A Survey of Radiology Chairpersons' Perceptions of the Relative Importance of Education of Medical Students, Residents, and Fellows

Abstract

The purpose of the study was twofold: to assess radiology chairpersons' perceptions about the value of education of medical students, residents, and fellows with respect to the achievement of department success and to uncover their personal involvement in instructional activities. A questionnaire was sent to all American members of the Society of Chairmen in Academic Radiology (SCARD) requesting their opinions about 21 putative responsibilities of their job including student, resident, and fellow education. The survey also asked the respondents to list the size of their trainee complement, both residents and fellows. The data were assessed in toto and after disaggregation by program size as indicated by the number of trainees and by the percentage of fellows versus all trainees. Sixty-nine of 108 chairpersons responded with contributory responses for a response rate of 63.9%. Resident training was the fourth most frequently affirmatively cited component of their perceptions of a department's success at 86% positive. Slightly more than half indicated that they were personally involved in resident instruction but less than a third participated in student or in fellow training. Disaggregation by the size of the department with respect to the number of trainees revealed that resident teaching as a critical factor decreased in estimation of importance from 100% to 64% (p < 0.001) as programs increased in size. Fellowship training correspondingly increased from 18% to 45% (p = 0.054) from small to large departments. Resident education as a valued activity and as a specific chair function varies inversely with both program size and the percentage of fellows among all trainees.