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Editorial Volume 9 Issue 3
Radiology residency: are we heading in right direction
Pankaj Sharma
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Department of Radiodiagnosis, AIIMS Rishikeshm, India
Correspondence: Pankaj Sharma, Associate Professor, Department of Radiodiagnosis, AIIMS Rishikeshm, India, Tel +91 8439225566
Received: July 25, 2022 | Published: July 27, 2022
Citation: Sharma P. Radiology residency: are we heading in right direction. Int J Radiol Radiat Ther. 2022;9(3):81. DOI: 10.15406/ijrrt.2022.09.00327
Editorial
With plethora of Digital information available easily at click of a button, and with our Tech Savvy younger generation; Radiology teachers are facing unique challenge now a days. Radiology teachers had passed through an Era, where books and Senior Radiology colleagues were true friends of Radiology residents, and residents used to gain most information from there Seniors, or from books. In old era, residents used to read a standard textbook of Radiology from page to page, and many of us used to underline important lines, or highlight these important points with markers. Moreover, during Radiology Exit examination, residents were evaluated based on short and/or long questions in Theory papers, and spotters, short and long cases and table & grand viva in Practical Exit Examination.
But now, younger newer generation is facing unique challenges. Younger generation has now stopped reading standard textbooks of Radiology, and they now read only about a case or two on digital platform. They are able to crack most of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), as they are trained in solving these MCQ, right from days when they are doing MBBS. Also, their selection in Radiology Residency is through Entrance Exam having only MCQ questionnaire. Now, Radiology residents rarely interact with their Seniors, as they rely heavily on digital platform for getting requisite information.
In many Institutes, Exit Examination Theory paper is based either entirely only on short and/or long questions; or only on MCQ. MCQ pattern is ideal pattern for evaluation when we have to sort out only a few students from a large crowd of students, like selecting a few good students for a Radiology course, as this method of evaluation is unbiased and not subjective way of evaluation. However, if Theory Exit Examination is based only on MCQ, then students don’t read standard Radiology textbooks, and then they face a lot of difficulty during Exit Practical Examination. Moreover, students then have a tendency only to solve MCQ Question bank, without giving due importance to standard Radiology textbooks.
If Theory Exit Examination is based only on short and/or long questions, then students have a tendency to give undue importance to filing a lot of answer sheets, without actually giving importance to actual content. National Board of Examinations (NBE) has set a good example by starting setting Theory papers in such a way that residents no longer have to write long notes on a Radiology topic. Residents are now asked specific question on a Radiology topic like definition/etiopathogenesis/approach/management and residents are given mark only if resident answers that specific query. So, emphasis is more on actual content; instead of writing mug up things. Moreover, these questions give emphasis on actual application of learned concepts in Radiology. But, it will be ideal situation if we have mix of both MCQ and short questions (like asked in NBE examination) in Theory Exit Examination in India.
In Radiology Exit Practical Examination, it is high time to add Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) and Soft Skill assessment to our standard mode of assessment : Spotters, Short and Long cases, Table and Grand viva. In OSPE, we have opportunity to access residents practical skills in doing a Radiology examination like X Ray/Ultrasound/CT/MRI/Special Investigations. Soft skill assessment can be done by giving residents 2 or 3 clinical scenarios, and then giving opportunity to resident to write: how they will face/manage that scenario/situation. Then, only we will be able to access Radiology Residents completely, before we impart him/her a certificate to practice Radiology safely and independently.
Acknowledgments
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Conflicts of interest
None.
©2022 Sharma. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.