by Krystyna Barnard
Laveil Allen, MD, assistant professor of Clinical Radiology, has been named chief of the Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences’ new Emergency Radiology section.
Previously combined with the Musculoskeletal (MSK) Radiology section under the direction of Jake Block, MD, associate professor of Radiology and vice chair of Clinical Operations, emergency radiology as a specialty has increased in size and scope the past several years. As a result, and in an effort to meet the growing demand for emergency radiology services at Vanderbilt, it has evolved into its own section, independent of MSK. It is now among 12 sections, staffed by board-certified subspecialists, in the Department of Radiology.
“Dr. Allen has emerged as a talented and energetic leader among our group of exceptional emergency radiologists, and I’m delighted that he has agreed to take on this new role,” said Block. “Together, we have developed and sustained a top-in-class system for 24/7 faculty coverage in the Department of Radiology that far surpasses the vast majority of academic centers nationally. Formalizing the section’s identity under Dr. Allen’s leadership will foster the development of more focused section objectives around their demanding clinical service, trainee education, and the professional growth of the section members.”
As section chief, Allen will be responsible for the overall operations of the Emergency Radiology section. This includes managing the section’s high-service volumes, optimizing clinical interpretations of imaging performed overnight in the Emergency Department, and serving as a representative for the section and its six members in departmental section chair meetings. He will also work closely with executive, department and division leadership to advance quality improvement and new models of care for best practices in emergency medicine.
“Superb working relationships between the Emergency Radiology section and the emergency medicine, trauma surgery, orthopaedic surgery and neurology teams is an imperative component in ensuring expedient, efficient and exceptional care for acutely ill patients here at VUMC,” said Allen. “I really look forward to building upon the great foundation that Dr. Block instituted during his successful tenure as leader of the MSK and Emergency Radiology section. Most of all, I look forward to working alongside our amazing team of emergency radiologists to continue providing peak mentorship and educational value for our hardworking residents.”
Combining his new role as section chief with his existing role as an assistant program director for the Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program, Allen hopes to further develop the new resident call structure, establish an effective introductory resident “on-call’ curriculum and spearhead an interdepartmental “Rad Cases to Know” initiative.
“We are delighted that Dr. Allen will be assuming this new leadership role,” said Reed Omary, MD, MS, Carol D. and Henry P. Pendergrass Professor of Radiology. “He has a natural collaborative spirit that will link perfectly with our stellar colleagues in emergency medicine. By working together, we can transform the care of patients in the Emergency Department who require our imaging services.”
“We are excited about the new division of Emergency Radiology and look forward to partnering with Dr. Allen to optimize the care we provide to patients with acute illness and injury, and the education we provide our residents on emergency imaging,” added Erik Hess, MD, MSc, professor and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine.
Allen joined Vanderbilt as emergency radiology faculty in 2015 while simultaneously completing his fellowship training in the department’s MSK Radiology Fellowship Program. He earned his medical degree from Meharry Medical College and completed his residency training in Diagnostic Radiology at Tulane University Hospital. He is a member of the American Board of Radiology, American College of Radiology, American Roentgen Ray Society and the Radiological Society of North America.
