Chai with Scintillating Stars: A Conversation with Dr. Bital Savir-Baruch
IASNM’s “Chai with Scintillating Stars” series brings together leaders in nuclear medicine for candid, career-spanning conversations. This edition features Dr. Bital Savir-Baruch, President of the American College of Nuclear Medicine.
Meet Our Guest:
Bital Savir-Baruch, MD, MBA, FACNM
President, American College of Nuclear Medicine
Professor, Radiology and Imaging Sciences
Associate Chair, Clinical Research
Chief, Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics
Program Director, Nuclear Medicine Residency and Nuclear Radiology Fellowship Programs
University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson
An internationally recognized leader in nuclear medicine and theranostics, Dr. Savir-Baruch has built a nationally recognized clinical program at the University of Arizona while shaping the next generation of physicians through fellowship training and mentorship. Her contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Rising Star Award from the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, multiple SNMMI President’s Awards, and SNMMI Best Clinical Mentor Awards — a reflection of both her academic excellence and her dedication to nurturing the next generation.
Hosted By:
Chitra Saxena, MD — President, IASNM
Amol M. Takalkar, MD, MS, MBA, FACNM — Past President, IASNM
Khushboo Gupta, MD — Vice President, IASNM
Discussion Highlights
1. From an Immigrant Girl with an Accent to ACNM President
2. An Unplanned Path into Nuclear Medicine
3. Building a Comprehensive Theranostics Program from the Ground Up
4. ACNM’s Role in the Broader Nuclear Medicine Ecosystem
5. Mentorship, Sponsorship, and Advice for the Next Generation
Rapid Fire Round
Dr. Savir-Baruch closed with a message aimed squarely at the next generation entering medicine: whatever stage you’re at — starting medical school, residency, or anywhere in healthcare — work hard, stay true to your passion, and you will be okay. Her own journey, from an immigrant teenager Googling “what is PET” before a job interview to the presidency of ACNM, is itself the proof.
IASNM thanks Dr. Bital Savir-Baruch for generously sharing her time, insights, and journey with our community, and thanks our hosts — Dr. Chitra Saxena, Dr. Amol Takalkar, and Dr. Khushboo Gupta — for another wonderful edition of Chai with Scintillating Stars. As Dr. Savir-Baruch signed off with an open invitation to speak in India one day, we look forward to continuing the conversation — perhaps over chai in Los Angeles at the upcoming SNMMI meeting.
Stay tuned for the next edition of Chai with Scintillating Stars.
