Kay H. Vydareny, MD, FACR – 1984 President of AAWR,
2000 Marie Sklodowska – Curie Awardee

Teacher, grandmother, consensus builder

I became interested in human medicine when I was in college (before that, I wanted to become a veterinarian). I remember that in reading about medicine as a career, one author said that a potential doctor needed to decide whether he (mostly talking to males) wanted to study medicine or be a physician. I wasn’t sure what the right answer to that question was supposed to be– I just knew that I was fascinated by the study of anatomy and physiology – and I wanted to be a physician. This was at a time that there weren’t many women in medical school and my parents were not certain this was a good field for their only daughter. The only woman physician that my mother knew was single and she felt that if I went into medicine I would be single and lonely; my father kept sending Peace Corps applications so I could think a bit more about an eventual career choice.

At the University of Michigan, where I attended medical school, the administration was proud of the fact that, although there was no quota, 10% of each class (year after year after year….) was female. The hospital at which I did a rotating internship had not had a woman intern for over 20 years and they weren’t quite sure where I was supposed to change clothes for surgery (the solution: the nurses lounge) or where I was supposed to sleep when on call (the solution: the same bunkroom in which the male interns slept). I was fortunate to be able to take a “less than full time residency” (by that time I had young children) although one of the faculty made a point of telling me that I was just wasting my time since I was never going to practice radiology and that I be better off picking out shoes for my kids (!). I only relate these things to point out how far we women in medicine in general and radiology in particular have come. It is now common for most women in residency and practice to have women role models, mentors and friends. We need to continue to help one another, for in that way we will all be able to move forward.

What would be your most important advice to your junior colleagues?

I would encourage all to become active in a radiology organization that fits your interests. By doing so you will meet wonderful friends and feel that you are making a contribution. You can tailor your efforts to the time you have available and are willing to spend. These organizations sustain the radiology community and need volunteers. There is no doubt that most of us have more responsibilities than we have time to fulfill them , but you will reap tremendous benefits if you give a bit of yourself to something larger than your own practice.

What would I do differently if I could do it over?

Not worry so much about the small stuff – because most everything is “small stuff”. . Kids stop sucking their thumbs and don’t take their favorite blankets to college. A difficult day filled with too many images to read, too many people to see and too many errands to run is eventually over. The irritable patient or colleague always finishes his or her tirade. I would remember each day that if one has family and friends, lives in a free nation, and is lucky enough to be healthy – that’s what is important!!

Kay at age four	Kay in 2005

Kay H. Vydareny, MD, FACR is Professor of Radiology at Emory University School of Medicine