Creativity, Connection, and Community: Reimagining the Radiology Society Meeting.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: With the shifting needs of radiologists due to escalating healthcare demands, the impetus for an increased focus on wellness and the benefits of the humanities in medicine inspired a novel approach to curricular planning of the 2023 Association of University Radiologists (AUR) annual meeting. In this manuscript, we describe the creative process behind planning and executing this innovative meeting format. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Reimagining the annual meeting was a collaborative effort centered around the development of an innovative Arts and Wellness Program, with the goal of integrating opportunities for artistic expression and experiential wellness throughout the meeting. RESULTS: Of the 1313 meeting attendees, 423 (32.2%) completed the annual meeting evaluation, of which 244 were in-person and 61 attended virtually. 178 of 423 respondents (42.1%) participated in the arts and wellness programming. 160 of 203 respondents (78.9%) reported that the arts and wellness programming enhanced the overall meeting experience. 164 of 197 respondents (83.2%) gained greater appreciation for the talents of radiology colleagues. 97 of 195 respondents (49.7%) stated that the programming gave them ideas as to how to cope effectively with stress. CONCLUSION: The incorporation of art, music, and other wellness activities into a national radiology meeting was well-received by meeting attendees. For many radiologists who participated in the various musical and artistic offerings at the AUR 2023 meeting, sharing artistic talents with the radiology community and colleagues represented the most fundamental way to be fully seen, express authenticity, and connect with others.

Night and Day, Why Radiologists Need Play.

What is play and why does it matter for radiologists? Play can take many forms in the workplace, including organic, managed, task-related, diversionary, and resistive forms of play, and play may also take the form of authentic self-expression and creation. In this review article, we will discuss the benefits of play including improved problem solving, gaining perspective, and stress reduction, and also provide low-tech and high-tech examples of beneficial play for the radiology team in work and personal contexts.

The Big Squeeze: Factors Contributing to Moral Distress Among Radiologist Clinician-Educators.

Moral distress is a term used to describe the cognitive-emotional dissonance that is experienced when one is compelled to act contrary to one's moral requirements. This occurs as a result of systemic constraints that prevent an individual from taking actions that they perceive as morally right, resulting in a perceived violation of one's core values and duties. There has been a growing interest in the prevalence of moral distress in healthcare, particularly as a root cause of burnout. A recent national survey on moral distress in radiology found that 98% of respondents experienced at least some degree of moral distress with 18% of respondents having left a position due to moral distress. One of the scenarios associated with the highest degree of moral distress related to the conflict that arises when one feels unable to fulfill teaching responsibilities due to high clinical demands. Now more than ever, clinician-educators are asked to do more with less time, fewer resources, and in an increasingly demanding work environment that is often discordant with providing quality education to their learners. In this manuscript, we aim to discuss the factors contributing to moral distress in radiologist clinician-educators as a framework to better understand the implications of these drivers, and to offer our perspective on potential mitigating measures.

Using Rubrics to Evaluate E-Learning Tools in Radiology Education.

Recent trends in medical education with an emphasis on active learning strategies and blended learning techniques have resulted in a growing volume and utilization of online educational resources. Integration of online learning tools into medical curricula has been further necessitated during the COVID-19 pandemic. With access to abundant digital radiology education resources, it has become increasingly important for educators to be able to evaluate the efficacy of e-learning tools for use in radiology education. In this manuscript, the authors describe their successful search for a vetted method to evaluate e-learning tools in radiology education. The selected rubric was designed by educational developers supporting technology to be used as a formative tool in higher education. The rubric was applied in condensed and noncondensed formats to 2 existing popular highly subscribed radiology e-learning resources and results were displayed in narrative and visual formats. More widespread application of this rubric would be beneficial to the content creators and learners alike.

NAM National Plan for Health Workforce Well-being: Applications for Radiology.

