Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Medical Imaging
At UVA Radiology, we are committed to creating a community where respect and tolerance prevail. We embrace diversity and inclusion as larger concepts that encompass and celebrate the differences in background, origin, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, age and beliefs among our trainees, faculty and staff. We consider these qualities and differences, as well as our ongoing efforts to promote justice and fairness, to be essential to our work as healthcare providers, teachers, students and researchers.
Our Commitment to Diversity in Radiology and Education
In keeping with the fundamental role that diversity, equity and inclusion take at both UVA Health and the UVA School of Medicine, the UVA Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging aims to be a leader in fostering an inclusive and equitable community that embraces diversity, compassion, respect and healing for all. Whether serving in a clinical, educational, administrative or research capacity, we believe that all members of our community are personally and professionally enriched by our community’s commitment to equity.
As a healthcare provider, our fundamental goal is to continually work to better reflect and represent the diverse population of the patients we serve. The curriculum in our radiology training programs fundamentally supports that clinical goal as we educate the radiologists and technologists of tomorrow.
We recognize that prioritizing and improving diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in radiology education requires a multilevel approach. By focusing on the current model of academic progress, we have developed initiatives targeted to all levels of the educational pipeline. By incorporating these initiatives in our department’s educational programs, we aim to build capacity and create leaders with unique skills who can act as multipliers of our efforts among students, residents and faculty, as well as in our community.
We are fortunate to be a part of a truly diverse and inclusive community here at the University of Virginia, as well as UVA Health and the UVA School of Medicine. In addition, Charlottesville, Virginia is a multicultural community that has become a national example of strength, unity and justice in the face of adversity and intolerance towards our people. It is a place where we all feel safe and welcomed and are proud to call home.
History of the Program
The year of 2017 will never be forgotten in Charlottesville. After the hateful “Unite the Right” rally, members across our Charlottesville community held a deep desire for concrete actions that defend our values of respect and tolerance. That same year, the Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging established the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Program in order to facilitate efforts to nurture an inclusive and equitable community.
The first seeds of this program were planted by the late Dr. Eduard de Lange through the creation of the Francesca and Eduard de Lange Diversity and Inclusion Fund. The initiative’s purpose was, and still is, to further promote the values of UVA Radiology: including diversity, compassion, respect, and healing for all. Within each class, the fund provides a stipend for a resident within each class to support them and to recognize their effort, time, and contribution to advancing this part of the department’s mission.
Dr. Juliana Bueno was named as the inaugural director of the DEI program in 2017, and established the mission of this initiative around three major pillars: education, mentorship, and leadership opportunities. Through her advocacy and with the support of then-department chair Dr. Alan Matsumoto, the initial idea grew and transformed: Today, the DEI program incorporates initiatives that provide support and advocacy across different levels of medical training. These include a Near-Peer Women’s Mentorship Group, based on the concept of residents acting as mentors to medical students; the incorporation of a designated curriculum on health care disparities into the radiology residency curriculum, based on national guidance from the Association of Academic Radiologists; and the creation of a 4th-Year Medical Student Scholarship Program that supports non-UVA medical students’ visiting 4-week rotations, which in collaboration with UVA’s GME office also incorporates leadership training in the topics of DEI. The program also successfully advocated for the Medical Student Summer Research Program to also allocate departmental funds for research projects in health care disparities — both increasing opportunities for medical students, and incentivizing radiology faculty to conceptualize ways of expanding services that benefit underserved communities and underrepresented groups.
In November 2024, Dr. Carrie Rochman assumed the role of director of the DEI program. She will continue strengthening the initiatives in place, as well as advocating for a broader impact of our DEI program in other areas of the department.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives
Below is a compendium of UVA Radiology’s diversity, inclusion, equity and justice efforts. Initiatives and programs are categorized by the educational level that they engage and serve, whether medical students, residents or faculty members. As we introduce new initiatives and strengthen and develop ongoing initiatives, we will update, document and share additional information on this page.
Medical Student Programs
Medical students are the future of all medical specialties. Radiology is underrepresented in the curriculum of medical schools across the country and the largest diversity gap in radiology is between medical school and application to residency. We view our work at this stage of the academic pipeline as one of the most important and impactful ways we can positively influence the radiology workforce. Our efforts are focused on opportunity, mentorship and engagement early in students’ medical careers.
The UVA Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging offers up to seven scholarships per year to highly qualified medical students who wish to do a visiting radiology elective at our institution.
These scholarships are available to all 4th-year visiting medical students or UVA-INOVA students who are either first-generation medical school attendees and/or part of an underrepresented in medicine (URiM) group, as well as those applicants with strong interest in working in topics of diversity, equity and inclusion.
Two of the available URiM Leadership Program and Travel Scholarships are sponsored by the UVA GME Office, for students who have a strong interest in acquiring leadership skills in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
UVA Radiology provides specific support for Medical Student Summer Research Program projects that address topics related to healthcare disparities. This initiative aims to support projects that address local and regional healthcare disparities, and that might help us improve and better our department and the services we provide to our community.
