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How To Do Remote Learning The Right Way

remote learning

Not all programs are alike. Some have advanced IT departments that will create whatever materials the faculty wants. Others have barely entered the digital era. Regardless of how far along the curve your program or hospital sits, we’ve all been thrust into this brave new world, now that residency programs and radiologists demand social distancing.   So, let’s look at the requirements that remote learning tools should satisfy to be successful.

If you are looking to apply to programs, ask whether the residency has these tools. Or, if you are a resident or faculty member in a residency program, try to push the residency to get them. Residencies that do not have most of these remote learning tools are way behind the times!

What Do Programs Need  For A Successful Remote Environment?

HIPAA Compliant Online Meeting Places

As much as I am a fan of Zoom, it  does not allow for safe discussions about sensitive subjects. Just take a look at this Forbes article from the end of April 2020. We certainly cannot entrust private conversations about patient cases in this environment. Residents and attendings alike need to discuss patients in a setting where they don’t have to worry about hackers entering a meeting. If your hospital or imaging center insists on your radiologists using Zoom or other insecure remote viewing tools to look at patient images and information, it can put the patients and radiologists at risk.

Remote Application With Ease Of Use

What good is a remote tool if it takes you 2 hours to get on the network? We need to be able to reach our intended colleagues and fellow residents rapidly. Sitting in front of a computer and waiting a half hour to get past the initial page is not acceptable. All the remote tools must be quick  use for anyone to logon.

Also, remote access tools need to be turnkey. We should be able to rapidly learn how to use them and have our colleagues respond accordingly. Moreover, hospitals should have networks to enable easy access to these resources.

Attendings and residents alike should use these online tools to go over cases and procedures together. Any faculty member or resident should contact each other with them at any time during the workday for learning.

Online Radiology Library

We are no longer in an era where we should need to have one resident wait for someone else to finish reading a radiology text from the library. All residents should have immediate access to both standard textbooks and relevant radiological periodicals online. Any hospital that does not allow for this needs to get with the times. A well-read resident should have all the reading materials that she needs.

Remote Noon Conferences/Scheduling

In addition to HIPAA compliant meeting places, all residencies should have their attendings ready to give noon conferences on the remote access tools. And, that implies all faculty members that provide lectures. It is no longer acceptable to have lecturers unable to give a noon conference because they do not know how to access or utilize the remote meeting applications.

Remote Attendance/Check-ins

Many programs have their residents digitally check-in in the morning or at the start of a noon conference to document that they have attended. Additionally, programs should have the online logs of cases that residents have performed or watched, not just for the six-month resident evaluations, but also for the program itself. This documentation helps with compliance to show that the residents have completed the appropriate requirements of residency. If public schools throughout the country can utilize remote attendance, radiology programs can undoubtedly do the same!

Acceptance Of The Remote Learning Environment

Finally, and probably most critically, all programs need to create a culture where we embed these tools into the fabric of the daily work. All attendings and residents alike should feel comfortable using these remote learning tools. And, they should make use of them whenever possible. There should be no excuses as to why the players within a residency program can’t work with the remote learning tools!

Remote Learning: The Way Of The World

Remote learning is no longer just a fancy accoutrement or add-on to a residency program. It has become a requirement that all residencies should  satisfy to maintain the health and welfare of the residents and faculty alike. These factors should be the bare minimum for a successful residency experience. My advice: make sure your program takes remote learning seriously. It is a necessity for radiology learning today!

 

 

 

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Get Back To Work Now, Will You!

work

Many of us have experienced a recent hiatus from our regular radiology activities related to decreasing imaging volumes. It has been not uncommon to work one, two, or more days less per week than before. Although you may not have wanted this pathway to less work, it has had some positive effects. We have more time at home. Many of you have restarted long begone projects unrelated to the radiology world. Others have begun to re-experience their family life after years of being pulled this way or that.

But now, if your practice or hospital is anything like mine, we have begun increasing our workload. For some, this may be a bitter pill to swallow. We have experienced a taste of an alternative life, the life we could have had if we had an alternate career, or have worked part-time. And, I have a sneaking suspicion that for some radiologists out there, this change may eventually become permanent. But, most of us want to get back into the swing of things. How can we get back to a more regular working existence in radiology after such a long break in the action? Here are some suggestions.

