Kristina Elizabeth Hawk, MS MD PhD

Kristina Elizabeth Hawk, MS MD PhD is a Nuclear Medicine Physician and Neuroradiologist. As a physician scientist, integrated MD/PhD training helped build a foundation to explore translational research efforts, using a full and intricate understanding of the research process, and the developed ability to understand, discuss and teach new emerging concepts. Dr. Hawk’s dissertation in Neuroscience focused on the regulation of Nitric Oxide Synthase in the dorsal and ventral striatum, exploring the neurochemical role of nitric oxide producing interneurons, and their ability to coordinate dopaminergic and glutamatergic signaling in areas of the brain relevant to cognition and motivated behavior. 

Eager to expand her passion into the field of Medical Radiation Physics, she also completed a separate Master’s degree in Medical Radiation Physics. This provided her with in depth training of how therapeutic and diagnostic instruments use both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation in the clinical setting. She then completed her Medical Doctorate and Diagnostic Radiology Residency at the University of Southern California (USC), learning the art of medicine while serving the diverse population at Los Angeles County Hospital. 

Dr. Hawk completed clinical fellowship requirements in Nuclear Medicine at USC, and is now Board Certified by the American Board of Nuclear Medicine. She also completed a Neuroradiology fellowship at USC, and is Board Certified the American Board of Radiology. She served as both the Chief Resident and Chief Neuroradiology Fellow. Currently, Dr. Hawk is faculty for the Stanford School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine. Dr. Hawk also practices radiology in the Matrix Division of Radiology Partners.

Dr. Hawk has held multiple local and national leadership positions, including positions in the American College of Radiology (ACR), the American College of Nuclear Medicine (ACNM) and the Society of Nuclear and Molecular Medicine (SNMMI). Dr. Hawk is an Associate Editor of the Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR). She has served as the Vice-Chair for Education for the Nuclear Medicine Resident Organization of the ACNM, and the Educational Liaison for the Resident and Fellow Section of the ACR. Currently, she serves on the national ACR Commission for Women and General Diversity as well as the ACR Commission on Nuclear Medicine and ACR Commission on Patient and Family Centered Care. Dr. Hawk also sits on the ACR Council Steering Committee. Dr. Hawk has served on the SNMMI Brain Imaging Council board, as well as the SNMMI Advanced Associate Council board and General Nuclear Medicine Council board.

She is faculty for the ACR Radiology Leadership Institute, and is a proud member of the RadXX advisory board, promoting diversity in imaging informatics.  Dr. Hawk is committed to continually exploring the beautiful applications of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation to image and treat the human body.

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION

• College: 07/2000–06/2004: University of California Berkeley Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cell Biology, emphasis in Neurobiology 2002 summer: University of Sussex, England, study of literature

• Graduate School: 07/2006–06/2008: College of Health Professions, Rosalind Franklin University (RFUMS) Masters of Science in Medical Radiation Physics 07/2006–06/2009: School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, RFUMS Doctorate of Philosophy in Neuroscience

• Medical School: 07/2004–06/2006: Chicago Medical School, RFUMS

  07/2009–06/2011: Keck School of Medicine at University of Southern California (USC) Medical Doctorate

POSTGRADUATE TRAINING

• Internship: 07/2011–06/2012: Preliminary Medicine, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, CA

• Residency: 07/2012–06/2016: Diagnostic Radiology, University of Southern California (USC)+ Los Angeles County (LAC), Los Angeles, CA

• Fellowship: 07/2012–06/2016: Nuclear Medicine (16 month path), USC + LAC, Los Angeles, CA

  07/2016–06/2017: Neuroradiology USC + LAC, Los Angeles, CA

CERTIFICATION AND LICENSURE

• American Board of Nuclear Medicine: 2016 -PASS

• American Board of Radiology Core Examination: 2015–PASS

• American Board of Radiology Certifying Examination: 2017 –PASS

• DEA: 2013 - current

• USMLE Step 1,2,3: 2006, 2010, and 2012 –PASS