The National Academy of Medicine Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being identifies seven priority areas, including creating positive work environments, addressing burnout and stress, promoting transparency and equity in compensation, providing education and training to promote resilience, enhancing community and social support systems, addressing the stigma associated with seeking help for mental health and substance use disorders and fostering leadership commitment and accountability for workforce well-being. This paper will explore the National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being, providing an overview of the seven priority areas and offering strategies for implementation in radiology.

Supporting underrepresented minority students and advancing educational and health equity: Travelers Summer Research Fellowship (TSRF) program radiology panel.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the racial disparities in health outcomes within our nation. This is especially relevant in the field of radiology where the lack of minority representation is particularly striking. The purpose of this paper is to describe a pipeline program designed to support underrepresented minority (URM) students and provide a model to bridge URMs to careers in medicine hence cultivating health equity. METHODS: We designed a radiology pipeline program within The Travelers Summer Research Fellowship Program (TSRF) to give underrepresented students an opportunity to engage with radiologists. Participants experience a rich inquiry-based curriculum and completed pre- and post-intervention surveys that measured motivational factors for medical education and interest level in medical careers. RESULTS: 29 undergraduate students participated in the 2021 TSRF Program. The data comparing the pre- and post-surveys demonstrated that the TSRF program played a positive role in sparking interest in radiology, debunking misperceptions about radiologists, and boosting participant confidence regarding medical school applications. DISCUSSION: We created an interactive curriculum for URM students to cultivate a new generation of radiologists that will reflect and better meet the needs of the populations they are serving thereby mitigating the current health disparities in our nation.

Grit, Gratitude, Grace, and Guidance: Moving Academic Medicine From Crisis to Transformation.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis within the United States, faculty in academic medicine have experienced serious workplace and personal challenges while also exploring unique solutions and innovations in response to these challenges. Despite the global pandemic, social inequality and unrest, and uncertainty about the future, 3 hopeful themes that bind faculty together have emerged: grit, gratitude, and grace. This commentary describes how these qualities are in fact a culmination of ongoing work within academic medicine. While there is still a long way to go, this work is paving a path forward that is leading faculty to have more control over their professional lives. Indeed, these faculty efforts can be enhanced through shared governance, in which faculty participate more fully in the decision making at their institutions. To create thoughtful and enduring solutions, institutional leadership need to collaborate with faculty and provide guidance focused on improving well-being among faculty. This commentary is a call to action that describes how working together through shared purpose and engagement can harness the power of crisis as a catalyst for change and transformation that leads to the betterment of not just faculty, but academic medicine overall.

The Short and the Long of It: Transitioning to a Blended Longitudinal Curriculum in Radiology.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to demonstrate that the transition from a stand-alone radiology clerkship block to a longitudinally integrated radiology curriculum leverages newer teaching tools favored by today's learners. METHODS: In 2013 and 2014, medical students attended a dedicated 1-week radiology clerkship course. In 2015, the block clerkship model for radiology transitioned to a vertically integrated curriculum. By 2019, radiology content was integrated into many of the health illness and disease course blocks. Pre- and postcourse multiple-choice question tests as well as anonymous surveys were administered for both clerkship and integrated curriculum blocks. The student survey questions assessed perceptions regarding interpretation skills, imaging modality knowledge, and radiologists' roles. RESULTS: Among 197 total students in the clerkship block, surveys were completed by 170 respondents, yielding a response rate of 86.3%. Among 106 students in the longitudinal course, surveys were completed by 71 respondents, yielding a response rate of 67%. For both clerkship and longitudinally integrated courses, the average number of correct responses after completion of the courses was significantly greater than the average number of correct precourse responses. Compared with students in the clerkship block curriculum, students in the longitudinal curriculum demonstrated a significantly greater frequency of agreement in response to survey questions regarding significant exposure to radiology, feeling comfortable interpreting CT images, and being familiar with how to use the ACR Appropriateness Criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Transitioning from a single clerkship block to a more integrated format allows a more effective patient-centered clinical approach to medical imaging.

