Mary Mahoney, MD, interim chair of radiology at the University of Cincinnati, was selected for the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program, a year-long fellowship for women faculty in schools of medicine, dentistry and public health.

The program, established in 1995, is “dedicated to developing the professional and personal skills required to lead and manage in today’s complex healthcare environment, with special attention to the unique challenges facing women in leadership positions,” according to the ELAM web site. It’s a year-long, part-time fellowship that involves working on self-assessment projects from home and traveling for interactive workshops.

“I’m very much looking forward to it,” Mahoney told RadiologyBusiness.com in a phone interview. “It’s going to be a wonderful opportunity for me, and I’m delighted to be a part of it.”

Mahoney said she has learned a lot since being named interim chair last year, especially when it comes to knowing her own strengths and “areas of opportunity.” She is looking forward to becoming a better leader as a part of the ELAM program.

“Some of the things the program teaches you are leadership skills, management skills and how to deal with tough situations, so I’m really looking forward to honing my skills,” Mahoney said.

Considering the ELAM program’s heavy emphasis on leadership and management, it’s not surprising to learn that Mahoney feels mentors have played a large role in her career, both as a radiologist and an interim chair. She stresses that young radiologists today should make sure they have people in their lives they can look up to, talk to and learn from.

“Look around and identify the people who you admire—and not necessarily the people who just look like you, or act like you or think like you—really look around, broaden your horizons and find good mentors,” she said. “Don’t be too narrow in who your mentors can be. When I look back and think about who my mentors are, even now, it’s a very diverse group.”

When she’s not taking part in her day-to-day duties as interim chair, Mahoney also remains active in her role as a breast imager.

“A lot of the emphasis on breast imaging is early diagnosis, so a lot of the work that I’ve done—outside of my leadership roles in this interim chair position—has been focused on the early detection of breast cancer using tools such as MR spectroscopy, tomosynthesis, digital techniques and screening ultrasounds,” Mahoney said.

For more information on the ELAM program, including how to apply, visit the program’s website.