On Assignment for the University of Michigan Department of Radiology News & Notes newsletter. Read below or request PDF.
News & Notes
School of Radiology Residents On Track to Become Industry Leaders
By Nikolas Charles
Spring 2026
Beginning in July of 2027, U-M school of radiology residents will be required to complete additional non-clinical training pathways. Both diagnostic radiology (DR) and interventional radiology (IR) residents will choose one of four leadership programs with curricula specializing in Research (NIH T32), Health System Administration (Radiology Leadership Institute aligned), Education (Comet-aligned), and Information Technology (with a Siemens externship).
The four-year educational tracks were established by Matt Davenport, MD, MBA, Vice Chair, Department of Radiology and Education and Janet Bailey, MD, Associate Chair of Education in partnership with the Michigan Ross School of Business. While some courses are currently underway, they will continue to be optional until the summer semester of next year.
“Our goal is to transform the curriculum of the residency at Michigan Medicine to create national leaders in health care, and more specifically in radiology,” says Dr. Davenport. “Each one of these pathways includes structured education and training elements, such as the research track, which is a National Institutes of Health T32 funded service award designed to create physician scientists.” Research Program Directors, Drs. Nicole Seiberlich and Peter Scott, will guide students to identify tailored mentors and apply for NIH and Michigan Translational Imaging programs.
Trainees who choose the Health System Leadership track will have to meet similar requirements. The Associate Program Director, Elaine Caoili, MD, will work with Dr. Davenport to advise residents as they complete the Radiology Leadership Institute (RLI) Essentials Program in year two and the RLI Health Care Economics Milestones Program in year three, both sponsored by the American College of Radiology (ACR). In addition, only one resident in year two will be able to attend the optional Association of Academic Radiology Resident Academic Leadership Development (ARRALD) Program.
No matter which track residents choose, certain core leadership curriculum will remain constant throughout, such as negotiations, working in teams, crucial conversations, and change management. There will also be a designated U-M program director on-hand to ensure each person’s journey provides them with the proper knowledge and tools. “In addition to teaching students how to be radiologists, we will teach them how to think and act like leaders that create positive changes, not just in their local circle but nationally. A huge component of leadership is people skills,” adds Dr. Davenport. “This includes gaining influence, consensus and knowing how to engage with colleagues to solve problems.”
All four Resident National Leadership Tracks are comprised of on-campus training and lectures for the first three years. The fourth and final year will culminate with a capstone project that demonstrates how it will achieve a significant national impact. “In the future, we could add additional educational pathways,” says Kara Gaetke Udager, MD, Diagnostic Radiology Program Director. “Some of the areas that students demonstrate a high-level of interest in include Quality Improvement/Patient Safety and Community and Global Outreach.”
In the initial launch of the required program, residents will self-select the track that most closely aligns with their future career goals as a radiologist. Working closely with Dr. Gaetke Udager, the Associate Program Director and Education Track Leader, Aseem Sharma, MD, says “we want the future radiologists to feel empowered to be leaders in their chosen area. In addition to educating them to be excellent radiologists or neuroradiologists, we want to give them the wings to fly as high as their aspirations will take them.”
Interventional Radiology Program Director, Shantanu Warhadpande, MD, also feels that the non-clinical education track updates are aligned with his mission for IR trainees now and in the future. “It’s the missing piece of the puzzle for building strong leaders in our medical specialty,” he says. And while he won’t be leading any of the new tracks, he will still actively participate in the development of courses that allow residents to reach their full potential. “I see my role as encouraging my students to immerse themselves in both the clinical and leadership training.”
“For an elite institution like University Michigan, it’s ideal for us to be able to graduate residents that have skill sets beyond diagnostic radiology,” adds Jess Fried, MD, Associate Chief Medical Information Officer (ACMIO) in Radiology Information Technology Track Leader. “There’s many things they can do with their career as a leader in radiology, from the four areas of specialization that we’re offering to quality assurance. I want the IT track that I’m orchestrating to be substantive, but digestible. I’ll also have guest lecturers on Zoom who are experts in the field of IT and informatics.
The program directors expressed their gratitude for the dedication and support of their administrative team that includes Erica Stein, MD, Program Director, Amy Spencer, Program Coordinator, Jessica Meyers, Fellowship and Medical Student Coordinator, and Sarah Goldie, Assistant Program Coordinator. “Everyone is a major contributor to the success of the program,” says Dr. Davenport. “There’s so much that needs to be done on a national basis, therefore we need to take a more authoritative role in creating long-lasting favorable outcomes. One of our mantras at U-M is to be the number one residency program in the country. We feel strongly that this formal leadership curriculum will compliment our medical training and help us achieve that goal.”