Dr. Ballantyne shares how RP offers valuable opportunities for professional growth and leadership development.
Dr. Nancy Ballantyne is a breast radiologist in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she serves as chair of onboarding and is also a member of the local practice board. Additionally, she is a member of the American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America and American Roentgen Ray Society. Outside of work, she enjoys playing tennis competitively, learning golf, snowboarding, exploring places in North Carolina, and spending time with family and friends.
We talked to Dr. Ballantyne to learn more about her career in radiology and why she joined RP.
Tell us about why you got into radiology.
Early on, I had the opportunity to shadow and work at a radiology practice in Greensboro, where I grew up. I shadowed a breast radiologist specifically and that really put radiology in the back of my mind. When I went on to medical school, I was drawn back to radiology. I enjoy how it’s visual and how it’s connected to all aspects of medicine. I can influence a lot of different parts of healthcare with radiology.
Breast imaging is patient-forward, too. You meet with patients, perform ultrasounds and help them through the process of getting a diagnosis. You can really connect with a patient. It’s a dynamic specialty, and I’m always learning something every day.
How did you connect with RP?
I finished my fellowship at Duke in 2020, and for my first job out of fellowship, I was looking at some practices in North Carolina. Word of mouth is huge, and I had connections at a practice in Greensboro. Some Duke graduates ahead of me had gone to work there, so I knew it was a solid practice that would be a good fit. The practice had just joined RP, and initially, I wasn’t sure what that would mean. Was it going to change the culture of the group or the way we did things? And I don’t think it has. It has always been a strong practice with great radiologists, and RP has helped emphasize our strengths and supported our growth. We have continued to practice medicine the way we know is best for our community, and we have remained committed to our goals and to patient care.
What excites you about RP?
The potential for leadership – we’ve had several leaders in our group who have taken on leadership roles within RP. This allows them to learn from other practices and leaders, and they bring that knowledge back to our practice to help us grow and develop leaders here. When I think about career advancement, I know I’m already in a place where I can take on leadership roles and build my career in the way that I want. That makes me want to stay in Greensboro at an RP practice.
RP has also given us the resources to get involved in different projects we otherwise wouldn’t be involved in, like AI. We have been at the forefront of some of the AI initiatives–and on the cutting edge of technology–because of RP. We have a couple of radiologists who are heavily involved in RP’s AI program, and we participated in early trials.
What are some of the unique features that RP offers that are hard to find elsewhere?
In addition to the AI and leadership opportunities that I mentioned, RP provides the infrastructure that supports everything from credentialing to benefits. As a doctor, it’s so helpful to have people who can assist you with these things and allow you to focus on your work serving patients. There is a lot of extra support you don’t have access to in a smaller group or in academics.
RP also offers the opportunity for mentorship, and I think it’s much harder to do that if you’re not part of a larger organization.
What does the future of radiology look like? How will RP contribute to that?
Radiology is evolving quickly, and it’s changing all the time. Some of these AI initiatives are going to continue to be a much larger part of the work that we do. We’re trying to adapt to that and figure out the best way to utilize it. RP is giving us the tools to be at the forefront and be the best that we can be as these things change.
Dr. Nancy Ballantyne (LinkedIn) earned her medical degree from University of North Carolina School of Medicine and completed her residency in breast radiology and fellowship in breast radiology at Duke University. She joined RP in 2020.
Radiology Partners, through its owned and affiliated practices, is a leading physician-led and physician-owned radiology practice in the U.S. Learn more about our mission, values and practice principles at RadPartners.com. For the latest news from RP, follow along on our blog and on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Interested in learning about career opportunities? Visit our careers page.