See One, Do One, Share One - Introducing Visual Abstracts in Journal Publication.

The visual abstract, read with ease and speed, is a logical evolution for today's journals to attract and maintain readers. However, many faculty have not yet constructed visual abstracts. This manuscript is a means to consolidate theory and commentaries into a cohesive explanation of why and how to develop a visual abstract. Tremendous growth opportunity exists for this innovation in the medical landscape, with current and future applications in journal publications, summary and dispersal of practice guidelines, and delivery of educational and training materials.

I.C.A.R.U.S. in Flight: A Radiology Simulator Teaches Imaging Appropriateness, Anatomy, and Image Interpretation Skills.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The Interactive Clinical Anatomy and Radiology Utilization Simulator (ICARUS) was created in 2012 as a novel simulation program with 25 peer reviewed electronic modules combining simulated patient encounters, American College of Radiology appropriateness criteria, radiologic anatomy, and basic imaging interpretation and patient safety topics. ICARUS integrates a gaming approach to improve student engagement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ICARUS modules have been used in the undergraduate medical curriculum at the lead author's institution since its pilot in 2012. Since completion of the full complement of 25 modules, modules have been used in the radiology clerkship (2012- 2015), in the integrated longitudinal curriculum (2015-present), and in various radiology electives (2015-present), including the inaugural virtual radiology electives at all authors' institutions (July 2020-present). Student evaluations were formally solicited in 2014 and again in 2020. RESULTS: During the introductory radiology clerkship in 2014, 107 students were enrolled. Students were assigned 4 ICARUS modules. During the 2-week virtual elective from July-October 2020, 26 students were enrolled. Students were assigned all 25 modules. The majority of survey respondents "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that the modules were interactive, enjoyable, and self-directed, fostered critical thinking, provided practical value, met goals and objectives of the course, and seemed practical to their future practice. CONCLUSION: ICARUS integrates key educational concepts in radiology with high fidelity simulation of clinical decision support software and PACS simulation image display to create a highly engaging learning environment that most accurately reflects future clinical experiences.

Web-Based Radiology Learning Module Design: The Author Perspective.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Over recent years, e-learning has become an integral component of radiology education. While demands for innovative, interactive e-learning resources have increased, the availability of viable solutions have not kept pace. As a result, many educators are authoring their own e-learning content. This study describes the six-year experience of faculty clinician educators and residents who participated in this authoring process. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2014 to 2020, 62 radiology faculty and residents created a total of 89 peer reviewed web-based learning modules. Authors were given instructions and materials to support their design process. Following completion of their module(s), authors were asked to complete an anonymous and voluntary survey on their perspective. RESULTS: Hundred percent of survey respondents reported that they enjoyed creating their module and 97.8% would recommend the experience to others. Reported educational value of authoring a learning module was 4.18 per 5, with 65% of resident authors reporting that they felt more likely to retain the information they learned through authoring a module rather than reading a chapter on the same topic. A total of 77.3% of respondents reported that the experience would make them more likely to teach medical students in the future. CONCLUSION: With the appropriate resources and support, radiology faculty and residents succeed in authorship of innovative e-learning modules for medical student learners. In addition to enhancing subject matter knowledge and satisfying Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requirements for teaching and scholarly activity, authorship provides mentoring opportunities and cultivates interest in medical student education.

