Career In Radiology Research Articles

JOURNAL CLUB: Redefining the Radiology Curriculum in Medical School: Vertical Integration and Global Accessibility.

Radiology interconnects medical disciplines given that a working understanding of imaging is essential to clinicians of every specialty. Using online education, we created a globally accessible, web-based undergraduate medical radiology curriculum modeled after the National Medical Student Curriculum in Radiology program of the Alliance of Medical Student Educators in Radiology. Seventy-four radiology faculty-mentored video modules were produced, 50 of which were integrated into the 1st-year anatomy course. We administered tests to medical students before and after students saw the videos to assess the effectiveness of the modules. We surveyed students on their interests in pursuing radiology as a career before and after participating in this curriculum. On the preexamination questions, the mean score was 58.0%, which increased to 83.6% on the pair-matched imaging-related questions on the actual examination. Before participating in the new curriculum, 88% of students did not express an interest in radiology, and 9% were undecided about radiology as a future career. There was an increase in students who reported that they would definitely or most likely pursue a career in radiology (7%) after they had viewed the lectures. Radiology education is now available to a greater number of multidisciplinary learners worldwide. This project produced a comprehensive, globally accessible radiology curriculum in a self-paced, flexible learning format for new generations of physicians.

Differential Motivations for Pursuing Diagnostic Radiology by Gender: Implications for Residency Recruitment

The purpose of this study is to determine how the motivations to pursue a career in radiology differ by gender. In addition, the influence of medical school radiology education will be assessed. Radiology applicants to our institution from the 2015-2016 interview season were offered an online survey in February 2016. Respondents scored the influence of 24 aspects of radiology on their decision to pursue radiology. Comparisons were made between male and female respondents. Respondents were also asked the type of medical school radiology education they received and to score the influence this experience had on their decision to pursue radiology. There were 202 total respondents (202/657) including 47 women and 155 men. Compared to men, the following factors had a more negative impact on women: flexible work hours (P = 0.04), work environment (P = 0.04), lifestyle (P = 0.04), impact on patient care (P = 0.05), high current debt load (P = 0.02), gender distribution of the field (P = 0.04), and use of emerging/advanced technology (P = 0.02). In contrast, women felt more favorably about the opportunities for leadership (P = 0.04) and research (P < 0.01). Dedicated radiology exposure was as follows: 20% (n = 20) none, 48% (n = 96) preclinical exposure, 55% (n = 111) elective rotation, and 18% (n = 37) core rotation. More intensive radiology exposure via a core rotation had a significantly positive impact on the decision to pursue radiology (P < 0.01). Male and female radiology applicants are motivated by different aspects of radiology, which may influence residency recruitment practices. In addition, more intensive radiology exposure has a net positive impact on the decision to pursue radiology.

Awareness, knowledge, and interest in interventional radiology among final year medical students in England

To investigate awareness, knowledge, and interests in interventional radiology (IR) among final year students. Three hundred and fifty-nine anonymous questionnaires were distributed to final year medical students at two medical institutions in England. A total of 220 students (61%) responded. In the present study, 167 students (75.9%) correctly identified that interventional radiologists perform angioplasty and stenting of arteries. One hundred and twenty students (54.5%) thought cardiac procedures are done by IR. Sixty-nine students (31.4%) knew IR procedures included treatment of tumours. Some of them were aware of other minor IR procedures such as insertion of drainage tubes (57.7%) and central lines (69.1%). The majority of students felt that their knowledge of IR compared to other specialities was poor (55.5%). Most students (81.4%) had not received any formal teaching on IR during medical school. Lack of interest and knowledge were commonly cited as deterrents by students who were against (47.7%) or unsure (37.3%) about pursuing a career in radiology. Nonetheless, 70% of students expressed that they wanted more exposure during medical school. Students express a lack of knowledge and insufficient exposure to IR on the undergraduate curriculum. This has a direct impact on the specialty's chances of being considered as a career path. Implementing teaching in the undergraduate curriculum and increasing early student exposure to IR will encourage the speciality's growth.

