Fifteen+ years removed from residency, Diagnostic Radiology alumnus Dr. Jill Spadia’s (1997-2001) weekday calendar juggles credentialing committee chairing duties with group jogs from a five-year running habit.
Raising two children born during residency with her high school sweetheart/spouse in the Bay Area, the native Californian is a career Kaiser Permanente (KP) Medical Group radiologist. She professes a devotion to breast imaging care akin to the dedication of an involved parent who’s logged many hours at baseball games and swim meets. Though attaining a desired balance between profession and one’s own pursuits takes persistence, Spadia credits moments of guidance imparted by UNC faculty mentors during her career-building residency years.
“Though Interventional Radiology was not my thing, I’ll never forget a conversation I had with [Department Chair and Distinguished Professor Dr.] Matt Mauro during a case we were working on — people should do what they have a passion for, not just find a job. [Biomedical Research and Imaging Center founder and former Department Professor Dr.] Etta Pisano was also a great model for learning how to be a successful, highly contributing radiologist and a mother.”
Spadia entered residency as Diagnostic Radiology was becoming increasingly central to patient care. Film was shifting to digital, and an almost void of after-hours imaging services became round-the-clock. As the case volume direct from the ED sharply rose year by year, UNC’s Diagnostic Radiology residents had an increasing wealth of MRI and CT cases from which to learn.
“As I came through training, the notion of radiology as an 8-5 job was slowly changing to the 24-7 world of today. What we witnessed in [imaging services culture] was a big change in health care at the time. After practicing for almost 15 years, I can now discern that during residency, we were just starting to see how integral imaging is to health care. When I was first hired back in [CA], I was by far the youngest in the department, but I still loved introducing and exposing radiologists I worked with to some of the ‘new’ things I had learned in residency.”
As the case volume rose particularly in CT, Spadia trained during a fortunate era at UNC when its Department of Radiology was led by a pioneer in the field of Body CT – Immediate Past Chair Dr. Joseph K.T. Lee (1991-2007).
“I really enjoyed reading out CT with Dr. Lee. He was patient, supportive and I always learned ‘pearls’ from him — some I still use frequently in my own work. I always thought it was interesting how many attendings had been at UNC for so long – [Dr. David] Warshauer, [Dr. Carol] Mittlestaedt, [Dr. Al] Parker, [Dr. Mauricio] Castillo, [Dr. Richard] Semelka, [Dr. Jordan] Renner, [Dr. Robert] Whaley, [Dr. Richard “Dick”] Clark, etc. …. I figured they must have stayed because of the support of Dr. Lee.”
Training years advisement to balance one’s professional pursuits with raising children seem to have had some influence over Spadia’s 15-year career. Named Chief of Radiology after three years with KP’s Napa Solano service area, Spadia oversaw 18 radiologists, four clinics and a newly opened second hospital with parenting. When the workload and a long commute became too much, she stepped down. As her children aged, Spadia found ongoing ways to make a difference where she could facilitate change. Shifting into breast imaging at KP’s Diablo service area, she helped shepherd certification of a breast “Center of Excellence” at one of its clinics.