My Volunteer Experience With the MSS

I recently had the opportunity to serve on the planning committee for the ACR® Medical Student Symposium, the largest medical student outreach event providing exposure to radiology by the ACR Medical Student Section. I’d never attended any previous symposia because I only discovered radiology halfway into my M2 year. As luck would have it, I was a volunteer at my first event!

Working behind the scenes with fellow medical student leaders allowed me to meet mentors and learn the intricacies of developing a national virtual conference. Every minute was meticulously planned, from the slides on the Zoom call to the background playlist. When the day finally came, time seemed to fly by, with speakers eagerly sharing their stories and passion for radiology. Most importantly, many speakers emphasized, “Radiology isn’t just about reading films in a dark room.” 

Radiologists are part of a team that continuously works to improve patient lives with cutting-edge technology. They perform life-changing procedures and contribute to influential decisions that may change medical decisionmaking and outcomes. I hosted the speaker Q&A with Carol Nicole Sanchez Santana, MS3, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, and we fielded questions from medical students around the world eager to join the profession. 

It was inspirational to hear from radiologists in different subspecialties who loved their work and shared the diversity of each of their professions. Every perspective was different: We heard from musculoskeletal, interventional and breast radiologists who interacted with patients daily; we learned about brachytherapy as an alternative to surgery from a radiation oncologist; we discovered research using AI in abdominal radiology. The variety of subspecialties showed participants that there is really something for everyone in this field.

For me, the most memorable part of this symposium happened at the end when an underclassman at my medical school invited me to speak with her about how to get more involved in the field. My eyes immediately lit up when I saw the message; it felt like déjà vu, a mirror of exactly how I’d reached out to an upperclassman mentor one year ago when I first became interested in radiology. I remembered my uncertainty and nervousness when I sought his advice. 

Speaking with my mentor, Amir Mostafavi, MD (now a resident in interventional radiology at the University of Michigan), turned my apprehension into enthusiasm. Hearing how excited and motivated he was about the future of radiology ultimately propelled me to join the ACR and other professional organizations, leading me to where I am today. This gave me the chance to pay it forward, which is one reason why I’d joined the symposium in the first place.

Even though I was busy every day with ongoing student tasks, I realized how much my small contribution to this event could impact the future generation of radiologists. Putting together questions for a panel, outlining a timetable and simply volunteering my time could lead to a conversation that changes someone’s complete trajectory. 

I hope that other medical students will be empowered to sign up for opportunities and start a chain reaction of mentorship and continue the spirit of collaboration and discovery in radiology. If you’d like to volunteer with the ACR, learn more about opportunities through ACR Volunteer Link.