Spending an Evening in the Dark: The Radiology Medical Student Call Experience

The level of independent decision-making required of a radiology resident, as well as the acuity of studies populating the worklist, differ between the normal workday and a call shift. However, unlike clerkships where call is standard, medical students in radiology typically only have half of the true resident experience. To expose our rotating medical students to what a future career in radiology might actually look like, we implemented a required call shift as part of our medical student curriculum. All rotating third- and fourth-year medical students were assigned a single 3-hour short call shift alongside a radiology resident during the final week of their rotation. Following this shift, students answered questions via anonymous online survey regarding their perceptions of radiology (primary end point) as well as workload and role of radiology in the clinical care of patients (secondary end points). Following medical student call, 63% of students reported a more positive view of radiology as a career. Additionally, 57% felt that radiology residents work as much or more than other specialties while one call, and several students identified communication issues regarding indications or appropriateness of studies. While we hope that this overwhelmingly positive experience will draw more students into radiology as a career, we also believe that many participating medical students will benefit from a greater understanding of what a radiologist׳s job entails, as well as how this may be affected by communication issues or increased utilization of imaging.

Women in Radiology: Exploring the Gender Disparity

PurposeIn 2015, only 1.5% of female Canadian medical students pursued radiology as a specialty, versus 5.6% of men. The aim of this study was to determine what factors attract and deter Canadian medical students from pursuing a career in radiology, and why fewer women than men pursue radiology as a specialty. MethodsAn anonymous online survey was e-mailed to English-speaking Canadian medical schools, and 12 of 14 schools participated. Subgroup analyses for gender and radiology interest were performed using the Fisher exact test (P < .05). ResultsIn total, 917 students (514 women; 403 men) responded. Direct patient contact was valued by significantly more women who were not considering specialization in radiology (87%), compared with women who were (70%; P < .0001). Physics deterred more women (47%) than it did men (21%), despite similar educational backgrounds for the two gender groups in physical sciences (P < .0001). More women who were considering radiology as a specialty rated intellectual stimulation as being important to their career choice (93%), compared with women who were not (80%; P = .002). Fewer women who were not interested in radiology had done preclinical observerships in radiology (20%), compared with men who were not interested in radiology (28%; P = .04). ConclusionsA perceived lack of direct patient contact dissuades medical students from pursuing radiology as a career. Women have less preclinical radiology exposure than do men. Programs that increase preclinical exposure to radiology subspecialties that have greater patient contact should be initiated, and an effort to actively recruit women to such programs should be made.

Gender Bias in Diagnostic Radiology Resident Selection, Does it Exist?

To investigate whether there is a bias in the residency selection process that influences the proportion of females entering diagnostic radiology residencies. A total of 4117 applications to one diagnostic radiology residency program from 2008 to 2014 were analyzed. Invitations to interview were evaluated by each year, specifically looking at gender. Ranking of applicants, especially those placed in top 25% of the rank, was also assessed. Additional data analyzed included United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 board examination score (a proxy for academic performance), interview scores, and final position on rank list. Female applicants averaged 24% of the total applicant pool during the years studied, yet made up a disproportionately high percentage of applicants invited to interview (30%) and those ranked in top 25% (38%). It was found that female applicants had slightly higher mean interview scores and lower Step 1 scores than male applicants. Our findings suggest that program directors in one program want to increase gender diversity by making strides to keep the female candidate pool and the proportion of female residents in the program at least stable. The pipeline of female medical students pursuing a career in radiology appears to be a limiting factor rather than a bias against women in the resident selection process. Identifying such trends is important as it provides a better understanding of the etiology for an overall lack of gender diversity within the field. Furthermore, it may lead to closing the gender gap in radiology.

