Published on the Dec. 11, 2015, DiagnosticImaging.com website
By Whitney L.J. Howell
Residency is an intense time in the career for any radiologist. There’s much to learn and practice. Finding ways to do it all well can be an intimidating task. And, doing so can be particularly challenging if you don’t get the right guidance.
At this year’s RSNA, Rachel Nelson, MD, senior radiology resident and former chief resident at the Medical University of South Carolina, had advice for how residents can best navigate – and maximize – their training.
“Residency is daunting and difficult from the moment you first walk through the door,” Nelson said. “You need to know the tools you can use and find the support along the way to make the four-to-six years go smoothly.”
• Foundation: When you begin residency, she said, focus on developing the skills you need that will help you with advanced learning as you progress.
• Anatomy: In many ways, radiology is applied anatomy. Learn what normal – and the variations of normal – look like so you can identify when something is wrong. Focus on understanding how normal outcomes present on each modality.
• Pathology: Once you’ve mastered anatomy, she said, move on to pathology and pathophysiology. It’s important for you to be able to recognize what condition or problem you’re dealing with so you can provide better information to referring physicians and surgeons. Understanding the pathology can also better position you to help the patient achieve his or her “new normal.”
• Physics: You don’t need to be a physics expert, Nelson said, but it’s a field that’s fundamental to radiology. Educate yourself on some of the basics, learn how an X-ray is made, and study the Compton Effect. Not only will this knowledge help you when you’re studying for your board exams, but it will also be useful as you begin working with more advanced modalities.
To read the remainder of the article at its original location: http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/rsna-2015/how-make-most-radiology-training
