ASHNR Member Spotlight Questionnaire
Name & Credentials (MD, DO, MBBS, etc.): William T. O’Brien, Sr., DO, FAOCR
Professional Title(s): Associate Professor of Clinical Radiology (University of Cincinnati)
Chief, Neuroradiology
Director, Pediatric Neuroradiology Fellowship
Institution or Practice: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (Cincinnati, OH)
Where did you complete the following?:
Undergraduate: United States Military Academy (West Point, NY)
Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (Philadelphia, PA)
Radiology Residency: David Grant USAF Medical Center (Travis AFB, CA)
Fellowship(s): Neuroradiology at University of Cincinnati
Pediatric Neuroradiology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
# Years in Practice: 11 # Years as ASHNR member: 3
Primary research, clinical, or educational interest(s): All things Pediatric H&N, Medical education
What do you look forward to most about the ASHNR Annual Meeting? The content is truly unmatched with so many pearls to take home and immediately implement into practice. The society and attendees are incredibly welcoming, making it easy to meet new friends and colleagues.
Do you have a particular ASHNR member or mentor that you admire (and why)? There are so many to choose from, but I have to go back to my original H&N mentors, Drs. Rebecca Cornelius (University of Cincinnati) and Bernadette Koch (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital), who first introduced me to everything that is great about the world of head & neck imaging. More recently, Dr. Cally Robson has been incredibly kind in welcoming and introducing me to the head & neck community.
What is your favorite (anatomic) part of the head & neck? Paranasal sinuses over temporal bone by a (nose) hair.
What was your childhood dream job? I always wanted to be a helicopter pilot, until I realized my fear of heights – actually more a fear of falling from heights – and how much I dislike flying. Not to mention a complete inability to navigate based on the horizon. Probably best for all involved that I ended up on a different career path.
What is one thing people might be surprised to know about you? Although it seems like ancient history after 25 years, I spent a significant portion of my life on the wrestling mat, wrestling competitively from kindergarten (my record was 1-12 that first year so ‘competitively’ is awfully generous) through college. My 5 brothers and I wrestled year-round in grade school and high school with several state championships amongst the family, and then throughout college. Aside from having pad locks on the refrigerator growing up to make sure we made weight, it was an amazing sport that kept 6 boys from the Southside of Chicago out of trouble (most of the time), taught us discipline, and opened so many doors for us to obtain a great education. I would not trade those years for anything.