Shaffer Recognized for Contributions in Radiology Education

Kitt Shaffer, MD, PhD, has received the 2016 Alliance of Medical Students Educators in Radiology (AMSER) Excellence in Education Award, which honors an educator who has made outstanding contributions in medical student radiology education. Shaffer, professor of radiology at BUSM and vice chairman of education at Boston Medical Center, was presented this award during the meeting of the Association of University Radiologists, in San Diego.

The AMSER Awards Committee votes each year to give the honor to the educator whom they feel has contributed the most to medical student radiology education in the United States. It is the only national organization for academic radiologists with a particular interest in medical student education.

“Dr. Shaffer’s tireless dedication to medical student education is remarkable, and we are incredibly fortunate and proud to have her among our BU faculty,” said Jorge Soto, MD, professor of radiology and vice-chairman of research at BUSM.

At BUSM, Shaffer is an advisor-at-large for medical students; lecturer in anatomy, histology, physical diagnosis and pulmonary medicine courses; and chairs the promotions committee for BUSM faculty, conducting many faculty development sessions focusing on clinician educators. She has developed a Resident-as-Teacher curriculum for the residents in radiology and was a founding chair of the Clinician Educator Development program, a series of national workshops for junior faculty interested in becoming better teachers.

A founding member and past-president of AMSER, Shaffer helped develop national curricular guidelines for medical student education in radiology. A longtime member of Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), she traveled to Shanghai, China, in 2008 as part of the RSNA International Visiting Professor program and currently leads a mentoring program for applicants to the RSNA Research & Education Foundation from the developing world.