Remember Why You Went Into The Field

Most of us, residents and attendings alike, can think of a time that we made a finding or came up with a differential diagnosis that changed a patient’s life. Or maybe, you can remember a time when you put that stent into a patient’s leg, and the patient could walk without pain afterward. Picture how these moments felt. Think about how they had attracted you to the field of radiology.

Find Some Great Cases And Discuss With Colleagues

Maybe we are no longer on top of one another in the reading room. But, there is always room to pick up an unusual case and share it with some of your colleagues, residents, and attendings. Nothing sparks more interest in the field than a great imaging dilemma with twists and turns.

Read About Areas That Interest You

It’s not an unreasonable time to start picking up a book or two to learn a new area in radiology that you have not studied recently. Or, brush up on some other topic areas that interest you. As we start to become busier again, you will become more versatile. And, you may save time in the long run. Moreover, learning something new can rekindle your interests in radiology.

Teach Others

Although you may not have the option to do close one-on-one teaching at the same reading station nowadays, there are many opportunities to teach others. It could be remote, on the phone, or across the room. Regardless of the method, get involved. I can think of no better way of sparking interest in yourself and others.

The Hiatus Is Over. Get Back To Work!

It’s time to start up again. And, we need to get our heads back in the game. Make the most of the time you currently have. Whether it is reminiscing about our greatness, going over fascinating cases with others, learning about new areas in our field, or imparting our knowledge, we all need to latch on to those aspects of our field that we enjoy. It is mission-critical to be excited and mentally prepared to get back to a full day’s worth of work once again!

 

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How To Prepare For Radiology Residency, Starting In High School!

high school

Question From High School Student

Hello!
I’m a 14-year-old 9th-grade student, very interested in becoming a radiologist! I’m aware that this is more of a university-level website, but would you, by any chance, be able to give some tips on courses you recommend and what to do in high school to help me to get accepted to medical school. Also, what courses will allow me to do well there?

Thank you so much for your time!
Young But Interested In Radiology

Answer/Advice

Glad to hear that you are enjoying radsresident.com. It’s never too early to start thinking about your career options in life! So, I will give a few of my recommendations to you. First of all, of course, you will need to perform very well in school in all your classes. But, if you are writing this email to me, I have a sneaking suspicion that you are doing that already! You have a slightly better chance of getting into medical school from some of the name brand colleges. However, we get lots of applicants from smaller schools as well. So, if you don’t get into Man’s Greatest University, all is not over. Doing well in your college classes is even more important than high school, regardless of which school you attend.

So, what types of courses are best? I don’t think it matters that much at any stage of the game, except to ensure that you meet the typical medical school requirements- Bio, chemistry, physics, etc. Schools like to see that you have varied interests.

Forgetting about grades and courses, what else should you do? Do a few extracurricular activities that you like and do them well. What do I mean by that? If you love music and you are good at it, take it to a high level. Play for All-State band or at other performance venues. If you are an athlete and like baseball, do it well. Play for college sports and work hard. Or, if you are into student government, make sure that you start small in your school and eventually become proactive in national organizations. Regardless of what you do, please do your best, and do it to its utmost. Don’t be one of those folks that do two hundred different things, is not that interested in any of them, and performs them only superficially. Too many applicants get caught in this trap.

Those folks that get into medical school, ironically, have other interests other than medicine. It’s what admissions counselors like to call the “well-rounded” applicant. So, make sure to enjoy and participate in other activities other than school. And do them to their fullest extent. I would shoot for these goals, not just in radiology, but in whatever goals you decide to pursue.

My two cents,
Barry Julius, MD

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Online Interviews: A Waste Of Time Or An Effective Screening Tool?

online interviews

We are not the first. Many industries have been using online interviews for candidate screening for a while now. Yet, we, in the medical field, have shunned using these technologies for resident interviews for years. As physicians, we have felt the interpersonal connection of a live in-person interview was critical for candidate selection. Now, for the first time this year, the pandemic will force radiology residencies, like all other medical subspecialty training programs, to follow suit.

But, what do we gain and what do we lose by ending the in-person interview process? Are residencies going to recruit a higher percentage of unprofessional or incompetent residents? Or, are we going to discover that the format of the interview matters less than we ever thought in the first place? Lots of questions remain up in the air for this year. So, let’s talk about some of these issues by discussing some of the benefits and disadvantages of the online interview process. Then, we will end off by coming up with some hints for prospective interviewers and predictions for this interview season.

