The history of Women in Radiology (WIR) programs at two academic institutions: How we did it and how we merged best practices

Abstract

Rationale: The percentage of women in radiology has remained at 25 % for decades. Our institutions identified the need to recruit, support and retain women in our departments in order to change this status quo.

Methods: Our institutions created two different frameworks for Women in Radiology (WIR) programs in order to meet the needs of each distinct department. The organizational structure (trainee led vs faculty led and hybrid), the need for departmental chair support, and types of events and speakers are outlined with unique programs provided by each institution. Collaboration with established programs for women within the institutions and within the region was utilized to support the developing programs.

Results: Each of the (WIR) programs has been successful in creating community, impact and sustainable programming, including a peer and faculty mentoring programs for all genders, improvements in gender equity in the workplace, the implementation of trainee parental support programs, and an overall increase in the percentage of women trainees and faculty. Over the last 3 years, the integration of the two programs into a single Women in Radiology program, also encompassing the new enterprise radiology group, has led the way during the initiation of a large institutional merger from two institutions to one large institution.

Outcomes: We have provided two frameworks for developing a successful women in radiology program as well as a roadmap for combining best practices in a time of change and institutional merger at a major academic institution.

Keywords: Mentorship; Radiology; Women.