The CAR recently introduced an innovative new program that provides radiologists with the tools, skills, and knowledge needed to strengthen their leadership potential and support their career advancement.

The CAR Radiology Leadership Program officially began with the Kick-Off Meeting at CAR 2026 in April.

“Participants came from all parts of the country with a wide range of experiences,” said Dr. Ania Kielar, CAR Past-President and Chair of the Radiology Leadership Program Working Group. “Engagement in the room was palpable. Having the opportunity to meet in-person, set the tone, and have participants mingle and find common leadership interests was really great.”

The Kick-Off Meeting was comprised of a series of presentations covering various aspects of leadership development, team building, personal experiences, and a panel discussion with faculty facilitators Drs. Ania Kielar, Frank Lexa, Geraldine McGinty, and Julian Dobranowski.

The next phase of the program was held throughout the month of May with the first of three virtual courses that include didactic presentations from Drs. McGinty and Lexa, online readings, and  a course assignment consisting of a series of case scenarios. Course 1 concluded with a virtual facilitated discussion on May 26 to review additional scenarios and the core foundational concepts of leadership.

The next step is to continue moving through the online courses in the fall and conclude early in the new year.

“We will continue the program with two additional online courses. Strategic Conversations will be held in September followed by the third and final course on Decision Making and Problem Solving in January 2027,” said Dr. Kielar.

Working Group member and Course 1 Faculty facilitator Dr. D’Arcy Little is hopeful that participants leave the program with a stronger leadership toolkit and the confidence and self-awareness to apply it in their own practice environments across Canada.

“Leadership is not something that can be distilled into a checklist or learned passively – it requires active engagement, dialogue, and a willingness to work through real-world complexity,” said Dr. Little. “Having Drs. Lexa and McGinty, with their deep experience teaching leadership at the highest levels, allowed us to create exactly that kind of interactive and challenging environment.”

Dr. Little says the faculty facilitators want participants to challenge themselves and each other, build trusted peer relationships across the country, and begin to see themselves as future mentors for the next generation of Canadian radiology leaders.

“Ultimately, our expectation is that this program will be a meaningful starting point and a foundation that participants continue to build on throughout their careers, one that strengthens leadership capacity in Canadian radiology more broadly.”

The CAR is extremely grateful to Working Group members: Dr. Ania Kielar (Chair), Dr. Joy Borgaonkar, Dr. Rachel Fleming, Dr. Alison Harris, Dr. Luigi Lepanto, Dr. D’Arcy Little, and Expert Contributors: Dr. Frank Lexa and Geraldine McGinty for their expertise in creating this exciting new CPD initiative.  Thank you to all CAR members who are enrolled in the inaugural class. We hope you find the program valuable and wish you lots of success in your leadership journeys.