From Port to Port on Stormy Seas: Changing Jobs as a Young Radiologist

In the not too distant past, the average radiology career trajectory was fairly predictable. One could choose a career in academia, gradually climbing the academic ladder, or a private practice career in which an ownership stake in the practice was the ideal end point. However, now standard career paths in the field are being challenged by a variety of factors. Impending changes in reimbursement models, large-scale consolidation of health care organizations, corporatization and commoditization of radiology practices, and a persistently tough market for those seeking new practice opportunities all contribute to choppy seas, for individuals as well as radiology as a whole, in the foreseeable future. Although quitting generally carries a negative connotation in our society, in macroeconomic terms, quitting is often a good thing. An increase in the “quit rate,” or the percentage of workers who quit their jobs each month, is a marker of an improving economic climate. As better opportunities arise, workers feel more empowered to quit their jobs in search of these opportunities, and the quit rate rises. In the broader economy, as well as the health care sector, the quit rate at the beginning of 2015 approached prerecession levels [1,2], marking greater confidence on the part of job seekers. Furthermore, younger generations of

The Exposure Dilemma: Qualitative Study of Medical Student Opinions and Perceptions of Radiology

PurposeAccording to a national survey of over 900 Canadian medical students, the stereotype of an isolated radiologist working in a dark room persists. The purpose of this study is to use qualitative methods to explore the ways exposure to radiology in medical school impacts students’ opinions and perceptions of radiology and radiologists. MethodsAfter receiving ethics approval, 4 focus groups were conducted, 1 per year of undergraduate medical training at Western University. The transcribed audio recordings and accompanying field notes, together with the open-ended questions obtained from the national survey, were analyzed using thematic analysis. ResultsFive hundred sixty students in medical school years 1 and 2 (preclerkship) participated in the national survey and 18 in the focus groups; 336 students in years 3 and 4 [clerkship] participated in the national survey and 10 in the focus groups. Three major findings emerged from the analysis of the data. First, stereotypes are perpetuated mainly through informal interactions. Second, there is limited exposure to radiology and radiologists in medical school, especially in preclerkship. Third, students want to know what to expect if they choose a career in radiology. ConclusionsMedical students, especially those in preclerkship, are seeking accurate information to modify or reinforce radiology stereotypes. Limited exposure makes interactions with students impactful and mentorship essential. Students want meaningful interactions with radiologists and radiology residents.

Ferenc A. Jolesz (1946-2014).

Ferenc A. Jolesz (1946-2014).

Pursuing a radiology career: Private practice or academic ?

Pursuing a radiology career: Private practice or academic ?

James M. Keegan

For most of his radiology career, Jim Keegan practiced in Houston. With his wife Mary, he founded programs to help feed the poor in the city and assisted needy communities with food and pure water in Africa and South America.

A career in radiology

A career in radiology

Student Concerns and Misconceptions about A Career in Radiology

Y ear after year, medical students pose questions that reflect the same concerns and misconceptions about a career in radiology.While radiology educators and practicing radiologists may perceive many of these reservations as ill-founded or misguided, they are nonetheless important to recognize and address. Student decisions about careers are determined not only by what students know, but also by what they think they know. If students opt for radiology or eschew it based on inaccurate information, this benefits neither the students nor the field of radiology. In what follows, we briefly identify and suggest strategies for educating students about a dozen concerns and misconceptions. #1. Radiologists are not real doctors. American College of Radiology focus group studies have suggested that approximately one-half of the general population does not know that radiologists are physicians (1). At most medical schools, there is no required course in radiology, and at many others, radiologists play little teaching role in the medical school curriculum. As a result, students have little opportunity to see radiologists in action. If such misconceptions are to be corrected, it is incumbent on academic radiologists to seek opportunities to expand their role in medical student teaching, ensuring that each future physician understands who radiologists are and what they do (2). Medical students who do not choose radiology as a career still constitute the field’s future referral base. #2. Radiologists have little or no patient interaction. There is some truth to this. Some radiologists may go days or even weeks without interacting directly with a patient. But it is important to point out that many radiologic disciplines, such as interventional radiology and mammography, involve a high degree of patient interaction, and radiologists in all disciplines have opportunities to interact with patients (3). Moreover, radiologists make a huge contribution to day-to-