Advantages Of Online Interviews

Saves Tons of Cash

Fourth-year medical students are some of the most debt-laden medical professionals out there. By this time, many have accrued hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. In the past, programs expected them to shell out umpteen more dollars to attend an interview. No longer. Save on your travel and interview expenses, rapidly adding up to thousands of dollars.

Time Savings

All that time that went into travel before, now you can use it for other purposes. Whether you desire to catch up on Netflix  or study a bit more for exams, additional “me” time is always useful.

“Decreased Pressure” For The Interview Candidates

Indeed, in previous years, live in-person interview situations were a bit more nerve-racking. Of course, with the new online changes, lack of this direct pressure can lead to false comfort levels in the online setting. However, there will be no more sitting and chatting with colleagues in the seats next to you, drumming up your anxieties before your interview!

Disadvantages Of Online Interviews

More Difficult To Get A Feel For The Program

Residency directors and chief residents will now have a tighter grip on the interview process. They will be able to show you more what they want you to see- no more wandering around the premises to figure out what happens in the hospital. You will only get online tours, carefully curated to ignore all the negatives. Moreover, you won’t get a chance to talk to that disgruntled resident in the corner. It will make it that much more challenging to make a final choice!

Also, you will miss meeting anyone in the program, not on the Zoom meeting. These include other physicians, residents, program coordinators, technologists, and more. From my experience, critical staff such as these can also make your residency a delight or a misery.

Harder For Programs To Get At The Real Candidate

The longer you stay in an interview situation, the more likely your real personality will shine. If you get bored quickly and are at the live program director’s lecture, you are much more likely to start using your cellphone. Now, with only a few online interviews for 15 minutes apiece, it will be easier to maintain your cool without lapsing. And, you can have the program director only see what you want! But on the other end for the interviewers, it will be harder to catch the nuances of both candidate and program director personalities alike. That sidewards glance or frown can be much more difficult to detect in a Zoom meeting. Or, we can no longer detect an unkempt smell. It is just not the same. Programs may not get what they bargained for when they match prospective candidates for the following year.

So What Should You Do To Make Online Interviews Worthwhile? (Hints For Online Interviewers)

You need to treat the interview as you would if you were going to an on-site interview. Maintain the same dignity and decorum as you have otherwise. A lapse in judgment or the wrong statement can throw a wrench in the process just as it would have done in years past. By that same token, I would recommend you take a look at some of my previous blogs on this subject, such as Ten Ways To Sabotage Your Radiology Interview and How Important Is My Radiology Interview, Really?  And don’t wear a fancy top or suit and forget to wear pants even though you are online. You never know. You may accidentally stand up and show your briefs!

Predictions For This Interview Season. Will These New Radiology Residents Be Better Or Worse?

In general, interviews are sometimes helpful to weed out candidates that don’t fit the mold of a particular residency. For the most part, I believe that these online interviews will mostly give the same information about candidates as in years past. Candidates will usually put on their best airs regardless of the interview forum.

However, this year, we may see a candidate or two slip through the cracks that would not have made it past the interview process in the past. We may miss some subtle hints, more evident in an in-person forum. But, I believe this to be a very, very small percentage of the total candidate pool. Most likely, this will be hearsay and conjecture anyway, because it is complicated to measure the quality of the candidates in any given year to the previous ones. Nevertheless, I will wait and see this year’s results. The truth will eventually come out!

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Will There Be A Mass Exodus Of Radiologists From The Cities?

mass exodus

Look through the newspapers, and you will most likely find articles espousing a mass exodus of urban residents moving to less crowded communities during the pandemic. And at first glance, it makes some sense. Local governments have banned bars, movies, exercise facilities, and more in the Covid era. Moreover, there are always close quarters, more prevalent in a city, which increase the risk of disease spread in the pandemic. So, why would anyone want to move to the city when finishing residency? It makes you think that new radiologists will permanently shun the cities.

But, are there other factors that may influence radiologists to choose a location to work over the coming years? Are they increasingly going to opt for a more simple life in rural America over the years to come? Let’s go through the motivations for young radiologists to stay or leave the urban landscape. Then, we will decide how it will all play out in the end.

