Jasleen Chopra, MD, Returns to the Midwest to Join the U of M Department of Radiology

Originally from northern Wisconsin, Jasleen Chopra, MD, is returning to the Midwest to join the Department of Radiology as an assistant professor and as a specialist in breast imaging.

During her third year of clinical rotations — a time when many students decide a career path —  Dr. Chopra was introduced to radiology. “As a medical student, I was drawn to radiology because of the problem-solving involved in coming up with the diagnosis. I also liked that radiology is essentially the backbone of modern medicine, acting as the connecting factor between multiple teams caring for a patient,” Dr. Chopra said. 

Dr. Chopra’s older sister was a radiologist, giving her some prior experience with what the discipline entailed. After experiencing it for herself, she decided to specialize in breast imaging. “Working in breast imaging allowed me to fill a void that I felt when seeing patients. Breast imaging is rooted in continuity of care. It’s an extremely rewarding subspeciality; you truly feel you are making a difference every day,” Dr. Chopra said. 

Dr. Chopra did her residency training at University of Maryland in Baltimore and then pursued a Women’s Imaging Fellowship at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital. Prior to joining the University of Minnesota Medical School, she practiced for two years at a breast center in Annapolis, Maryland. 

Dr. Chopra’s primary clinical responsibilities include reading mammograms, breast ultrasounds and breast MRIs and conducting image guided biopsies. She will care for patients at the M Health Fairview Clinics and Surgery Center - Maple Grove, the M Health Fairview Clinics and Surgery Center - Minneapolis and the M Health Fairview Women’s Health Clinic - Minneapolis. The women’s clinic allows physicians like Dr. Chopra to deliver high-quality care among other specialists in complementary disciplines to streamline patients’ access to care in one location. 

In addition to her clinical responsibilities, Dr. Chopra will help educate the next generation of physicians in a field that is constantly progressing. “I’m super excited to teach and have medical students and residents back in the reading rooms once COVID-19 has slowed down. It’s something I definitely missed being in private practice, and it is a huge draw to working in academics,” Dr. Chopra said. 

The field will continue to bring new challenges to Dr. Chopra’s life, and she’s excited about the new opportunities available at the U of M. “Radiology is exciting. It is intellectually challenging and rapidly evolving. The group of breast radiologists I am joining is at the forefront of contrast enhancement mammography. This is something new for me, and it will be exciting to see what kind of results we see using this technology,” Dr. Chopra said.