Mary C. Mahoney, M.D., was named president of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Board of Directors on December 1, 2020 at its annual meeting in Chicago.
Mahoney is the Benjamin Felson Endowed Chair and Professor of Radiology at the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine in Cincinnati, Ohio. Since 2016, she has served as chief of imaging services at UC Health in Cincinnati and is on the medical staff of several Cincinnati area institutions, including UC Medical Center, University Pointe Surgical Hospital, and West Chester Hospital in West Chester, Ohio.
After graduating magna cum laude from Brown University in 1979, Mahoney received her medical degree in 1983 from UC College of Medicine and is a member of its honor society, Alpha Omega Alpha. She completed her diagnostic radiology residency – serving as chief resident from 1987 to 1988 – followed by a fellowship at UC Medical Center.
She said her decision to pursue a career in diagnostic imaging was the result of her desire to solve problems.
“I was drawn to the problem-solving aspect of radiology,” she said.
It is a decision that continues to reward her in many ways. One way her career rewards her is through interaction with her faculty and trainees, she said.
Mahoney told ICE magazine that she has been fortunate to have mentors who helped her advance and she strives to provide the same leadership to others.
“They encouraged me, gave me opportunities, let me spread my wings,” Mahoney said about her mentors. She added that she is, “passionate about fostering the careers of young physicians.”
As RSNA president, Mahoney will continue to focus on patient-centered care and support the society’s goal of fostering diversity, equity and inclusion in radiology leadership and practice.
“I am honored to be part of an organization that actively supports women in radiology and works to promote diversity and inclusivity in its leadership, in its committees and in its programming,” Mahoney said. “We must ensure that our academic and society leaders reflect the diverse community we represent and strive to provide an equitable and inclusive community that serves the needs of all of our members. In shedding unconscious bias and embracing different perspectives, we strengthen our specialty and enhance the quality of care we provide to our patients.”
Mahoney has published more than 90 peer-reviewed articles and 15 book chapters and has co-authored two books with an emphasis on breast imaging. She has served as principal or co-investigator on numerous funded grants, including several grants focused on imaging modalities and biopsy. She has given many scientific research presentations nationally and internationally and has been an invited lecturer at over 285 institutions and meetings worldwide.
She is a graduate of the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program for women leaders in medicine. She has been instrumental in building the Advanced Imaging Core Lab at UC College of Medicine and the multidisciplinary breast center within UC Cancer Institute.
Over the years, Mahoney has served RSNA in many capacities. She was the scientific session presiding officer from 2003 to 2009. She has served on many committees, including the Research and Education (R&E) Foundation Public Relations Committee and the Public Information Advisors Network. She has chaired the Public Information Committee, Patient-Centered Radiology Steering Committee and the Radiology Editor Search Committee. She joined the RSNA board in 2014.
Mahoney has held committee or leadership positions in a number of other organizations, including the Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) and the American Roentgen Ray Society. She served on the ABR Board of Trustees from 2010 to 2015 and the ABR Board of Governors from 2015 to 2018 and currently serves on the American College of Radiology (ACR) Board of Chancellors. Mahoney is a fellow of both ACR and SBI and is a member of the Society of Chairs of Academic Radiology Departments.
The recipient of many awards and honors throughout her career, Mahoney was recognized by ABR for her extraordinary service and dedication in 2008 and 2010. She was named a Health Care Hero finalist twice by the Cincinnati Business Courier and received a Marquis Who’s Who Lifetime Award in 2017. She was included on the “Best Doctors in Cincinnati” list, selected for inclusion in Top Doctors in America in 2019 and selected for “Top Doctors” by Cincinnati Magazine in 2020.
Mahoney is a nationally recognized proponent and staunch advocate of patient-centered radiology. She has been involved in numerous initiatives campaigning to encourage and facilitate radiologists’ meaningful engagement in the patient experience.