Reasons For A Mass Exodus Of Radiologists From The Cities

Increased Fear of Close Interactions

Knowing that a highly infectious and potentially lethal disease can spread by respiratory droplets, definitely changes how you think about taking the subway, walking the streets, and assembling with groups of friends. But will it stick over the long run? We will see a slight shift in how we feel about living in the cities for years to come.

More Difficulties Raising A Family

All the challenges of living multiply in a large urban center when you have children as well. Imagine the issues that urban families face when they have to find day-care, nannies, and school with the added problems of a pandemic at hand. Of course, this factor will most certainly lessen the charms of living in a large city.

Culture Shifts

We learn many of our habits, wants, and “needs” from our colleagues and friends. The mere suggestion of your friends hinting that they no longer wish to live in a city to work can influence your choices of where you will want to settle down. So, new residents will more apt to move where their colleagues also want to go. This attitude can also persist over a long time.

Reasons For Radiologists To Stay

Pay

Typically, when you are on the side of an employer, the harder it becomes to find employees, the more you need to pay to get excellent workers. Theoretically, for this reason, you may begin to see better jobs and higher incomes in the city than before. Of course, with the massive student debt burdens, this can somewhat counteract the perceived threats of urban living in the Covid era.

Housing Costs

With a shift of young adults moving to the suburbs and the more rural areas, you will decrease rental and, eventually, housing prices. If you reduce one of the most significant expenses that young families have when they start, you make it more attractive to the new employees, such as radiologists. Cities may become more attractive in this sense.

The Wild Card

Historically speaking, people have a short term memory when it comes to disasters. Look at the population of Manhattan after the twin towers fell. It didn’t take long for the citizens of New York to want to return to urban living. Or, look at the population of Nagasaki in Japan. At the time of the nuclear bomb, the number of residents was 263,000. Yet, today it has almost doubled at over 513,000. Finally, take the populations of most cities before and after the 1918 pandemic. Most recovered. So, the temporary cultural shifts that have occurred with previous disasters do not necessarily cause long term population shifts.

So, Will There Be A Mass Exodus From The Cities?

Well, it is true. Young radiologists will present with unique challenges if they choose to stick around in the cities for the next year or two. Additionally, pay, and housing costs will take some time to catch up to the new marketplace. So, some new radiologists will opt to live in more rural areas than would have previously.

But, this attitude will not last forever. The economics will eventually catch up. And, the culture will shift, once a vaccine becomes widely available. Based on these factors and history, radiologists will soon forget about the hazards of city life. So, don’t expect to see the competition for rural jobs to increase that much. The long term trends do not favor a seismic shift in deciding where to work and live. Logic dictates that you need to take reactive newspaper articles exclaiming a permanent mass exodus from the cities with a grain of salt!

 

 

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The Best Radiology Subspecialties To Retire Early!

retire early

For some residents and radiologists, radiology is a calling. And, for those folks, retirement is the last thought on your mind. But, for others, it is just a job. And I get both points of view. But, regardless of which camp you are in, many of us have other hobbies and second careers that we would like to accomplish before it is too late. And, radiology has been an excellent medical specialty so that you can retire early.

So, let’s try to figure out from two different perspectives, early partial retirement or full retirement, which subspecialties within radiology are the best. Why? Although it is possible to partially or fully retire from any radiology subspecialty, certain ones lend themselves to early partial or full retirement more than others. And, many of you are trying to figure out which specialty to choose for your future career. So, after hours of deliberation, let me give you my clear winners in both departments. If you are on the fence, maybe, I can sway you in one direction or the other!

Best Radiology Subspecialty For Early Partial Retirement

So, you are considering coming into work two to three days a week later on in your career. And, you still like practicing radiology. It might not be so bad to have four or five day weekends every week, right? Here is the specialty I chose that is most conducive to this path and why.

General Radiology/Body Imaging

I believe there is one clear winner for this category. If you had to pick one subspecialty that would most likely keep you in the game, even at an older age, it would have to be general radiology/body imaging. And, this choice may be in contrast to what others may tell you. But, radiologists that are general imagers tend to have the most extensive array of experiences and training. So, this training allows them to continue practicing radiology at a high level, even at a ripe old age. And, you are less likely to become an anachronism when you have many skills. If one imaging modality goes out of style(i.e., pnemocephalography!), you have many others to bank on.

