Our Mission
We aim to empower women through mentorship, outreach, and training with the goal of closing the gender gap in the specialty.
What We Do
The WIRED Interest Group is a student-led initiative that aims to introduce early-career women to the field of radiology and provides education, skills, and community to advance these women’s personal and professional goals. We hope to close the gender gap in radiology by highlighting the role of the radiologist in patient care, correcting common misconceptions about radiology careers, and providing access to role models and mentors. We believe that addressing the gender gap within radiology is critical to advancing patient care. All students are encouraged to join WIRED regardless of gender.
Why Radiology?
Do you love learning, checking things off a “list,” and putting things into perspective? Do you enjoy a good game night, working in a group, and quiet time to think? If yes, then radiology just might be the career for you!
As consultant physicians, radiologists are critical contributors to patient care. Radiologists work on the cutting edge of technology to provide differential diagnoses and interventional options for patients and clinicians. The scope of the speciality means a radiologist can truly personalize her career to be as generalized or subspecialized and patient- or clinician-facing as she desires. In addition, both diagnostic and interventional radiologists perform procedures that range from bone marrow biopsies to infertility treatments. We serve other women through breast imaging and provide guidance and support during intimate, difficult times. Lastly, the nature of the speciality means flexibility with scheduling (and work-from-home options) so that non-work priorities don’t have to come second to your career. Reach out to us for more information, shadowing and research opportunities and fun events!
Meet our Team
Resident Advisors |
Faculty Advisor |
|
Cathy Chen (Co-founder) |
Dr. Desmin Milner |
Featured Events
- Connecting the Dots: Featured in an American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) event entitled “Connecting the Dots: How I Got Here and the Women Who’ve Inspired Me” featuring reflections of WIRED mentor, Desmin Milner, MD.
- Presence: Social media workshop with presentations by UAB radiologists and communication specialists who explained the importance of networking and advocating with a virtual presence; offered free professional headshots for any student in attendance to use throughout medical school
- Special Topics: Created an inaugural, now annual, course within the medical school curriculum through which preclinical medical students work with women in the UAB Department of Radiology in subspecialties including MSK, breast, chest, abdomen, and IR. The course culminates with a WIRED Conference, with speakers composed of residents, DR/IR attendings, and the UAB Chair.
- Sip & Paint: Virtual painting social & networking with WIRED chapter in Puerto Rico, modeled after our UAB chapter
- High-Yield Step 1 Radiology Review: Interactive USMLE review of key radiologic concepts commonly tested on the USMLE Step 1 exam, led by radiology faculty and residents at UAB.
- Interactive Radiology Shadowing Event: Resident-led case sessions for medical students to critically think and increase our knowledge base.
- Match Panel: Successfully matched future radiologists/current MS4s offer insights and answer questions for MS1-3s regarding the residency application process.
- Cancer screening informational tables: Host cancer screening informational sessions at Pepper Place, a farmer’s market in Birmingham, AL.
Outreach
- Girls Inc. STEM Event: Demonstrated Butterfly iQ ultrasound machines with homemade jello fruit-filled phantoms, painted CT scan cartoons with anatomy lessons, and presented steps to take regarding applying to college, medical school, and radiology residency. Empowered teenagers to find passion, confidence, and representation in STEM.
- Girlspring article: Women In STEM: WIRED, Reaches 13,000 viewers/month; Encourage and empower middle and high school aged girls to consider STEM majors in college and radiology as a specialty in medical school.
- Healthcare Explorers: WIRED representatives attend monthly meetings of high-school students with guest speakers who describe their professional healthcare experiences and career choices.These students learn more about careers in healthcare professions and interact with other students who have similar goals. Students have leadership positions in this program, network with physicians and other healthcare providers at UAB, and can win a college scholarship at the end of the year.
- PATH Across the Digital Divide: WIRED representatives assisted with a digital literacy project, hosted by the UAB PATH Clinic and the Alabama Schweitzer Fellowship, in which assistance with basic technology is provided to those on the other side of the digital divide.
- Radiology Trivia: Interactive game nights at undergraduate AED meetings for college students who are interested in healthcare careers to increase their exposure to the field of radiology.
Notable Achievements
- Publication: Equal pay for equal work in radiology: Expired excuses and solutions for change
- Publication: How to implement paid family and medical leave: A toolkit for practices
- Facilitated expansion of WIRED chapters in other medical schools in Florida, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico; facilitated events in New York, Hawaii, Illinois, Ohio, Ecuador, and India..
- WIRED Podcast