Emotional Intelligence

To become a radiologist and thrive in the practice of radiology, a person needs a high degree of intelligence. Yet, the kind of intelligence captured in traditional IQ tests is insufficient. Merely detecting imaging findings and offering appropriate differential diagnoses, even at a high level, is not a complete prescription for a fulfilling career in radiology. Psychologist Howard Gardner [ 1 Gardner H. Frames of mind: the theory of multiple intelligences. Basic Books, New York1983 Google Scholar ] has argued that there are at least 7 types of intelligence: spatial (the ability to visualize 3-D structures with the mind's eye), linguistic (the use of words), logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic (control of motions and handling objects), musical, interpersonal (interaction with others), and intrapersonal (self-reflection). ErratumJournal of the American College of RadiologyVol. 8Issue 7PreviewIn the Invisible to the Eye column in the May 2010 issue of JACR (2011;8:298-299) titled “Emotional Intelligence,” the second author's name was inadvertently left out. The correction is listed below. Full-Text PDF

Jeffrey S. Klein, MD, Named Editor ofRadioGraphics

The Board of Directors of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) is pleased to announce that Jeffrey S. Klein, MD, will become RadioGraphics editor in January 2012. He will succeed William W. Olmsted, MD, who has continuously raised the bar for the RSNA’s education journal since taking the helm in 1990. Dr Olmsted will retire as editor at the end of this year. Dr Klein is the A. Bradley Soule and John P. Tampas Green and Gold Professor of Radiology and Associate Dean for Continuing Medical Education in the University of Vermont College of Medicine and chief of thoracic radiology at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vt. In addition to his expertise in lung cancer staging and detection, Dr Klein brings vast experience in radiologic education—with an emphasis on continuing medical education—that makes him a superior choice as the next RadioGraphics editor. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College, Dr Klein earned his MD degree at the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn. He completed an internship at the Staten Island University Hospital, a residency at the State University of New York Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn, and a fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco, Medical Center. Dr Klein is certified by the American Board of Radiology and is a fellow of the American College of Radiology (ACR). Dr Klein began his academic radiology career in 1988 as a clinical instructor of radiology and assistant professor in residence at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. In 1990, he became an assistant professor in residence at San Francisco General Hospital, where he currently maintains an appointment as a clinical assistant professor of radiology. From 1993 to 1995, Dr Klein was a clinical associate professor, chief of thoracic imaging, and associate director of the residency training program in the Department of Radiology at St Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Ariz. He then joined the University of Vermont College of Medicine, serving as an associate professor of radiology and chief of thoracic imaging until 2000, when he was named a professor of radiology. Dr Klein was vice-chair of the Department of Radiology at the University of Vermont College of Medicine from 1998 to 2000 and was named to the endowed professorship in 2006. Sarah S. Donaldson, MD—Chairman, RSNA Board of Directors William T. Thorwarth, Jr, MD—Liaison for Publications and Communications, RSNA Board of Directors

Jeffrey S. Klein, MD, Named Editor ofRadioGraphics

HomeRadioGraphicsVol. 31, No. 2 PreviousNext Special CommunicationsJeffrey S. Klein, MD, Named Editor of RadioGraphicsSarah S. Donaldson, William T. Thorwarth, JrSarah S. Donaldson, William T. Thorwarth, JrSarah S. DonaldsonWilliam T. Thorwarth, JrPublished Online:Mar 7 2011https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.312105245MoreSectionsFull textPDF ToolsImage ViewerAdd to favoritesCiteTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked In Article HistoryPublished online: Mar 7 2011Published in print: Mar 2011 FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsRecommended Articles Low-Dose Chest CT to Predict Disease-Free Survival for Early-Stage Node-Negative Centrally Located Lung AdenocarcinomaRadiology2021Volume: 299Issue: 2pp. 448-449Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Guide for the PerplexedRadiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging2021Volume: 3Issue: 1Time to Start Describing Fibrotic Interstitial Lung Abnormalities in the Chest CT ReportRadiology2022Volume: 306Issue: 22017 RSNA Outstanding ResearcherRadiology2017Volume: 285Issue: 3pp. 712Should “Mature” Radiologists Be Put Out to Pasture?: Practice CornerRadioGraphics2016Volume: 36Issue: 3pp. 937-938See More RSNA Education Exhibits Case-based Learning during Anatomy Block as a Modality for Preclinical Interventional Radiology Education: Successes and ChallengesDigital Posters2019Management of Solitary Pulmonary Nodules: Pushing the Limits Beyond the GuidelinesDigital Posters2019Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Research in Chest RadiologyDigital Posters2019 RSNA Case Collection Pulmonary SequestrationRSNA Case Collection2022Small cell lung carcinomaRSNA Case Collection2020Superior Vena Cava SyndromeRSNA Case Collection2020 Vol. 31, No. 2 Metrics Altmetric Score PDF download

