Department Spotlight - Meet Irina Iovu
The Department of Medical Imaging (MI) at the University of Toronto (U of T) is responsible for the postgraduate medical education of future radiologists, and the administrative team working behind the scenes plays an integral role in the success of trainees, including our Education Programs Officer, Irina Iovu. Working in tandem with MI’s Vice Chair, Education, Dr. Linda Probyn, Irina facilitates and plans much of the education programming for both residency and fellowships.
Before starting with MI in January of 2023, Irina spent much of her career building up an impressive CV, both in Canada and her home country of Moldova. Before emigrating to Canada, Irina completed her education at Moldova State University, where she received a degree in foreign languages as well as a Masters of American Studies and Adult Education, which she used to teach English as a second language to both adults and kids.
From there, Irina went on to work as a project manager and human resources coordinator for large organizations in both Moldova and Canada, including the Department of International Relations in Moldova, Moldova State University, and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, among others, where she worked on numerous high-profile projects.
Irina continued to work in healthcare in Canada, eventually working as a grant officer for the University Health Network (UHN). While she enjoyed the working with policies and grants, she had always wanted to navigate back towards her background in education, which she did with a move to The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) as an education officer.
“I really missed the human interaction that I used to have working directly with patients at medical assessment centres, where I provided translation services between patients and doctors, or when teaching English,” she says. “I also wanted to bring my educational background back into focus in my career, which I’m able to do now.”
After reigniting the education aspect of her career at SickKids, Irina eventually moved to the Department of Medical Imaging where she’s been overseeing the department’s educational portfolios for the last year. In her role, Irina oversees numerous aspects of education including coordinating the Competency By Design (CBD) framework for courses and workshops and following up with trainee education plans, among others. She also keeps track of trainees’ progress throughout the year including organizing their exam schedules, making sure trainees are on track for success.
On top of her core responsibilities, Irina is also a member of the Competency Committee, which tracks the progress of residents working through CBD modules, the Residency Program Committee and the Education Executive Committee. She also oversees and plans many of the education events throughout the year including the annual graduation event and overseeing nominations and award winners for the department’s annual Faculty Awards event.
Following residents throughout the continuum of their education, Irina also helps radiology residents secure fellowships both within the department and at other affiliated hospitals. She also plays an integral role in education content planning, including securing course accreditation and organizing learning content.
“I really love the variety I have within this role,” Irina says of her many responsibilities. “Every day is different, and if you’re ever bored, there’s always something new or different to be working on, so it’s always interesting or different.”
Going forward, Irina is excited to get more involved with other programs, including the anticipated Interventional Radiology program, which will be accepting their first resident in the 2025 academic year.
“That program will be utilizing the CBD framework right from the start, and I’m excited to be implementing that in a new program,” she says.
Looking back on the last year with MI, Irina has developed her event planning skills and is excited to see what other skillsets she develops and utilizes in this dynamic role.