The UVA Radiology Interest Group brings medical students and radiology advisors together to increase knowledge and awareness of radiology as a medical specialty and support medical students as they make decisions about where to apply for residency.
The UVA Radiology Interest Group believes strongly in the importance of diversity and inclusion within radiology as a specialty. We are committed to doing all that we can to make sure our department represents that ideal.
A Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Representative is part of the medical student leadership team of the Radiology Interest Group. The DEI student representative acts as a liaison between their peers and radiology advisors, and promotes the group and our specialty to medical students from underrepresented in medicine (URiM) groups, including students who identify as LGBTQIA+.
The department’s Women Leadership Group is a near-peer mentoring program lead by female radiology residents, serving approximately 15-20 female medical students each year. The group gives female medical students a unique opportunity to shadow female residents and exchange ideas about our specialty, workflow, career paths and future plans. The “near-peer” mentoring model of our program provides a safe and low-stress space for students to gather information about radiology from residents, who are closer to their experiences as students and can relate easily to their process.
Residency Programs
Our efforts at the level of graduate medical education focus on support, education, mentorship and leadership. Our radiology residency programs are the jewel of our department and we aim to not only educate outstanding radiologists, but also culturally competent leaders who can compassionately serve a diverse patient population.
The de Lange Diversity and Inclusion Fund aims to encourage applicants who have an interest in enhancing diversity and inclusion in the field of radiology to come to UVA and join the efforts of the department in this area during their residency training. A Diversity Representative is chosen from each residency class and will be expected to help lead and contribute to departmental and institutional efforts to promote diversity, inclusion and a culture of respect in the workplace environment and community.
The fund was established by Dr. Eduard E. de Lange, a UVA Radiology faculty member for 35 years, and his wife, Francesca.
According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology in August 2018, women account for only 23.1% of practicing radiologists nationwide.
The UVA Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, with support from The Keats Society, proudly hosts a variety of Ladyologist networking and social events throughout the year for our female and gender non-binary trainees and faculty. We also host a yearly Ladyologist Day, which is is an opportunity to discuss the achievements of female faculty and trainees and is open to all in the department regardless of sex or gender.
The goal of these initiatives is to create a respectful space that fosters the growth and representation of this minority community within the department in hopes of welcoming more women to this field in the future.
UVA Radiology’s residency curriculum includes specific topics in diversity, equity and inclusion; healthcare disparities; and cultural competencies. This curriculum follows national guidelines provided by the Association of Program Directors in Radiology (APDR).
UVA Radiology Diversity and Inclusion Representatives participate in the residency recruitment process in multiple ways, including attending recruitment fairs, taking part in Q&A sessions, and serving on interview panels.
Additionally, our department has incorporated multiple holistic trainings and strategies to address the challenge of recruiting a truly diverse residency class each year, improve the fairness of the application process and provide an equal opportunity for all applicants to learn more about and apply to our program. These include:
The department’s Women Leadership Group is a near-peer mentoring program lead by female radiology residents, serving approximately 15-20 female medical students each year. The group gives female medical students a unique opportunity to shadow female residents and exchange ideas about our specialty, workflow, career paths and future plans. The “near-peer” mentoring model of our program provides a safe and low-stress space for students to gather information about radiology from residents, who are closer to their experiences as students and can relate easily to their process.
Faculty Leadership and Enrichment Programs
Opportunity, mentorship and support to our faculty members allows us to create a sustainable practice around these initiatives. By promoting leadership skills amongst our faculty, we continue the efforts to maintain a diverse and equitable academic community and provide better care to our patients.
Dr. Carrie Rochman is the UVA Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging’s faculty Director of Diversity and Inclusion. Dr. Rochman, who has served in this role since 2024, is also an associate program director of the Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program.
In her role for the DR Residency Program, Dr. Rochman incorporates diversity, equity and inclusion principles and practices into every level of the department’s residency programs and residency recruitment efforts, and represents the department among the greater UVA GME community.
The JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) Program is part of the UVA School of Medicine’s efforts to encourage work in diversity and inclusion across all departments at the school. Each department has appointed a new DEI leader to aid in recruiting and retaining highly qualified diverse students, trainees, faculty and staff; ensure mentorship is available at all levels, and help allocate financial and personnel resources to sustain diversity and inclusion initiatives. These new department leaders are called JEDIS: Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategists.
Dr. Tanvir Rizvi is currently serving as the first-ever JEDI Strategist in the Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging.
The department runs several lecture series that feature prominent leaders in radiology, medicine, and other fields, which are delivered to members of the UVA Radiology community and the radiology community around the world. Many of these lectures speak to issues of equity, diversity and inclusion in radiology and healthcare: including the UVA Radiology Grand Rounds series which includes an annual lecture dedicated to DEI issues; and the Keynote Lecture Series.