{"id":7523,"date":"2024-11-11T10:13:57","date_gmt":"2024-11-11T15:13:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/?p=7523"},"modified":"2024-11-11T10:13:57","modified_gmt":"2024-11-11T15:13:57","slug":"meet-dr-rebecca-hansen-assistant-professor-in-pediatric-radiology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/2024\/11\/meet-dr-rebecca-hansen-assistant-professor-in-pediatric-radiology\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet Dr. Rebecca Hansen, Assistant Professor in Pediatric Radiology"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dr. Rebecca Hansen, known to family, friends, and patients alike as \u201cBecca,\u201d recently joined the Pediatric Radiology division at UNC as an Assistant Professor, bringing her passion for patient care and medical education to the department. Rebecca graduated from Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University in 2018 and completed her internship year at Vidant Medical Center at East Carolina University in Internal Medicine. She completed her Diagnostic Radiology Residency at the Medical University of South Carolina before finishing her education at Duke University Hospital with a Fellowship in Pediatric Radiology. In a recent interview, Dr. Hansen shared her journey to UNC Radiology, her commitment to the field, and the joy she finds in her work.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"What attracted you to the Department of Radiology at UNC?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Finding Home at UNC<\/em><\/strong> Returning to UNC felt natural for Dr. Hansen. She completed her undergraduate studies at UNC and was familiar with the warm, collegial environment. \u201cI love the UNC culture,\u201d she says, \u201cDuring my interview, I was astounded by how friendly everyone was. It feels like home.\u201d This supportive and patient-centered atmosphere, evident from her very first days, solidified her decision to join the UNC Radiology family.<\/p>\n

Why did you want to become a physician, and how did you find your way into Radiology?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Path to Medicine<\/em><\/strong> Dr. Hansen\u2019s journey to becoming a physician wasn\u2019t linear. As a child, she always envisioned herself as an engineer. After graduating with her bachelor\u2019s in biomedical engineering, she interviewed for engineering positions and soon realized the projects she would be working on were heavily focused on research and development. It became clear that the behind-the-scenes computer-based environment wasn\u2019t suitable for her.<\/p>\n

She wanted to have a more significant impact on a patient\u2019s quality of life. Her volunteering experience with children during her undergraduate years and her increasing interest in patient care naturally led her toward becoming a doctor. She also has a family of Physicians; her two older sisters and her dad are physicians. It wasn\u2019t until medical school that she discovered radiology\u2014a specialty that blended her passion for helping patients with medicine’s technical, innovative aspects.<\/p>\n

Radiology, and especially pediatric radiology, offered a unique balance. \u201cI love working with kids, and more so, interacting with the patient\u2019s providers,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

The Hands-On Side of Pediatric Radiology<\/em><\/strong> While radiologists are often thought of as working behind the scenes, Dr. Hansen enjoys the hands-on aspects of pediatric radiology. Procedures like fluoroscopy and ultrasound bring her directly into the exam room, where she can engage with patients and their families. \u201cWe tend to make the extra effort to visit with the patients and interact with them,\u201d she explains. This combination of patient interaction and technological expertise excites her most. \u201cPediatric radiology has exceeded my expectations. It\u2019s everything I hoped it would be and more,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Are there any medical advances you’d like to see within pediatric Radiology in the next 5-10 years? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Looking Ahead: AI and Technological Advances <\/em><\/strong>Dr. Hansen is optimistic about the future of radiology, and the role technology will play, especially in pediatric radiology. She\u2019s particularly intrigued by the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance patient care, from reducing radiation doses to improving diagnostic accuracy. \u201cI enjoy the ever-changing aspect of radiology,\u201d she says, \u201cand I look forward to seeing how technology will continue to improve patient care.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why did you choose academic medicine? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Commitment to Medical Education <\/em><\/strong>Teaching and mentoring the next generation of physicians is another critical aspect of Dr. Hansen\u2019s work. \u201cI\u2019ve had incredible mentors throughout my training,\u201d she says, and now she\u2019s eager to give back. She loves working with medical students, residents, and fellows, learning from them, and sharing her expertise. \u201cThe collegial environment, with everyone collaborating on studies and talking to each other, is really exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n

What’s one piece of advice you would give somebody interested in becoming a radiologist? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Advice for Future Radiologists<\/em><\/strong> For anyone considering a career in radiology, Dr. Hansen\u2019s advice is simple: \u201cGet exposed to as many subspecialties as possible.\u201d Radiology is a broad field; every subspecialty offers a unique perspective and approach. Dr. Hansen encourages aspiring radiologists to explore different areas within the field to find their niche.<\/p>\n

What do you do when you aren’t working? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Balancing Work and Family<\/em><\/strong> Outside of work, Dr. Hansen enjoys spending time with her family, including her eight-month-old daughter and their dog, Luna. She also loves playing golf and hiking with her husband. Family is essential to her life, and she treasures her time with her large extended family in the Triangle.<\/p>\n

How would you describe yourself in one word? <\/strong><\/p>\n

A Lifelong Learner and loyal friend. <\/em><\/strong>When describing herself in one word, Dr. Hansen chooses \u201cloyal.\u201d Her dedication to her patients, colleagues, and loved ones is evident in both her personal and professional life.<\/p>\n

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Voice of an Angle<\/em><\/strong> \u201cSinging,\u201d she laughs, \u201cI\u2019m not a very good singer, and I would love to be able to sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Hansen\u2019s passion for patient care, education, and innovation shines through in her work. UNC Radiology is fortunate to have her as part of their team, and she\u2019s excited to continue contributing to the field while building connections with patients, colleagues, and students alike.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr. Rebecca Hansen, known to family, friends, and patients alike as \u201cBecca,\u201d recently joined the Pediatric Radiology division at UNC as an Assistant Professor, bringing her passion for patient care and medical education to the department. Rebecca graduated from Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University in 2018 and completed her internship year at … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83776,"featured_media":7456,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"layout":"","cellInformation":"","apiCallInformation":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[83,91],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-department-news","category-homepage-news","odd"],"acf":[],"featured_image":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2024\/10\/PEDS_HansenRebecca_web.jpg","featured_image_medium":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2024\/10\/PEDS_HansenRebecca_web-300x300.jpg","featured_image_medium_large":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2024\/10\/PEDS_HansenRebecca_web-768x768.jpg","featured_image_large":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2024\/10\/PEDS_HansenRebecca_web-1024x1024.jpg","featured_image_thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2024\/10\/PEDS_HansenRebecca_web-150x150.jpg","featured_image_alt":"Rebecca Hansen, young woman with long dark straight hair and brown eyes smiling at camera in a green blouse.","category_details":[{"name":"Department News","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/category\/department-news\/"},{"name":"Homepage News","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/category\/homepage-news\/"}],"tag_details":[],"_links_to":[],"_links_to_target":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/83776"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7523"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7523\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7456"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}