Lessons from ACR and RSNA gold medalist 'unicorns'

The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) established its Gold Medal in 1919 and the American College of Radiology (ACR) followed in 1931, yet, these highest honors in radiology have overwhelmingly gone to men. Of the 211 ACR Gold Medalists, only 18 have been women; of the 221 RSNA Gold Medalists, only 23 have been women. Among the small fraction of women recipients, just nine women have earned both. These dual awardees, Marie Sklodowska-Curie, Edith Quimby, Alice Ettinger, Rosalyn Yalow, Kay Vydareny, Sarah Donaldson, Valerie Jackson, Anne Roberts, and Beverly Coleman, are true academic "unicorns." Their careers span the physics of radioactivity and to sonography of an unborn child. We profiled them through virtual interviews with the five living awardees, published interviews, research contributions, and institutional records. Three themes surfaced, unprompted, across every conversation: leadership carried as an intentional responsibility, mentorship as a full cycle of being sponsored and then sponsoring others, and an enduring commitment to clinical excellence as the grounds of their academic and administrative authority. These nine women offer practical lessons and lasting inspiration for emerging leaders.