Kay began her undergraduate education at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. She subsequently obtained her MD degree at the University of Michigan. She did her internship and a year of medicine in Grand Rapids, Michigan, followed by a residency in diagnostic radiology at Michigan State University (MSU), also in Grand Rapids.
From 1980 to 1984, she was an assistant professor at MSU and also served as associate program director in the radiology residency program. In 1984, Kay moved a few miles away and served as assistant professor at the University of Michigan. In 1991, she moved to Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and rose from assistant to full professor in diagnostic radiology. Today, she is professor emeritus. She also was assistant program director at Emory for 7 years.
Throughout Kay’s career, she has been recognized for her passion for medical education—at the undergraduate level but, more specifically, at the resident level. Many of the efforts she has been involved with over the years have touched the lives of residents and program directors around the country. She has been intimately involved at all three institutions on committees dealing with medical student and resident education, as well as being division director of chest radiology.
Although Kay was involved in many of the traditional activities of faculty at any major university, she felt that she could contribute on a grander scale at the national level. Most recently, she has had major roles at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), helping to develop new international training requirements in Singapore. She also was instrumental as chair of the ACGME Milestones Committee for Diagnostic Radiology. She works closely with the Residency Review Committee as the American Board of Radiology (ABR) representative.
Kay has been a very important part of the ABR for the past 15 years. She served as ABR Trustee and subsequently was asked to become the ABR Associate Executive Director for Diagnostic Radiology and the Specialties. Kay not only has been involved in every organization and society in radiology but also has risen to leadership in most of those and been recognized by these groups with numerous honors and awards. She has been recognized by the Association of University Radiologists (AUR) by having the annual image interpretation contest named in her honor, after being AUR President. Kay was a member of the Executive Council of the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) for a dozen years and became ARRS President.
She was very active in the local chapter of the American College of Radiology (ACR) in Michigan and served at its president in 1980. She held numerous offices and positions within the ACR, serving on the ACR Council Steering Committee and ACR Nominating Committee, ultimately leading up to being the speaker of the ACR Council and its president. She also served on the ACR’s Board of Chancellors. Kay has been an invited speaker at many institutions, as well as society meetings. Her clinical interest is in thoracic radiology, but increasingly she speaks about medical education of students and residents.
Because of the efforts previously described, Kay has received numerous honors and awards. She has received the Gold Medal from the ARRS, the ACR, and the AUR. She has been voted the most outstanding teacher at Emory University, as well as receiving the Marie Curie Award from the American Association for Women Radiologists. Emory University has also given her the Women First Award.
In recognition of all that she has contributed to radiology education, Kay was selected as an honorary member of the Association of Program Directors in Radiology (APDR.) Kay will tell you that all of this could be accomplished only with the support of her husband, William J. Casarella, MD, who in his own right is a well-known leader in organized radiology. Bill has also served as chairman of the Emory University Department of Diagnostic Radiology.
During her downtime and numerous flights around the country, Kay is an avid reader of all types of literature. She also enjoys traveling around the world, most recently returning from a trip to the Patagonia region of Chile. Kay has 10 grandchildren and has kept a promise to each of them that when they turn 9, she will take them on a trip of their choice. This has taken her family from the Galapagos to China—and everywhere in between. Kay stands out as a true leader in our world of education and radiology.