The committee tasked with assembling the content and speakers for the CAR’s Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) will be under new leadership soon.
The Scientific Planning Committee (SPC) will say goodbye to its current chair, Dr. Tanya Chawla, and welcome a new leader in the spring of 2025.
Dr. Chawla is nearing the completion of her term as SPC Chair, having led the committee for CAR 2023, CAR 2024, and the upcoming CAR 2025. She has been a member of the committee for over a decade and served as Vice-Chair for CAR 2022. Taking over as Chair from Dr. Michael Patlas during the pandemic, Dr. Chawla says it was a challenging experience early on.
“It was a roller coaster,” she recalled. “My very first ASM as Chair, CAR 2023, was the first in-person meeting after COVID. There was anxiety around people coming back to an in-person event. We were hosting the meeting at a new venue, Le Westin Montréal, and there were plenty of other variables to contend with.”
Overall, Dr. Chawla looks back at her experience with fondness for the learning curve and challenges she faced.
“The medical field has changed since the pandemic. People are more discerning about what events they want to see in-person and what they’d rather do online, where there are lots of great options for education. We work very hard to make sure the content of the ASM is geared toward our audience and we rely heavily on feedback and trending topics in the industry to attract the very best speakers from Canada and around the world.”
Dr. Chawla says the educational content is always exceptional but it’s the connections and energetic ambiance that set the ASM apart from other meetings.
“We have fantastic social events every year. I really like seeing the buzz from trainees and medical students when they are engaged and out and about. It’s also nice to see our industry partners in the bustling exhibit area enjoying the positive energy.”
During her time in various positions on the SPC, Dr. Chawla has earned a new level of appreciation for the quality of Canada’s radiology community.
“We have an enormous pool of talent in Canada to put on a stellar meeting year in and year out. People want international speakers, which is great, but I appreciate how we have so much talent and the opportunity to nurture that and bring in Canadians to speak and show their work. I’m happy that our national organization is reflecting that.”
“It’s been a blast,” she continued. “I enjoyed everything and truly felt the support from the CAR board and staff. I wish the best of luck to the next chair!”
Dr. Christopher Fung to take on Scientific Program Committee Chair Role
The CAR Board of Directors recently voted for and approved Dr. Christopher Fung as the incoming SPC Chair. Dr. Fung is an interventional radiologist and partner in Alberta’s Medical Imaging Consultants. He is an active volunteer in the radiology community. He served on the SPC for several years, is Co-Chair of the CAR/CSAR MASLD Working Group, and is a member of Incidental Findings (IF) Standing Committee and IF Spleen and Nodes Working Group.
“I have always had an interest in education and research. The opportunity to share the amazing work and talent I've seen from our own radiologists in Canada is exciting,” Dr. Fung said. “Having served on program committees from other local and international conferences, I know the importance of having the right people on a program committee; we are fortunate to have incredible individuals serving the CAR and I really look forward to collaborating with them to bring our combined vision to the CAR Annual Meetings in the future.”
Dr. Fung says he has several goals outlined for his term as Chair.
“I will strive to continue increasing our engagement with our trainees and early career radiologists. They are the future of our specialty and our organization. Broadening our outreach and accessibility by leveraging technology is also critical in the digital world. Finally, I hope to encourage CAR members to recognize their own skills and strengths so that they eagerly step into this position when my term ends.”
He says his colleagues and family have always been supportive of his desire to share knowledge and expertise in radiology.
“Dr. Iain Kirkpatrick and Dr. Bill Anderson first recognized that my passion for medical education could be expanded beyond our program and into the broader work of the CAR and have always been encouraging. Dr. Derek Emery, Dr. Silvia Chang, and Dr. Aya Kamaya are constantly available with any questions I have at any time – I test their availability regularly and will continue to do so in this position. My wife, Daisy, must be mentioned in any ‘encouragement’ discussion for her continued understanding as I tackle new projects and positions.”
The CAR is thrilled to welcome Dr. Fung to his new leadership position and looks forward to executing his vision. Special thanks to Dr. Chawla for her years of amazing contributions to the CAR and the Annual Scientific Meeting.
Excited groups of researchers will present their work as part of CAR 2025’s 
