Haj-Mirzaian A, Sethi N, de Francesca B, Sahni S, Zaheer A. Web-based Radiology Subspecialty Training Program: Pilot Feasibility and Effectiveness Analysis on Ethiopian Radiologists.
Acad Radiol 2020;
27:293-299. [PMID:
31060981 DOI:
10.1016/j.acra.2019.02.025]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES
To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of a novel web-based radiology subspecialty training program.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Ten Ethiopian general radiologists were enrolled; each participant selected two out of four available subspecialty training programs including abdominal imaging, neuroradiology, chest imaging, and musculoskeletal imaging. Participants were trained simultaneously in 4-stages over 20-months remotely. The program contains online lectures (previously recorded), online interactive case reviews, learning modules, and one-month observership at Johns Hopkins University. Each subspecialty training program consisted of nearly 50 recorded lectures, 26 case reviews, and 40 modules, all provided by subspecialty-trained radiology faculty. Trainees were evaluated using pre- and postcourse multiple choice questions, and the effectiveness of the program was assessed by comparing pre- and postcourse performances using paired t test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Regression analysis was conducted to determine the association between the magnitude of score change and trainees' age and years after graduation.
RESULTS
All programs including abdominal imaging (p < 0.001), neuroradiology (p < 0.001), chest imaging (p: 0.001), and musculoskeletal imagining (p = 0.001) led to significant improvements in participants' knowledge (overall mean ± standard deviation of score change: +18.4% ± 11.4%). All stages of training including stage-1 (+29.3% ± 8.4%), stage-2 (+21.0% ± 8.0%), stage-3 (+15.0% ± 13.7%), and stage-4 (+17.0% ± 7.9%) significantly improved trainees' scores; and the percent score change decreased with each stage. Regression analysis revealed that score improvement was not associated with age and years after residency training.
CONCLUSION
Our newly developed web-based radiology subspecialty training program results in improved knowledge of radiologists. Implementation of web-based subspecialty training could be an effective and feasible method for institutions without subspecialty faculty and programs.
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