Tatiana Kelil, MD Appointed to 2020 Class of John A. Watson Faculty Scholars
Tatiana Kelil, MD, has been selected as a John A. Watson Faculty Scholar for the 2020-21 academic year. Dr. Kelil is an assistant professor of clinical radiology in the UC San Francisco Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging. Her clinical interests include advanced imaging visualization techniques, 3D post-processing, patient-specific modeling and medical 3D printing. Dr. Kelil's research focuses on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in breast imaging and the role of AI in addressing global health care inequalities in underserved communities.
This prestigious commendation is named in honor of John A. Watson, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry, who served the UCSF School of Medicine for more than 46 years as an inspiring mentor, pioneer for diversity, and tenacious scientist. Through the Dean's Diversity Fund, faculty selected as Watson Scholars receive strategic funding to develop their academic career and pursue activities that contribute to the community.
Christopher Hess, MD, PhD, department chair, noted that "Dr. Kelil has demonstrated strong commitment to furthering our culture of diversity and academic excellence. She serves on the department's Diversity and Inclusion Committee and provides mentorship to numerous medical students and residents in navigating issues that are specific to women and minorities. She is overtly passionate on the subject of addressing global health care inequalities and has dedicated her personal time to provide radiology education in low resource countries."
Dr. Kelil has been involved in global health activities throughout her training and academic career. She is the Associate Program Manager for RAD-AID Ethiopia, a nonprofit organization that aims to improve access to radiology services in low resource countries. She has also established a RAD-AID chapter at UCSF with the hope of encouraging more radiologists to participate.
"During her most recent visit to Ethiopia, a country with approximately 200 radiologists who provide care to a population of 110 million people, Dr. Kelil established a collaboration with the major teaching hospital in the country, Black Lion Hospital," said Dr. Hess. "She is now developing a curriculum for what will become the first breast imaging fellowship in Ethiopia. This innovative and inspiring new program will have a tremendous impact on early detection and management of breast cancer and directly contribute to reduced breast cancer mortality."
Dr. Kelil received her medical degree from Chicago Medical School, followed by a one-year internship at St. Mary's Health Center in Chicago, IL. She completed a four-year diagnostic radiology residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School in 2017. After completing her fellowship in Women's Imaging at UCSF she joined the faculty of the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging in 2018 as assistant professor in the Breast Imaging Section.