“When you look back at individuals who had major impacts on IR, they did so with a physician and industry relationship.”


we struggled to decide what research to push forward. There are so many opportunities and data deserts in IR as opposed to other specialties with more funding, a longer history and a more specific focus. This is a global problem in IR—while having a broad focus is great, it provides a lot of needs for research. This is where Virtex comes in, pooling together a tremendous set of resources in all practice settings. I firmly believe that is one of our most critical endeavors in the next five years. But in the meantime, with the help of industry partners, we have to do the things that Virtex won’t do, like randomized controlled trials and placebo trials.


Why do you think IRs are starting to get these full-time, senior positions in companies now? TC: IR originated with a combination of a physician and either an engineer or a device-oriented individual. It’s hard for a physician to take on a concept and move it forward without having an industry partner. As such a tech- and innovation- driven specialty, those relationships have always been critical, moving the best things for patients forward. When you look back at individuals who had major impacts on IR, they did so with a physician and industry relationship. So it’s not new, it’s just a circle back.


Learn more about industry partnerships in IR Quarterly’s


Leading Edge series and read about a new corporate change initiative announced at SIR 2023 via SIR Today.


14 IRQ | SPRING 2023


There are a variety of reasons why IRs are moving to these positions. The patient and physician voice are absolutely needed in industry, and with these positions we can bring our existing knowledge while learning a new skillset. We know the clinical aspects of IR, we’ve done most of the standard cases, and we’ve mastered something within our niche. This is an opportunity to take all that to our industry partners and make it relevant in what trickles down to patients. One thing that we don’t learn a lot in our training is the business of medicine. As leaders in the clinical space, we end up learning that on a very quick trajectory, but you don’t really get the full understanding and growth opportunity that you get in a true business setting.


What are some opportunities for collaboration between physicians and industry that you foresee?


TC: At the annual meeting a few years ago, I participated in a women’s roundtable event where we were paired with industry partners and physicians. It was an opportunity to discuss like-mindedness as leaders in parallel worlds, the industry world and the medical world. Because there’s so much crossover, there’s a tremendous ability to collaborate and peer mentor one another. I have had true peer mentors in industry, and one of them is at Boston Scientific. While she was in leadership there and I was in leadership in the medical world, we had very similar paths. Though there were major differences in our day-to-day, there were so many correlates. Ascending into leadership roles and learning those skills transcend across industry and the medical world.


You’re one of the few women to make this transition, and possibly the first to do so in a senior role. How does that feel? TC: It’s a bit of a glass ceiling. I’m not one of the first great 20 female interventionalists, and yet no female interventionalist has ever done this. They may have worked, consulted and developed a product with industry, but I don’t know of anyone who has joined industry as a full-time job. It’s a bit bizarre to be in 2023 and be the first one to cross over. I think these programs and relationship-building efforts will change that over time, but there’s some reason why women don’t see themselves as capable of doing this or aren’t given the opportunity, and I don’t know which it is. So this is a glass ceiling that is hopefully being broken.


Last I heard, IR is about 9% female, but the trainee component of that is much larger, so in a few years that’s going to be shifting. I’m incredibly humbled to take on this role and perhaps mentor other women to do the same even in other companies. We all know there’s a gain for diversity, there’s no question about that, so having that voice across multiple other industry partners is important too.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40