Imaging supervisor volunteers, starts scholarship to provide radiology services in areas of need

When Issack Boru was growing up in Ethiopia, his father suffered a head injury, but was unable to receive the care he needed due to a lack of medical imaging resources. His father lived nearly 10 more years, but experienced symptoms due to that delayed patient care.

According to an in-depth profile published by the Daily Tar Heel, this made an impact on Boru. He now works as the radiology imaging supervisor and clinical instructor for the division of radiologic science at the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill, using state-of-the-art imaging equipment to treat patients.

“I really didn't know my dad the way he is because that happened when I was six,” Boru said, as quoted by the newspaper. “We went to hospitals a lot and, of course, you see the great care people give, and you see the not so great care that people give. That kind of put me into if I go into health care, I’ll do everything I can for people like my father, but also for people like me— family members that are directly or indirectly affected by his condition and situation, specifically medical imaging because that was the key factor for my dad.”

In addition to his work at UNC, Boru also works with RAD-AID, a nonprofit that helps bring imaging services and training to areas in need of such assistance. In 2018, for example, he traveled back to Ethiopia to train technologists on new imaging equipment. Boru also established the Endeshaw and Etagegnhu scholarship in 2016 to honor his parents and provide $1,000 to students who want to provide imaging services to areas in need.

Click below for the full story, which includes more about Boru’s life, from the Daily Tar Heel.