A Timeline of Firsts for Women at MIR

Women have played a pivotal role in shaping and driving progress at WashU Medicine Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology. We honor the remarkable achievements of the women who have broken barriers and recognize just a few of the groundbreaking “firsts” that continue to inspire and pave the way for future generations within the department.

1961: Lily Palmer Hanes, MD

Lily Palmer Hanes, MD, was the first woman to join the residency program. “I was aware of being first, but it was just background. You didn’t know that you were on the front line, fighting a battle.” She later completed a fellowship and subsequently became a faculty member in radiation therapy. She retired from practice in 1997.

1976 & 1990: Marilyn Siegel, MD

Marilyn J. Siegel, MD, was selected as the first woman to serve as chief resident in 1976 and, later, our first woman professor of radiology in 1990. She helped develop computed tomography (CT) into a tool that has changed patient treatment and outcomes, working to reduce children’s exposure to radiation during CT scans.

Marilyn Siegel, MD, working in a clincal space in 1993.

1992: Sharlene Teefey, MD

Sharlene A. Teefey, MD, was the first woman to join the abdominal imaging faculty. She has spent her career advancing and sharing the power of ultrasound to make a difference in the care and lives of patients from St. Louis to Uganda.

At the 1996 Melson City Wide Lecture, Sharelene A. Teefey, MD, stands with fellow abdominal imaging leaders William D. Middleton, MD (left), and J. William Charboneau, MD (center).

1993: Barbara Monsees, MD

Barbara S. Monsees, MD, became the first woman to lead a clinical section when she was named chief of breast imaging in 1993. A national leader in the field, she previously served as the Ronald and Hanna Evens Professor of Women’s Health.

1999: Katie Vo, MD

Katie D. Vo, MD, was the first woman to join the neuroradiology faculty. She first came to MIR to complete a fellowship in neuroradiology and went on to lead the neuroradiology section. She also directs the advanced stroke and cerebrovascular imaging service and previously the Office of Faculty Development.

2017: Farrokh Dehdashti, MD

Farrokh Dehdashti, MD, is the first woman to lead the nuclear medicine division. She is credited with expanding the role of positron emission tomography (PET) in the field of oncology. She also conducted some of the first studies in people of several novel PET diagnostic compounds related to multiple types of cancers, including cervical, breast, pancreatic and prostate.

2020: Gloria Guzmán Pérez-Carrillo, MD

Gloria J. Guzmán Pérez-Carrillo, MD, was named the inaugural director of the Office of Outreach, which aims to create a stimulus for innovation and problem solving, local community outreach, excellence in education, research and scholarship, and patient care best practices within the department. She currently serves as one of MIR’s equity champions in collaboration with WashU Medicine.

2017 & 2023: Pamela K. Woodard, MD

Pamela K. Woodard, MD, became the first woman to serve as a division director within the department, leading the Division of Radiology Research Facilities from 2017 to 2024 until she became the first woman to chair the department. Her research in cardiovascular imaging has made a significant translational impact, including her work leading a landmark study that established a new standard of care for diagnosing blood clots in the lungs.