Taking the Lead 36: Reed A. Omary, MD, MS, FACR: A Leader Who Really Cares

July 29, 2021 In this episode, Reed A. Omary, MD, MS, FACR, the Carol D. and Henry P. Pendergrass Professor and Chair of the Department of Radiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in Nashville, Tennessee, shares his journey from immigrating to the United States from Damascus, Syria at the age of one, to growing up in northern Virginia and deciding to follow his brother’s lead and pursue his BA and MD degrees from Northwestern University’s six-year Honors Program in Medical Education. You will learn what led Dr. Omary to Vanderbilt after 12 years at Northwestern and how he has approached his role as Chair of the Board for the Vanderbilt Medical Group, and co-lead of the Medical Center’s strategic planning efforts. As president elect of the Association of University Radiologists (AUR), he shares his vision for the 2022 Annual Meeting’s theme of sustainability, climate change and radiology and his belief that we all have the opportunity to make a difference with the choices we make.  Dr. Omary is passionate about viewing challenges through a variety of lenses and soliciting input from both inside and outside of radiology and in 2018 launched a podcast called Innovation Activists that addresses some of health care’s biggest challenges.  In this episode he recounts how at the age of seven, a Cracker Jacks prize ignited his passion to understand the world through science, how “being fluent in the language of connecting with others” from a young age has guided his approach to leadership and the important role that mentorship has played in his career (listen in to learn what he gives all of his mentees!) Finally, he shares why acting and improv have been as important to his development and personal fulfillment as anything he’s ever done.  Don’t miss this special episode with Dr. Reed Omary who is a passionate proponent of healthcare, innovation, and fostering the next generation of radiologists and healthcare leaders through inspirational and supportive leadership.