The Magic of SIIM

There it was again. The sensation of relief + sadness + exhaustion + (mostly) gratitude that I experienced walking out of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center for the final time, signaling the completion of inordinate hours in visioning, negotiating, and leading the bridge building project known as SIIM26. And yet, hearing the impact SIIM26 had on the 1,500+ participants has tipped the challenge-to-reward ratio on this massive project to Beyond Rewarding for me.

How do I measure this reward? That’s an even bigger challenge, especially when it’s the magic of SIIM. How does one capture that which is mysterious, extraordinary, and amazingly effective?

Let me try…

Perhaps attendees experienced this magic as represented by these posts on LinkedIn:

I knew it would be interesting, but I am leaving Pittsburgh genuinely inspired by the SIIM 2026 meeting…What made the meeting truly special, though, was witnessing and being engulfed by the camaraderie of this community. – Neuroradiologist, Global

SIIM26 was a blast! I’m glad I finally made it to SIIM. Long overdue. I can see why their tagline is #YouBelongAtSIIM, it felt like home. – Research Scientist

SIIM stands out as an organization that breaks down silos! It has led the way in bringing physicians and IT teams together – hint: some egos need to get checked at the door:-) It also has led the way in bringing vendors into the discussion – hint: you have to talk to each other even when its awkward:-) – Vendor

SIIM is over…I have to say, some of my most surprising moments were not during the formal talks, although the speakers delivered every time. They were the moments when I was stopped in the hall to discuss, debate, and think through statistics, machine learning concepts, effective deployment, clinical governance, and the future of AI in medicine. That was so much fun! – Clinician

A very brief stop in Pittsburgh for two days of medical imaging informatics immersion! I love SIIM, it is innovative, curious and inclusive. And tons of med tech and AI! – Researcher

Also, hats off to the Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM) team for creating what’s become the family reunion for the smartest, most passionate, and most innovative folks in radiology. SIIM might be pound-for-pound the most impactful conference in healthcare, and I love going each year. – The Imaging Wire

Community is 1 of 4 priorities of the SIIM Strategy System. Within our community, I believe the magic of SIIM is fueled by the “zero power differential” of the SIIM leaders that Paul Nagy explained to me early on. Truly priceless!

Also, a BIG shout out to these ten (10) bridge builders who worked tirelessly to ensure the extraordinary experiences were had at SIIM26.

SIIM has the magic of a smaller society with the heart of a true community—big enough to influence the future of imaging informatics, but intimate enough that people feel seen, valued, and part of something meaningful. That’s the Magic of SIIM … which is Beyond Rewarding.

I am extremely grateful for the role that each of you played in building the bridge across imaging informatics known as SIIM26.