On July 10, Jamlik-Omari Johnson, MD, officially stepped into the role of chair of the Department of Radiology and inaugural holder of the Stewart Dale Fordham, MD, Chair in Radiology for the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He transitioned from the role of interim chair, which he began upon joining USC on Jan. 1.

With this appointment, Johnson is now the official leader of research, clinical care and academic innovation at the school’s Department of Radiology and is charged with advancing its local and national prominence, said Carolyn Meltzer, MD, dean of the Keck School.

“Dr. Johnson has ably served as interim chair of radiology since joining USC, a position for which he was selected from an impressive cohort of candidates in a comprehensive national search,” Meltzer said in an email announcing his appointment.

A national leader in the development of emergency radiology as an academic subspecialty, Johnson will apply his strategic skills to supporting the department’s ongoing growth and maximizing opportunities for faculty and students.

Johnson also currently serves as the Keck School’s associate dean for the Faculty Professional and Leadership Development Program, a role he will continue in a reduced capacity.

Johnson joined the Keck School from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, where he held numerous leadership roles in addition to his work as a professor: the first director of the division of emergency and trauma radiology; the founding program director of the Emergency Radiology Fellowship; vice chair for diversity, equity and inclusion; and chief of radiology at Emory University Midtown Hospital.

Johnson also holds leadership positions in two national medical associations: president of the American Society of Emergency Radiology and, more recently, fellow of the American College of Radiology — a lifetime honor reserved for less than 15% of the country’s radiologists.

Meltzer, to whom Johnson will report directly, invited the Keck School community to join her in congratulating Johnson on his appointment.

“We look forward to his vision, leadership and impact,” she said.

— Kate Faye