Frank Hussey Sr

The second generation of radiologists in Chicago, those who started in the 1920s, were a remarkable group of doctors who moved from general practice to the growing specialty qualifications that made their chosen discipline a solid part of Chicago medicine. They opted for radiology without formal residencies and learned by preceptorships and their own experience. One of the long-serving leaders of that generation was Frank L. Hussey Sr, whose career in radiology lasted about 50 years. During most of those years, he was a clinical practicing radiologist; a teacher of residents, medical students, and x-ray technologists; a leader in radiology societies; a close negotiator with hospital administrators; and a smooth contact with local politicians. Many of his learning and practice patterns were accepted by other young doctors seeking careers in radiology.

Radiology trainees in the UK and Ireland: academic background, publication rates and research plans

To assess the level of achievement of current trainees, we investigated the academic qualifications, publication rates and future research plans of 240 radiology trainees in the UK and Ireland. All radiology trainees in the UK and Ireland were surveyed by a questionnaire enquiring about academic record and career ambitions. Our study shows that the level of academic achievement of radiology trainees is high, and provides interesting information concerning the current group of radiology trainees in these regions. It will be of interest both to radiology trainers and to doctors hoping to pursue a career in radiology. It also demonstrates that a potential recruitment crisis in academic radiology exists.

Medico‐legal radiology ‐ Edited by WSC Hare

By WSC Hare. Published by Churchill Livingston, Elsevier Publishers, Sydney, 2007. 200 pages. A$79.00. ISBN 978 072 953 8312. It is an honour to review this book which contains some of the distilled wisdom of a radiological giant. Professor William SC Hare was the first Australian Professor in Radiology and held the Chair in Melbourne from 1965 to 1988. His career was remarkable both in innovation and scope of practice. Between 1990 and 2000 he provided legal opinion on the radiological aspects of hundreds of cases. Radiologists in training would do well to follow Professor Hare’s advice in separate chapters on interpreting diagnostic images and writing reports. Much of this book contains ‘must knows’ for one’s career in radiology. In the crowded curriculum, it is all too easy for the trainee to be mesmerized by exotica most of us seldom encounter. Professor Hare shines the spotlight on the common pitfalls of our specialty. Radiologists at all stages in their career would benefit from the 10 chapters devoted to different parts of the body. These chapters have a compelling style considerably enhanced with many succinct pertinent examples of actual litigation. A useful summary list of ‘suggestions’ is given at the end of each of the 15 chapters. The literature up to the end of 2006 has been most thoroughly reviewed and scores of key references selected. This book is particularly timely as radiologists enter an era of individual recertification. Different countries will introduce processes that vary in detail. However, common to all will be a paradigm shift in culture of scrutiny of our personal performance. Those who read this book and follow its advice will provide a better service for patients and clinicians, as well as reduce their own vulnerability to claims of professional malpractice or misconduct. Radiological error and discrepancy is a most sensitive topic. Professor Hare’s balanced analysis will prove very helpful for clinical directors and conveners of radiological discrepancy meetings. Readers will gain very useful advice on how to word radiological reports that are likely to be used in deciding legal outcomes (e.g. compensation cases). There are several chapters on legal processes, including sections on the radiologist as a defendant and another on the radiologist as a witness. I anticipate that this book will also prove very popular with orthopaedic surgeons and other clinicians who provide medico-legal reports, as well as with lawyers involved in personal injury and medical litigation work. This is a book all radiologists should own and read. It is the product of unrivalled experience, scholarship, wisdom and an awesome amount of research. There are now two beacons in the medico-legal radiological firmament: Leonard Berlin and William Hare.

Carole Anne Alexander

On 16 May 2009 we sadly lost our friend and colleague Carole Alexander, consultant radiologist at the West of Scotland Breast Screening Service and the Glasgow Teaching Hospitals. Educated at...