Women In Radiology | Department of Radiology

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide an empowering environment for women radiologists and scientists by fostering mentorship, promoting diversity and representation in leadership, increasing support for mental wellbeing, and building community.

Residents in the park — Left to Right: Srinidhi Shanmugasundaram, Amber Simmons, Priscilla Stecher, Monica Matsumoto, Jasmine Taylor, Bianca Ho, Becky Zhang, Safiya Lahlaf, Sarah Berg, Jacy Lundberg, and Audrey Rich

Pictured Several Penn Residents, Fellows, and Faculty at one of the many professional development events within Penn.

As our core values guide our efforts, WIR works to provide professional development training to help promote the careers of Penn Radiology women residents, fellows, and faculty, as well as trainees and faculty at other institutions through local and national collaboration. Since our inception at Penn, we have established a leadership pipeline by which mid- and late-career faculty can prime early-career faculty and trainees to assume more positions of leadership in their field. We host multiple professional and community building events throughout the year and have been an active member of a national WIR coalition since 2020, co-hosting 1-2 national panels annually.

Penn Radiology Women at FOCUS 2023

Every year Penn WIR attends the Annual FOCUS Fall Conference. This annual professional development event hosted for all Penn Medicine women faculty, trainees, and their allies fosters a unique opportunity for networking, collaboration, and learning important strategies for success in academic medicine.

Penn Radiology faculty, trainees and WIR Faculty Leaders at the 2024 FOCUS Conference — Pictured at this year’s 26th Annual FOCUS Fall conference are Penn Radiology faculty and trainees with the WIR faculty leaders Dr. Sophia O’Brien and Dr. Susan Shamimi-Noori.

Past WIR Events

Annual R1 welcome picnic
Annual meditation and mindfulness event co-hosted with Resident Wellness Group
Annual White Elephant Holiday Gift exchange
Multiple National Multi-Institution Virtual Panels on topics such as Leadership and Early Career Development, and Financial Planning
Virtual Visits with National Women Leaders (Past speakers include Ruth Carlos, MD, PhD, and Jennifer Harvey, MD; 2023)
Book Clubs, most recently featuring Brave Boundaries: Strategies to Say No, Stand Strong, and Take Control of Your Time by Sasha Shillcutt, MD
Journal Clubs
Discussion on Fertility options with REI colleagues
Happy Hours
Pumpkin Carving
Painting with a Twist

Residents sharing a meal — Pictured Susan Shamimi-Noori, Jasmine Taylor, Becky Zhang, Safiya Lahlaf, Jacy Lundberg, Amber Simmons and Sophia O’Brien.

Faculty Leaders

Susan Shamimi-Noori, MD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiology
Interventional Radiology Program Director
Diagnostic Radiology Associate Program Director

Susan Shamimi-Noori, MD is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiology at Penn Medicine. Dr. Shamimi-Noori completed her diagnostic radiology residency at the University of Pennsylvania in 2012 and has been involved in education throughout her career. She currently serves as Director of the Integrated and Independent Interventional Radiology Residency Programs and as an Associate Program Director of the Diagnostic Radiology Residency. Dr. Shamimi-Noori has built a busy clinical practice with multiple focuses including women’s interventions and interventional oncology.

Jill Langer, MD
Professor of Radiology
Program Director - Abdominal Imaging Fellowship

Jill Langer, MD is a Professor of Radiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Langer completed her Diagnostic Radiology Residency and Abdominal Imaging Fellowship at Penn in 1991 and has been on our faculty ever since. She has served as the Program Director of the Abdominal Imaging Fellowship and she is the current chief of the Ultrasound Section. Dr. Langer is a fellow of the American College of Radiology, The Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound, The Society of Abdominal Radiology and the College of Physicians in Philadelphia. One of her favorite things about Penn Medicine is the opportunity to work with so many interesting and talented physicians.

Sophia O'Brien, MD

Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiology
WIR Co-Founder
Director of Residency Education in Nuclear Medicine

Sophia O'Brien, MD is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiology in the Divisions of Nuclear Medicine and Breast Imaging. She completed her Diagnostic Radiology residency, integrated Nuclear Radiology Fellowship, and Breast Imaging Fellowship at Penn. She is one of the original founders of Penn's Women in Radiology Group. Dr. O'Brien's clinical and research focuses include Fluoroestradiol PET/CT and Radionuclide Therapy. She is interested in medical education and is currently completing her Masters of Medical Education at Penn.