ACR Enters Radiology Leadership Development

The American College of Radiology (ACR) plans to create its own professional development and leadership academy next year. The ACR's Radiology Leadership Institute (RLI) will be an innovative, multi-level, multi-year academy that will feature world-class instructors from renowned universities, the ACR press release promises. The plan is for RLI to offer MBA and MPH degrees, as well as a range of advanced leadership courses for radiologists, radiation oncologists and medical physicists. Some courses may also meet continuing medical eduction (CME) credit requirements. Cynthia S. Sherry, MD, FACR, chair of the ACR Commission on Leadership and Practice Development, was named as the RLI's medical director. In the press release, she explains that the ACR decided to create a leadership academy because today's rapidly changing health care environment is increasing the need for specialized leadership development. “RLI will satisfy that need with a robust curriculum relevant and targeted to all levels of radiology experience, whether in private practice or academia, including management fundamentals for residents, fellows and practicing physicians," she says. ACR says the institute's educational activities will combine face-to-face learning in a variety of geographic locations, team projects, case analysis and web-based distance learning. An invitation-only inaugural event is scheduled for July 12 – 15, 2012, at Northwestern University’s Evanston, Ill., campus. NU's Health Enterprise Management program of the Kellogg School of Management is one of the first university partners of RLI. (See the event information.)RLI builds on the ACR's previous successful track record of launching professional education, including the ACR Education Center and the AIRP Rad-Path program. The goal of the leadership institute may be the ACR's most ambitious yet. "We will develop RLI into the new standard for preparing the radiology leaders of tomorrow and strengthening current leaders to compete in an ever-shifting landscape,” says John A. Patti, MD, FACR, chair of the ACR Board of Chancellors.