Prevalence of Novel Pedagogical Methods in the Radiology Education of Medical Students.

OBJECTIVES: Radiology education is essential in medical school; however, developing an integrated and comprehensive curriculum remains a challenge. Many novel methods have been implemented with varying outcomes. In this study, the authors sought to examine published pedagogical methods of radiology instruction and query US academic faculty members on their current use within radiology education. METHODS: A literature search for current and novel pedagogical methods of radiology instruction was performed and studies were assessed for positive educational outcomes. Educational approaches were grouped according to encountered themes. A survey was distributed to faculty members of the Alliance of Medical Student Educators in Radiology to ascertain the prevalence of these pedagogical methods in the radiology education of medical students. RESULTS: The following themes were encountered: supplemental instruction of anatomy and pathology; radiology-clinical correlation electives; flipped classrooms; hands-on and simulation training; peer-to-peer learning; e-learning; adaptive tutorials; and asynchronous learning. Of the survey respondents, 90% reported that their institution offers a formal radiology clerkship. The majority of respondents reported the use of flipped classrooms (70%) and e-learning (78%); however, few reported offering hands-on clinical experiences (31%) and simulation-based training (36%). Only 5% reported use of adaptive tutorials. CONCLUSIONS: In the review of the literature, a combination of hands-on, case-based, team-based, and didactic training, in addition to other forms of active learning within an integrated curriculum, was found to be highly effective and preferred by students and faculty. Virtual and in-person learning incorporating modern technology was found to either increase knowledge and skills or yield similar outcomes as traditional in-person instruction. These methods are currently heterogeneously used across the US medical schools represented by survey respondents, with utilization ranging from 5% to 78%.

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.

Forty-One Million RADPEER Reviews Later: What We Have Learned and Are Still Learning.

ACR RADPEER® is the leading method of radiologic peer review in the United States. The program has evolved since its inception in 2002 and was most recently updated in 2016. In 2018, a survey was sent to RADPEER participants to gauge the current state of the program and explore opportunities for continued improvement. A total of 26 questions were included, and more than 300 practices responded. In this report, the ACR RADPEER Committee authors summarize the survey results and discuss opportunities for future iterations of the RADPEER program.

Collaborative Learning in Radiology: From Peer Review to Peer Learning and Peer Coaching.

BACKGROUND: A Radiology Research Alliance Task Force was assembled in 2018 to review the literature on peer review and report on best practices for peer learning and peer coaching. FINDINGS: This report provides a historical perspective on peer review and the transition to peer collaborative learning and peer coaching. Most forms of current peer review have fulfilled regulatory requirements but have failed to significantly impact quality improvement or learning opportunities. Peer learning involves joint intellectual efforts by two or more individuals to study best practices and review error collaboratively. Peer coaching is a process in which individuals in a trusted environment work to expand, refine, and build new skills in order to facilitate self-directed learning and professional growth. We discuss the value in creating opportunities for peer learning and peer coaching. CONCLUSION: Peer collaborative learning combined with peer coaching provides opportunities for teams to learn and grow together, benefit from each other's expertise and experience, improve faculty morale, and provide more opportunities for collaborations between faculty.

Addressing Burnout in Radiologists.

Burnout is a global health problem affecting physicians across all medical specialties. Radiologists, in particular, experience high rates of burn out, and this trend has only continued to worsen. The "Promoting Health and Wellness for Radiologists Task Force of the Association of University Radiologists-Radiology Research Alliance" presents a review of the prevalence, causes, and impact of burnout among radiology faculty and trainees, and a discussion on strategies for overcoming burnout and promoting overall health and well-being among radiologists.

Multicenter Research Studies in Radiology.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Here we review the current state of multicenter radiology research (MRR), and utilize a survey of experienced researchers to identify common advantages, barriers, and resources to guide future investigators. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Association of University Radiologists established a Radiology Research Alliance task force, Multi-center Research Studies in Radiology, composed of 12 society members to review MRR. A REDCap survey was designed to gain more insight from experienced researchers. Recipients were authors identified from a PubMed database search, utilizing search terms "multicenter" or "multisite" and "radiology." The survey included investigator background information, reasons why, barriers to, and resources that investigators found helpful in conducting or participating in MRR. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 23 of 80 recipients (29%), the majority (76%) of whom served as a primary investigator on at least one MRR project. Respondents reported meeting collaborators at national or international (74%) and society (39%) meetings. The most common perceived advantages of MRR were increased sample size (100%) and improved generalizability (91%). External funding was considered the most significant barrier to MRR, reported by 26% of respondents. Institutional funding, setting up a central picture archiving and communication system, and setting up a central database were considered a significant barrier by 30%, 22%, and 22% of respondents, respectively. Resources for overcoming barriers included motivated staff (74%), strong leadership (70%), regular conference calls (57%), and at least one face-to-face meeting (57%). CONCLUSIONS: Barriers to MRR include funding and establishing a central database and a picture archiving and communication system. Upon embarking on an MRR project, forming a motivated team who meets and speaks regularly is essential.

ACR RADPEER Committee White Paper with 2016 Updates: Revised Scoring System, New Classifications, Self-Review, and Subspecialized Reports.

The ACR's RADPEER program is currently the leading method for peer review in the United States. To date, more than 18,000 radiologists and more than 1,100 groups participate in the program. The ABR accepted RADPEER as a practice quality improvement in 2009, which can be applied toward maintenance of certification; there are currently over 2,200 practice quality improvement participants. There have been ongoing deliberations regarding the utility of RADPEER, its goals, and its scoring system since the preceding 2009 white paper. This white paper reviews the history and evolution of RADPEER and eRADPEER, the 2016 ACR Peer Review Committee's discussions, the updated recommended scoring system and lexicon for RADPEER, and updates to eRADPEER including the study type, age, and discrepancy classifications. The central goal of RADPEER to aid in nonpunitive peer learning is discussed.

Clinical Decision Support at the Point-of-Order Entry: An Education Simulation Pilot with Medical Students.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: We have been called to reform radiology undergraduate medical education (UME) curricula. Clinically available clinical decision support provides an opportunity to improve education regarding appropriate imaging utilization, patient safety, and cost-effective care. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We created an education simulation portal utilizing integrated clinical decision support. The portal was then piloted with 34 volunteer medical students at our institution in a blended learning environment. A program assessment was performed utilizing the results from a qualitative survey, pre-test, and post-test. RESULTS: The large majority of medical students felt this supplemental education resource should be included in our UME curriculum (85.29%). All students perceived value in the education simulation portal. The students performed significantly better on the post-test in multiple categories (overall P <.0001), including Choosing Wisely topics (P = .0207). CONCLUSIONS: Based on our program assessment from this pilot program, we believe this innovative educational resource has significant potential to fill curricular gaps in radiology UME curricula. This platform is scalable and can be further customized to fill needs across the continuum of medical education.