Sustainability Committee

The NM Radiology Sustainability Action Committee (RSAC) was established in the Fall of 2024 with the goal of creating and implementing sustainability initiatives within the department. Dr. Tarek Hijaz, who heads the committee, says it was created to “provide a structured advisory forum to evaluate issues and opportunities relating to sustainability, including environmental, economic, and community-related considerations.”  

Currently, the committee is recruiting at least one representative from each region in the NM system to participate. The first order of business is to identify one to three sustainability goals for the fiscal year for each of these hospitals/facilities. This committee hopes to expand the tremendous gains our department has already made in sustainability this year, including implementing an iodine recycling program, a PC power saving initiative for the Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS) and technologist workstations across the department, and a patient sock recycling program that has resulted in 208.6 pounds of socks being collected in the IR section alone.  

In addition to RSAC, a separate committee, NMHC Sustainability Advisory Council, kicked off in May of 2024. Working with the outside contractor CBRE, the council plans to establish the system’s baseline carbon footprint and develop strategies to enhance efficiency and decrease emissions. As part of its efforts, the council will work to identify current sustainability efforts across the entire health system. For Dr. Hijaz, the formation of this council represents a crucial step forward in the department’s sustainability efforts. He says, “Once the NMHC Sustainability Advisory Council and CBRE determine our current carbon footprint, I hope that we set ambitious goals and make real progress toward decreasing our greenhouse gas emissions.” 

Mentoring Committee

NU RaMP, the Northwestern University Radiology Mentorship Program, is now in its sixth year of pairing new and junior radiology faculty with mentors. Originally created with the goals of career and leadership development, research, and promotions, NU RaMP also aims to foster in-person collaboration and professional camaraderie at a time when virtual and remote work is so prevalent. 

The Northwestern Radiology Resident Mentorship program is entering its fourth year of pairing groups of residents with faculty mentors. New in 2024 was the inclusion of fellows within these resident mentorship groups, which not only provided guidance from fellows to the residents, but also increased community and networking opportunities for our radiology fellows, who rarely get the chance to interact with radiology sections other than their own. This year has also seen an increase in radiology attendings participating in the program to share their insights and expertise with the up-and-coming mentees.  

Wellness Committee

The Northwestern Radiology Wellness Council has new leadership this year by Drs. Linda Kelahan and Madhvi Deol. Throughout the year, the council hosts meetings that invite attendings and trainees to make suggestions for improving wellness within the department. Last year, they focused on issues involving workflow, community building, and sporting events. This year, the Wellness Council will continue its work of improving group wellness and it welcomes ideas from radiologists both on and off the council. 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council was established to bring together members of our department with varied skillsets, roles, perspectives and experiences in order to further focus on diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives. Led by Dr. Senta Berggruen, the council hosted multiple events last year that furthered these goals.  

In October 2024, Dr. Berggruen presented a conference to the radiology residents titled “Generational Bridging,” which focused on strategies for working with a diverse cohort of people across multiple generations. In November, she hosted another event in collaboration with MOLA, the Medical Organization for Latino Advancement, titled “Pathway to Medical School.” This was a one-hour event to give guidance to first-generation Hispanic students that are applying to medical school. Finally, Dr. Berggruen hosted a stand during the Radiology Department’s RSNA Reception to recruit female alumni to participate in the Women in Radiology mentorship program.  

On January 18th, 2025, Dr. Berggruen will be working with Drs. Ahmed Gabr and Brandon Caldwell, two Radiology residents, to co-host a pipeline pathway career day event for I Am Abel, a non-profit that helps pre-med and pre-law students connect for mentorship. The department will be hosting a two-hour radiology case conference for interested pre-med students.