Best Radiology Subspecialty for Early Full Retirement

In this pathway, the goal is to make as much money as quickly as possible. Then, you can pack it away so that you can do whatever else you want at a spry young age! Here is the subspecialty I believe is most favorable to this track.

Neurointerventional Radiology

Sure, this field can be a pressure cooker. And, it is not for the faint of heart. Clinicians will wake you up late at night to perform critical procedures on their patients. However, you are more likely to command top dollar for your services when you are actively practicing. And, while in practice, you will become difficult to replace. Of course, this will allow you to take that money and funnel it into retirement as soon as possible!

To Retire Early Isn’t Everything!

Now, most of you are going into radiology, not to retire early, but to have an exciting and fruitful career. However, it is nice to know that if you tire from the day-to-day work, and want something else out of life, you can. So, go into a particular subspecialty not to retire, but for what interests you the most. And, if you are not sure which subspecialty to pick, maybe these ideas will persuade you!

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How To Decrease Radiologist Hospital Presence Without Jeopardizing Care

jeopardizing care

For years, the mantra of quality radiology groups was to provide excellent service. And that would involve establishing a presence at all times. But, like many other former tenets of radiology practices, Covid has been turning over many assumptions about our work. Now that we have a situation where physical presence in the hospital can jeopardize radiologist safety, radiology groups have been decreasing their in-hospital staffing. However, potentially reducing staffing can increase patient barriers to quality care. So this begs the question, how are radiologists replacing physical presence in the radiology department without jeopardizing care? I am going to talk about how many groups are going about this process. Then, let’s discuss the reasons why some radiologists will always still need to remain on-site. Finally, we will use a crystal ball and decide where this is all heading.

Ways Radiologists Are Decreasing Physical Presence Without Jeopardizing Care

Less Physical Patient Facetime And More Apple Facetime!

Interventionalists and mammographers, if they haven’t already, will followup patients without an on-site visit. We see even more utilization of online communications via Zoom, Google Meet, Facetime, and whatever other technology rears its head. It also enables radiologists to maintain efficiency and have office hours between reading films at home.

Increased Ordering Of Hands-off Testing

We are noticing an increase in those tests that do not involve a radiologist presence. For instance, if a mammographer cannot be on the site to see patients, instead of a hands-on ultrasound for a positive mammographic finding, he may recommend a breast MRI. Or, radiologists will be more apt to followup findings when they may have suggested a physical procedure such as a biopsy in the past. All these changes are presently occurring below the surface, but they are happening.

Replacing In-Person Interaction With Referring Clinicians

Since the advent of PACS, most radiologists have already noticed a steady decline in direct physical interactions with their clinicians. Surgeons and internal medicine physicians come down much less frequently to review films than ever. And, today’s pandemic is further catalyzing this change. We are seeing even fewer of our colleagues and having more phone interactions than ever before. Even extracurricular activities with our fellow physicians are decreasing. Hospital meetings are becoming online.

More Tech Issues Resolved Remotely

Many radiologists are increasing the physical barriers between the technologist and the radiologist. In the past, radiologists would often ask a question from their technologist, and she would stop by. No longer. Radiologists are tackling these same issues with a phone call or a text. It has become less feasible to have that direct physical technologist interaction.

More Remote Teaching For Residents

And, finally, training is not immune to the Covid world. Already, online seminars have replaced in-house lectures at most training programs throughout the country.  And, I would not expect that to go back to the traditional in-person norm entirely. It becomes more accessible than ever before to teach from a remote site.

So, What’s Left For The Radiologist To Do At The Hospital?

Alright, even with all these factors allowing radiologists to practice off-site, some radiologists must remain as a physical presence in the hospital. Of course, some procedures will always involve a human being. Administration of radioactive treatments, interventional procedures, and emergency coverage for contrast injections will continue to require a radiologist on-site. But, compared to all the roles a radiologist can perform off-site, it is indeed limited. Don’t expect to see as many radiologists sticking around the treatment facilities as they did before. Many practices have reduced their on-site staffing by as much as 30-70% during this crisis.

How Will Radiologist’s Presence At The Hospital Ultimately Evolve?

