program is Sept 5) 

2024 RLI Leadership Essentials Program - Live and On-Demand | September - December 2024 

The RLI Leadership Essentials Program offers interactive education that equips residents and fellows with foundational leadership and non-interpretive skills needed to maximize early-career success. Presented as 8 topics over 4 months, participants will view two recorded lectures each month (on their own schedule) and participate in one live Q&A session held mid-month at Noon ET. Topics include: Basics of Radiology Business, Tips and Tools for Building and Growing Your Practice, Negotiation: Basic Skills for Life and Leadership, Personal Finance and Leadership: Making Better Decisions, Health Care Disparities and Diversity in the Workplace, The Value of Being a Mentor: Building Your Own Skills and Finding A Higher Purpose, Change Management and Servant Leadership.

2024 RLI Kickstart Your Career Workshop - Virtual | October 23, 2024 

Designed for residents and fellows, this RLI event will provide you with a strong foundation of knowledge, skills and tips on how to most effectively enter the radiology workforce in a way that positions you for the greatest opportunity for success. 

FACULTY PATHWAY - EARLY CAREER 

2024 RLI Summit - In-Person | September 6 - 8, 2024 

2025 Learning to Lead Bootcamp - Live and On-Demand | Spring 2025 

Promotions are often given without proper leadership training, leaving new and aspiring leaders to figure out the challenge of establishing credibility and gaining respect on their own. Strong leaders need to participate in formal leadership training programs to gain knowledge, practice new skills, and discover how others have tackled similar challenges. This leadership development program will allow radiologists to do all of that! The RLI Learning to Lead Bootcamp is geared towards radiologists at all career stages who are new to, early in your career, or aspiring to be in a leadership role! If you find yourself in a leadership position for the first time, hoping to be promoted to a leadership role, or are currently a leader but still struggling with some daily challenges, you will not want to miss this workshop! 

FACULTY PATHWAY - MID-CAREER 

2024 RLI Summit - In-Person | September 6 - 8, 2024 

2025 Leadership Accelerator Course - Live and On-Demand | January - April 11, 2025 

The RLI Leadership Accelerator course is designed for mid-career physicians to provide an understanding of what it takes to succeed as a leader in the hospital boardroom, gain critical skills in radiology operations, negotiations and finances and be seen as an effective radiology leader by other departments. The 12-week virtual sessions are held each Thursday from 7:00-8:30 pm ET.

Inaugural Vanderbilt-ACR Radiology Leadership Institute Scholars (2023)

The 2023 Inaugural Class:
Shelby Frantz, MD, PGY-6 Interventional Radiology
Colin McKnight, MD, Vice Chair of Clinical Operations
Sumit Pruthi, MBBS, Section Chief of Pediatric Radiology
Nicholas Voutinas, MD, RPVI, IR Residency Assistant Program Director

The Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences underwent great growth and transition in 2023. As VUMC Radiology continued to expand its quantitive footprint (both geographically and in volume) and top-level speciality care, it is also prioritized an investment in cultivating future radiology leaders and expanding the tool-belt of those already leading our own community at Vanderbilt. 

In 2023, VUMC Radiology unveiled the Vanderbilt-ACR Radiology Leadership Institute Scholarship, which selected four inaugural scholars from across the department, enrolled them in educational courses and sent them to the RLI Summit in Boston in September. The program, open to residents, fellows and faculty, exists to develop a pipeline of radiologists ready to lead in an ever-changing landscape, inform their career development, help their enterprises thrive and ultimately increase the quality of patient care. VUMC Radiology is proud of our inaugural class, who represented our department well in Boston.

Shelby Frantz, MD

I am so appreciative of the opportunity to attend the 2023 RLI Summit. The weekend was packed with practical pearls from radiology leaders and informative lectures from professors of business and law. The educational content allowed me to better understand the private equity (PE) model, the pros and cons of corporatization in radiology, and how PE can transform your practice.

Other lectures taught us about the 5 phases of project leadership and traits of effective communicators (with listening being essential). When practicing your listening skills, try to understand what is being said with verbal and non-verbal cues and resist the urge to think about your own response while the other individual is speaking. It was interesting to learn that introverts are often more effective leaders with their keen listening and analytical skills.

My favorite parts of the conference were the refreshing, interactive table discussions with radiologists at all stages of their career from across the US. This conference is the perfect opportunity to brainstorm and learn from others’ experiences.

Didactics and break-out sessions taught us how to become more effective negotiators, with the key take-away point being “align interests and find ways to create value for both sides”. This can be done by “framing” your request in a way that shows how it will benefit the whole group/hospital and/or patients/referrers (i.e. not just you). When possible, an interest-based collaborative negotiation approach is ideal. Remember to consider intangible aspects during negotiations such as time for mentorship, research, educational projects and/or conferences.

Colin McKnight, MD

The Radiology Leadership Institute Summit was extremely pertinent and useful. The program offered numerous strategies for radiology leaders to promote an environment where radiologists are valued and empowered to reach their full potential. The course included important insight into how private equity has and is affecting radiology service delivery in both the private practice and academic setting. Individuals attending this course are empowered with an understanding of historical and contemporary private equity tactics. This background enables radiology leaders to promote patient care and radiologist well-being in this modern, dynamic health care environment.

Sumit Pruthi, MBBS

One topic covered in the ACR RLI Summit that was exceptionally helpful was "Negotiations." Participants learned various negotiation techniques, such as win-win strategies, collaborative negotiation, and effective communication methods. These skills are crucial in maintaining a positive working relationship while achieving success for the entire healthcare enterprise.

The course provided a simulated case scenario, allowing participants to practice negotiation skills in a controlled environment, which enhanced our confidence and competence for real-world negotiations. The ACR leadership course was an invaluable experience that deepened my understanding of effective leadership in the radiology field and inspired me to grow continually, adapt, and lead with purpose. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity provided to me to attend the course.

Nicholas Voutsinas, MD, RPVI

The Radiology Leadership Institute Summit was an eye-opening educational experience that I believe everyone should attend if given the opportunity. At the conference, we had lectures on a variety of topics including private equity, financial analysis, negotiation, and resilience.

My favorite parts of the weekend, other than the connections I made with fellow attendees, were the case studies. There were two separate case studies, one on an academic department having to adjust staffing to deal with increased workload from regional hospitals and the other was a private practice group having to re negotiate a contract with its hospital. The case studies were lead by leaders in the ACR and allowed for a vibrant discussion amongst attendings, trainees, and business managers from across the country about how to handle these challenging situations. The variety of perspectives enhanced my understanding of the radiology landscape. It was a privilege to be able attend this conference, and I hope to be able to go again in the future.