Bethany Stearns, MS, RT(R)(MR)(CT), CHEP, is a clinical assistant professor in the Radiologic Science division and serves as a clinical coordinator. She has been a radiologic technologist for nearly 10 years. From the start of her teaching career, she became fascinated with how technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI), is transforming radiologic science. Stearns emphasizes that AI is rapidly reshaping both clinical practice and education, making it essential for students to understand its applications, capabilities, and ethical implications.
Stearns first came to UNC Chapel Hill in connection with her research in radiologic science and technology. She quickly became engaged with the emerging role of AI in both clinical and educational settings. AI is increasingly used to assist with equipment positioning, protocols, quality control, and diagnostics. Her goal is to prepare students not only to use these systems effectively but also to critically understand how AI integration affects patient care and professional practice.
Her engagement with AI spans professional development, scholarship, and curriculum. In February 2026, she presented AI Demystified: The Journey from Creation to Function at the Association of Collegiate Educators in Radiologic Technology (ACERT) annual conference. The presentation explored how AI algorithms are developed, trained, and applied in medical imaging, and how curriculum can evolve to prepare students for AI-integrated clinical practice. She will expand on this work at the June 2026 ASRT Educational Symposium with her presentation Navigating Artificial Intelligence in Professional Writing: Ethics, Guidelines, and Best Practices, which examines the capabilities and limitations of AI tools in academic and professional writing. The talk emphasizes responsible use, strategies for crafting effective prompts, evaluating AI-generated suggestions for accuracy, and ethical considerations of AI-generated content.
Stearns’ PhD research explores how AI may affect students’ professional identity. She is investigating whether automating certain tasks changes how students see themselves—as caregivers, as technologists, or somewhere in between—and how that shift could influence patient care. Alongside her dissertation, she is writing a systematic review on AI-augmented portable imaging systems and will serve on UNC’s Department of Health Sciences Generative AI ad hoc Committee beginning in May 2026.
Through her work, Stearns seeks to help students build both technical skills and professional identity, preparing them to navigate a healthcare field increasingly influenced by AI while keeping patient care at the center.