Many changes are currently in motion, making it even easier to perform more activities outside the confines of a typical hospital or imaging center without jeopardizing care. And, facetime, ordering preference changes, and other remote capabilities are some ways that radiologists have been decreasing physical presence at primary sites. In time, we may begin to see some return of radiologists back to the hospital as the risks to radiologists dwindle. Nevertheless, don’t expect radiologists to return to the same complement on-site after the dust settles as the tools for remote patient care have developed. When culture changes, even temporarily, some of it always sticks. Radiologists are by no means immune!

 

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Colleague Recommendation: Can I Use It?

colleague's recommendations

Colleague Recommendation Question

 

Dear Dr. Julius,
Thank you for your tutelage via your blogs. Thank you for all that you do. It is truly inspiring and also hard work to maintain a (very current) blog despite your busy schedule!

I am a Canadian IMG (which counts as a foreign IMG), and I’d like to apply to Radiology in the States. I am currently M3 and doing my core rotations in the US. My step1 score was only 215, NOT stellar. My only redeeming quality is that I had worked in radiology for ten years before I entered medical school, and I was department head for three years. My question is: If I get a Letter of Rec. (LOR) from a Canadian radiologist with whom I’ve worked, would that be a faux-pas? Instead, I would much rather send out a LOR from a referee who has known me and seen me work for 4-5 years than a LOR from a 4-week elective rotation. Given ERAS takes up to 4 letters, do you recommend I include a Canadian letter from a Canadian radiologist who has known me well?

Oh, and if the score of 215 is too low, then forget all that I’ve asked above (haha), but I heard they are doing away with Step1 scores in 2022, and that is when I will be matching!
Thank you!

Answer:

I appreciate the kind words! But, in terms of your questions about which radiology recommendations to choose, I think that a colleague reference from someone who knows you well from work can be an effective letter of recommendation if she writes it well. Who better to see your work ethic than those with which you work?  There is no harm in doing so. You are in a much different situation than a medical student or resident who receives another reference from a colleague of the same level. In those instances, how could a fellow trainee honestly evaluate you? Usually, getting a recommendation like those would be a faux pas. (But that does not apply to you!)

Remember, all letters of recommendation have a bias. So, having one letter with a bias toward you from your former job makes sense. Also, as you mentioned, I would send this in addition to the letters that you would typically get for ERAS. It should not be your only stand-alone recommendation.

In terms of scores, make sure that you try to do well on Step II instead. They will be using this score for assessment of your test-taking skills instead of Step I when Step I board scores are no longer used in 2022.

Hope that helps,
Barry Julius, MD

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Considering An MBA: When Is The Right Time?

MBA

Recently, one of my residents asked an excellent question about both whether to pursue an MBA and the timing of getting one. And, I have a sneaking suspicion that many other radiology residents and radiologists have been taking an interest in starting MBAs with all that has been happening in healthcare lately. So, let’s talk about how and why an MBA can be useful. And, then we’ll talk a bit about the timing and the advantages/disadvantages of each.

Why Get An MBA?

First of all, how can an MBA help a radiologist’s career? Well, if you think about it, radiologists have so many years of training (counting college, we are talking typically 14 years of post-high school education)! But, in the entire 14 years of schooling, many radiologists have not had a lick of financial or management training whatsoever. Hell, I know of a few radiologists that can barely balance their budget! Additionally, many of these folks aspire to practice outside the typical clinical confines of radiology. Some may want to take up hospital or practice administration.

Then, when you look you check out the literature on those hospitals that are most successful, you will find that physicians typically run these health care enterprises. So, an MBA may be of great benefit to those of you who want to take this pathway. Take a look at these links supporting these claims here:

https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2018/08/5-reasons-you-should-put-physicians-in-charge-of-hospitals.html 
https://hbr.org/2016/12/why-the-best-hospitals-are-managed-by-doctors

So, if you want to run a tight ship and get into hospital administration, you, as a radiologist or radiologist-in-training, are well-positioned to be successful with the right financial/management education. And, for those of you in this boat, an MBA can make a lot of sense. Just make sure that you are doing it for the right reasons. At some point, the current pandemic will end, and we will return to a state of more normalcy. Don’t make your decision to choose an MBA only on the current poor radiologist job market!

MBA Before, During, