Women in leadership matters: Achieving diversity in radiology residency recruitment.

Rationale And Objectives: To assess whether academic radiology departments and residency programs with efforts toward supporting and augmenting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are associated with a higher proportion of residents from diverse backgrounds.

Materials And Methods: Program Directors within the Radiology Residency Education Research Alliance were surveyed to gather information about program characteristics, incorporation of diversity in resident recruitment, the sponsoring department's commitment to efforts at expanding diversity, and a summary of their current and past residents, staff and faculty members (academic years 2020 and 2023) with respect to a list of diversity characteristics.

Results: Survey response rate was 51 %.

Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Education in Radiology: Multi-institutional Survey of Radiology Residents in the United States.

Rationale And Objectives: To evaluate radiology residents' perspectives regarding inclusion of artificial intelligence/ machine learning (AI/ML) education in the residency curriculum.

Materials And Methods: An online anonymous survey was sent to 759 residents at 21 US radiology residency programs. Resident demographics, sub-specialty interests, educational background and research experiences, as well as the awareness, availability, and usefulness of various resources for AI/ML education were collected.

Maintenance of Certification in Radiology: Eliciting Radiologist Preferences Using a Discrete Choice Experiment.

Objective: To quantitatively assess radiologists' preferences for Maintenance of Certification (MOC) and Continuing Certification (CC) using a survey of attitudes and perceptions.

Methods: A questionnaire that assessed attitudes and perceptions and included a discrete choice or trade-off task was developed by ACR staff in conjunction with an independent market research agency and the Survey Subcommittee of the ACR Task Force on Certification in Radiology. The trade-off exercise was integrated into this methodology to better understand the underlying utilities or preferences of the components of MOC-CC among respondents and to better enable specific recommendations on how to optimize the current program.

For the Birds: Radiology Parallels, Finding Wellness, and Lessons Learned in Birding.

The popularity of birding has grown substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic. As an activity that can be performed year-round with social distancing in virtually any location, birding shares a striking resemblance to the practice of radiology - so much so that we feel it represents a unique wellness activity that may greatly appeal to radiologists. In this paper, we describe commonalities between birding and radiology, hopefully inspiring readers to get outdoors and commune with nature in this restorative wellness activity.

Should Radiology Residency Interviews Remain Virtual? Results of a Multi-institutional Survey Inform the Debate.

Rationale And Objectives: The recent completion of the inaugural virtual interview season has triggered calls for the permanency of virtual interviews in the radiology resident selection process. We designed a study to assess the inaugural 2020-2021 virtual interview season and inform the anticipated debate on the future of radiology residency interviews.

Materials And Methods: Forty-four and 39-question survey instruments developed for program directors (PDs) and applicants, respectively, were distributed through the Radiology Residency Education Research Alliance to measure the demographics, experiences with technology, attitudes toward the virtual interview season and attitudes about proposed changes to the interview process.

Can the use of deception be justified in medical education research? A point/counterpoint and case study.

Deception is a common feature of behavioral research design, although not commonly employed in the medical literature. It can promote scientific validity but is ethically controversial because it compromises subject autonomy and incurs additional costs.  In this Point/Counterpoint monograph, we review the nature of deception in research and present arguments for and against its ethical use as a research methodology in behavioral studies.

Pediatric Program Directors Should Have an Active Presence on Twitter.

For academic pediatricians, social media has become an important avenue for professional development through continuing education, professional networking, and academic collaboration. Pediatric residency program directors have recognized additional benefits of social media engagement via program promotion and resident recruitment. The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and subsequent move to virtual interviews for the 2020-2021 residency interview season have created a new urgency for pediatric program directors to establish an active social media presence, primarily as a means to engage applicants and provide them with information in lieu of cancelled away rotations and in-person interviews.

USMLE Step 3 Scores Have Value in Predicting ABR Core Examination Outcome and Performance: A Multi-institutional Study.

Rationale And Objectives: We analyzed multi-institutional data to determine if Step 3 performance tiers can identify radiology residents with increased risk of Core examination failure and submean performance.

Materials And Methods: We collected Step 3 scores (USMLE Step 3 or COMLEX Level 3) and American Board of Radiology (ABR) Core examination outcomes and scores for anonymized residents from 13 different Diagnostic Radiology residency programs taking the ABR Core examination between 2013 and 2019. Step 3 scores were converted to percentiles based on Z-score, with Core outcome and performance analyzed for Step 3 groups based on 50th percentile and based on quintiles.

COVID-19 Impact on Well-Being and Education in Radiology Residencies: A Survey of the Association of Program Directors in Radiology.

Rationale And Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced rapid evolution of the healthcare environment. Efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus through social distancing and shelter-at-home edicts have unintended consequences upon clinical and educational missions and mental well-being of radiology departments. We sought to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on radiology residencies with respect to the educational mission and perceptions of impact on well-being.

The Relationship Between ACR Diagnostic Radiology In-Training Examination Scores and ABR Core Examination Outcome and Performance: A Multi-Institutional Study.

Purpose: We analyzed multi-institutional data to understand the relationship of ACR Diagnostic Radiology In-Training Examination (DXIT) scores to ABR Core examination performance.

Methods: We collected DXIT rank scores and ABR Core examination outcomes and scores for anonymized residents from 12 different diagnostic radiology residency programs taking the ABR Core examination between 2013 and 2019. DXIT scores were grouped into quintiles based on rank score for residency year 1 (R1), residency year 2 (R2), and residency year 3 (R3) residents.

An Institutional Academic and Research Track Curriculum for Radiology Residents: Development, Implementation, and Outcomes Assessment at 6 Years.

Rationale And Objectives: We report the creation of a voluntary research development curriculum for radiology residents at our institution, detailing outcomes after 6 years of existence.

Materials And Methods: We developed a comprehensive Academic and Research Track (ART) curriculum for radiology residents in our department, including mentorship, monthly meetings, didactic curriculum, ongoing evaluation/feedback, protected academic time, and financial support. A literature review identified all indexed publications for our residency graduates from 6 years pre- (2007-2012) to 6 years post-ART (2013-2018) intervention.

The Relationship Between US Medical Licensing Examination Step Scores and ABR Core Examination Outcome and Performance: A Multi-institutional Study.

Purpose: We analyzed multi-institutional data to understand the relationship of US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step scores to ABR Core examination performance to identify Step score tiers that stratify radiology residents into different Core performance groups.

Methods: We collected USMLE Step scores and ABR Core examination outcomes and scores for anonymized residents from 13 different diagnostic radiology residency programs taking the ABR Core examination between 2013 and 2019. USMLE scores were grouped into noniles using z scores and then aggregated into three tiers based on similar Core examination pass-or-fail outcomes.