Dr. Straus received his MD degree from the University of Chicago, where he also completed his Residency in Diagnostic Radiology and his Fellowship in Angiography/Interventional Radiology. He has been a dedicated faculty member at the University of Chicago since 1998 as one of the most productive and caring radiologists at our institution. During this time, he has served on the Board of the Paul C. Hodges Alumni Society, including as its President, and is the driving force behind all of its activities including fundraising efforts.
Within the Department of Radiology, Dr. Straus has served as the Director of Medical Student Education for 2 decades, and his innovative curricular efforts have not only increased the role of Radiology in student education but have also influenced how imaging is taught throughout the four years of training.
As a highly-regarded educator, his career and scholarly endeavors have likewise focused on the development of medical student education in radiology, for which he is well-recognized nationally. He has been an active member and former president of the Alliance of Medical Student Educators in Radiology, and has championed a uniform curriculum nationally for medical students. He remains Chair of the Long Range Planning Committee of this Alliance, and has received the Alliance’s Excellence in Education Award, given to the individual who has contributed most significantly to medical student radiology education in the United States. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of University Radiologists, and is President of the Association’s Research and Education Foundation after having served as the Chair of its Long-Term Planning Committee, developing grant programs that support the mission of the AUR.
He has held multiple additional leadership positions in a variety of societies, and his administrative contributions to the Department and University are copious and diverse. His many publications and presentations span both the clinical and educational realm; a substantial percentage have included medical students and residents as co-authors, often first-authors, in keeping with his educational orientation. His work has been shared nationally and abroad, and he has served as a moderator at national meetings and has given numerous invited and continuing medical education lectures nationally and internationally. Dr. Straus has received numerous honors for his achievements, including elections as Fellow of the American College of Radiology, and as Inaugural Fellow of the Association of University Radiologists.