Impact of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Radiologic Pathology Course on radiology resident performance on the ACR In-Training and ABR written Examinations. American College of Radiology. American Board of Radiology

Educational Impact of Trainee-Facilitated Head and Neck Radiology-Pathology Correlation Conferences

The goal of this study was to evaluate the benefits of resident and fellow-facilitated radiology-pathology head and neck conferences. A total of seven resident-facilitated and six fellow-facilitated head and neck radiology-pathology cases were presented as part of the radiology department conference series. The radiology residents were surveyed regarding the perceived quality and effectiveness of the fellow-facilitated sessions. The number of publications yielded from all the cases presented was tracked. Overall, the residents assessed the quality of the fellow-facilitated conferences with an average score of 3.9 out of 5 and the overall helpfulness with an average of 3.5 out of 5. The overall average level of resident understanding among the residents for the topics presented to them by the fellows at baseline was 2.5 out of 5 and 3.4 out of 5 after the presentations, which was a significant increase (p-value < 0.01). There were three peer-reviewed publications generated from the resident presentations and four peer-reviewed publications generated from the fellow presentations, which represents a 54% publication rate collectively. Therefore, trainee-facilitated head and neck radiology-pathology conferences at our institution provide added learning and scholarly activity opportunities.

National examination of Brazilian residents and specialization trainees in radiology and diagnostic imaging: a tool for evaluating the qualifications of future radiologists

PURPOSE

This is a study of performance based on an In-training Examination for Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging targeting residents (R) and specialization trainees (ST) in Radiology. The radiological training may differ between R and ST in some centers. The authors present their experience and thoughts regarding the first three years of application of the In-training Examination administered by The Brazilian College of Radiology.

METHODS

Three hundred and eight-six tests were analyzed in 1999, 715 in 2000, and 731 in 2001. The yearly tests consisted of multiple-choice answers, some with interpretation of digital images, and were divided into 9 specialties: neurology, thorax, physics, pediatrics, digestive system, urinary system, musculoskeletal system, mammography, and gynecology-obstetrics. Each specialty was analyzed separately. The tests were given simultaneously in 12 Brazilian cities. The subspecialty scores of examinees at different stages of training were compared (1st, 2nd, and 3rd year residents and specialization trainees), by the Kruskal-Wallis test (P<0.001).

RESULTS

The 1999 examination did not reveal any significant difference between the R and ST groups (P>0.05). Generally, in 2000 and 2001, R achieved higher scores than ST (P<0.001). The performance in physics was poor for both groups for the 3 years covered by the study.

CONCLUSION

The performance of residents was better than that of the specialization trainees in the majority of the subspecialties, mainly in the last two years. The In-training Examination provides a system for evaluating future specialists and identifying the centers that need to revise their teaching methods and the regional differences in radiological training.

CT imaging of wet specimens from a pathology museum: How to build a “virtual museum” for radiopathological correlation teaching

X-rays and CT have been used to examine specimens such as human remains, mummies and formalin-fixed specimens. However, CT has not been used to study formalin-fixed wet specimens within their containers. The purpose of our study is firstly to demonstrate the role of CT as a non-destructive imaging method for the study of wet pathological specimens and secondly to use the CT data as a method for teaching pathological and radiological correlation. CT scanning of 31 musculoskeletal specimens from a pathology museum was carried out. Images were reconstructed using both soft-tissue and bone algorithms. Further processing of the data produced coronal and sagittal reformats of each specimen. The container and storage solution were manually removed using Volume Viewer Voxtool software to produce a 3D reconstruction of each specimen. Photographs of each specimen (container and close-up) were displayed alongside selected coronal, sagittal, 3D reconstructions and cine sequences in a specially designed computer program. CT is a non-destructive imaging modality for building didactic materials from wet specimens in a Pathology Museum, for teaching radiological and pathological correlation.

Results of the 2001 survey of the American Association of Academic Chief Residents in Radiology

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

The American Association of Academic Chief Residents in Radiology (A3CR2) conducts an annual survey of residency training programs. The survey data allow comparative analyses to be performed among training programs regarding resident education, benefits, clinical demands, and other resident-related issues.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Questionnaires were mailed to all accredited programs registered in the A3CR2 database (150 total programs). The yearly questions address demographic information concerning the individual programs including academic affiliation, number of radiologic examinations performed per resident, changes in the number of residents per program, and financial compensation. The rotating questions, which are revisited every 4 years, focused on preparation for the American Board of Radiology examinations, educational issues, and employment outlook.

RESULTS

Completed surveys were received from 55 programs (37.3%). Among the responses, three issues prevailed: (a) increased number of examinations performed per resident, with resultant decrease in educational time, (b) decreased quality of education in all sections of radiology and decreased number of educational conferences, and (c) improved employment outlook, but continued trend of fewer residents choosing a career in academics.

CONCLUSION

The current boom in the radiology job market and the increased number of radiologic examinations performed annually appear to adversely affect radiologic education through a decreased number of conferences and an increased number of radiologic examinations performed per resident.