SPECIAL EDITION
Agenda
Building a better
radiologist:It's not just a matter of theory
Exploring uncharted territory
in radiology education reveals practical innovations
By John C. Hayes
When the concept for this special edition of Diagnostic Imaging first began
to take shape, I imagined something along the lines of the cover image. Between
the covers, there would be fairly esoteric looks at perceptual issues in
radiology: how reading styles have evolved, what it takes to really understand a
radiologic image, and perhaps a look at different theories of teaching anatomy
and image interpretation.
As the editors and I worked through the process of putting the issue
together, however, a far different picture emerged. The cover image concept
remains intact, but instead of focusing on perceptual issues, we have taken a
more practical bent and have developed something that we hope many of you can
use in your day-to-day approach to radiology.
We've touched on some of the debates in radiology education and identified
persistent problems in the system: What is being done about training residents
in soft-copy reading techniques, and what new, nonmedical skills should
radiology residents learn to prepare them for dealing with the business aspects
of the specialty? You'll find a section on continuing medical education and the
directions it will take in the future, a topic that will grow in importance as
new radiologists move into a world of time-limited certification. There's also a
section on personal and life skills that can help both new and veteran
radiologists-or any physician for that matter-deal with the pressures of
practice.
NEW TWIST ON FAMILIAR SUBJECT
Compiling this edition was an eye-opener. We attended conferences we might
otherwise have skipped, such as the Association of University Radiologists'
annual meeting, and talked with people we might not have contacted, many of them
residents, about subjects we might not normally have covered. Without exception,
and with every conversation, we came away with a new or better understanding of
the processes involved in making a radiologist.
Many of you will find material here that is familiar. All of you went through
residency and most of you took the oral boards, for example. But it is our hope
that you will also find information that provides a new context for your
experience in the past and a fresh way to look at the future.
Most of all, we hope this special edition sparks ideas for how things can be
improved. Initial and continuing radiology education is already good, but that
shouldn't dampen the drive to make it even better.
What are your thoughts on this topic? Please e-mail me at jhayes@cmp.com.
