Beth Kline-Fath MD

Beth and her husband, Tom, at Machu Picchu

Beth Kline-Fath, MD

Professional Title: Professor of Radiology
Locale: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
Fellowships: Pediatric Radiology and Pediatric Neuroradiology
ASPNR member since 2003

ASPNR: What attracted you to pediatric neuroradiology?
Beth Kline-Fath: I was attracted to pediatrics, given my love of children and to radiology, as I am a visual person and I was captivated by the technology. Pediatric neuroradiology appealed to me because I was fascinated by the changes in the brain from the fetus to the adolescent.

ASPNR: Do you have a colleague or mentor that inspired you in your career?
BKF: As a resident and fellow, I worked with Dr. William Ball, who was an excellent teacher, really fun to work with, and had a love for pediatric neuroradiology, that made me want to follow in his footsteps. I also spent a month in San Francisco with Dr. Barkovich. He enhanced my knowledge of the fetal and neonatal brain, genetics and congenital malformations. That time changed the focus of my career.

ASPNR: What is your favorite part of your job?
BKF: Making a difference in the life of a child and working with other specialists to develop new imaging and therapies to improve outcomes for the fetus.

ASPNR: What is the biggest challenge of your job?
BKF: Keeping up with new genetic information and changing technology.

ASPNR: What challenges or uncertainties do you see on the horizon for pediatric neuroradiology?
BKF: With informatics growing, the human interaction decreases.

ASPNR: What words of wisdom would you pass on to your junior attending self?
BKF: Find your passion and move forward with it, even if others do not favor it.

ASPNR: What was your childhood dream job?
BKF: To be an actress in the movies (I always loved theater in school).

ASPNR: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
BKF: To make money in college, I used to haul a truck of homing pigeons across the country and release them so that a German society in Cincinnati could bet on them.

ASPNR: Will you be attending the 2020 ASPNR meeting in Miami?
BKF: Definitely!! YES.