Self-Care and Storytelling for Radiologists: A Feasibility Study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Physician wellness and burnout mitigation strategies have become priority practices in recent years. Despite these efforts, however, physicians living with the psychological effects of the current COVID-19 global pandemic, political stressors, and social injustices, face ever increasing threats to their personal and professional well-being. This manuscript investigates the process of storytelling as a self-care practice for radiologists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The AUR Well Being Ad-Hoc Committee introduced and approved Storytelling Geek Week, a virtual workshop held by The Moth, a Peabody award-winning storytelling nonprofit group. Nineteen AUR members applied and were selected for participation in the workshop which occurred over 5 days in November 2020. Anonymous electronic surveys were sent to participants before and after the workshop to gather feedback on their experience. RESULTS: Of the 19 AUR member participants, 12 (63%) completed the pre-workshop survey and 8 (42%) completed the post-workshop survey. Participant current state of well-being was found to be increased between the pre- and post-course surveys, with a statistically significant adjusted P-value of 0.017. All 8 post-workshop respondents reported that they would recommend the workshop to others. With regard to how participation in the workshop impacted their wellbeing, representative free text responses include, "helped with processing emotions," and "felt more connected to strangers." Regarding shifts in perspective as a result of workshop participation, representative free text responses include, "more empathetic" and "started focusing on hope and gratitude rather than sadness and anxiety." CONCLUSION: Participants in a storytelling workshop reported a positive impact on their perceived sense of well-being. Respondents also reports shifts in their sense of empathy and connectedness to others. This type of intervention may help to mitigate burnout and build community during challenging times.

Virtual Journal Club Beyond the Pandemic: An Enduring and Fluid Educational Forum.

OBJECTIVE: Since its inception, journal club has been a cornerstone to the life-long process of medical education. The virtual journal club (VJC), initiated as a robust solution to many educational challenges encountered during COVID-19 pandemic-related distance learning, provides an enduring and fluid forum for multilevel teaching and learning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this manuscript we share our institutions' reasoning and methods to implement a VJC for multi-level learners. A standardized format applicable to all VJC sessions was adopted to ensure reproducibility from presenter to presenter. Sessions were held via video conference platforms. Pedagogy regularly emphasized in undergraduate medical education was adopted. Informal assessment of each session's strengths and areas for improvement was performed. RESULTS: A total of 30 sessions were held prior to manuscript submission, including discussion of 36 refereed journal articles from March 26, 2020, to April 20, 2021. The virtual journal club was very well received by all participants. The medical students and residents found the information current and engaging. The fellows stated that the journal club strengthened their knowledge base and enhanced communication and teaching skills. The attendings learned from its encouraged frank discussion of differing practice patterns. The format of these sessions offers an ideal setting to teach medical students and residents how to evaluate and employ evidence-based medicine and meets multiple LCME and ACGME requirements. CONCLUSIONS: This VJC forum allows for development of essential nonclinical skills including lifelong active learning and analysis, peer collaboration, and technology adaptation and usage.

Medical student education in the time of COVID-19: A virtual solution to the introductory radiology elective.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical educators and students are facing unprecedented challenges while navigating the new virtual landscape that social-distancing policies mandate. In response to these challenges, a new virtual introduction to radiology elective was established with unique online resources and curriculum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A previously in-person 2-week introductory radiology elective was converted into a completely virtual experience using an internally developed, open-source, peer-reviewed, web-based teaching modules combined with virtual lectures, interdisciplinary conferences, and readout sessions of de-identified cases loaded to a DICOM viewer. Students from the first four months of course enrollment completed a multiple choice pre- and post-course knowledge assessments and a 5-point Likert Scale survey as part of their educational experience. RESULTS: In total, 26 4th-year medical students participated over 4 separate 2-week sessions from July to October of 2020. This included 12 students from the home intuition and 14 visiting students. On average, students scored 62.2% on the 55-question pre-test and 89.0% on the same test upon completion of the course, a statistically significant increase (p < 0.001). All 26 students felt engaged throughout the course. All 26 agreed (23 "strongly agreed") that they were more comfortable looking at imaging studies following the course. All 26 also agreed (21 "strongly agreed") that the course helped them prepare for their future clinical rotations and careers. CONCLUSION: Initial pilot program using unique web-based resources and student encounters during a two-week virtual introductory radiology elective proved to be a positive educational experience for the first 26 students enrolled.