Meet MI's Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program Director Dr. Rachel Fleming

The Department of Medical Imaging (MI) at University of Toronto (UofT) is known for its renowned radiology residencies and fellowships, specifically the five-year Diagnostic Radiology (DR) residency program headed by Dr. Rachel Fleming, Assistant Professor and Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program Director.

Originally pursuing a career in teaching in physics and mathematics, Dr. Fleming changed course on her career while getting her BSc, Honours Physics, at Queen’s University. After making her educational pivot, she completed pre-med course work in North Carolina before obtaining her Medical Degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles. Dr. Fleming stayed in the U.S. to complete her internship in Internal Medicine in Norwalk, CT and radiology residency at John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County in Chicago, Illinois before returning to Toronto to complete her Breast Imaging Fellowship at UofT. She would later complete her MScCH, Health Practitioner Teacher Education in Family and Community Medicine at UofT.

Trying to marry her passions for medicine and teaching, Dr. Fleming originally planned to go into pediatrics during medical school, but realized it wasn’t the right fit for her. “I was feeling at a loss, not knowing what area of medicine I was going into,” she recalls. “By a complete fluke, I just happened to take an elective in radiology, which I ended up really enjoying.”

Still harboring a love for education and academics, Dr. Fleming eventually went on to become the Program Director (PD) for MI’s DR Residency, citing a a great relationship with her own program director in her residency as inspiration.

“My program director was an incredible mentor for me and had a big role in my educational development,” Dr. Fleming says. “He really inspired me to want to have a similar impact on residents, and so I wanted to stay in academics so I could eventually take on a residency program director role.”

With such a big residency, Dr. Fleming understands the challenges of trying to meet every resident where they are and be able to support everyone individually, a challenge she has welcomed in her four years as DR PD. Other challenges have included managing the rotation schedules of such a large residency program across five years and coordinating with sites to build capacity.

“There are many subspecialties of Radiology that are involved in training not just the radiology residents and fellows, but residents and fellows from other departments, as well as our technologists,” says Dr. Fleming. “It can be difficult to build capacity when there are significant demands on the system. It’s always something we’re always working on.”

When looking back on her biggest accomplishments, Dr. Fleming says successfully running the DR residency program is something she’s most proud of, specifically the relationships and mentorships she’s built with residents during her time as PD.

“I feel like I get to know the residents really well on an individual level, which is something I’m proud of,” she says.

Having been at the helm of the DR residency program for the past four years, Dr. Fleming is switching her focus to other minds to mold: her small children. “I never say never, but for right now, I’m looking forward to spending more time with my kids and that means leaving the academics side of medicine,” she explains, noting the shift is for at least the foreseeable future.

Dr. Fleming will be stepping down as DR PD in June of 2024. She has received many awards throughout her career including Outstanding Teacher in both MI’s Breast Imaging Fellowship and Residency.

Good luck on your next chapter, Dr. Fleming!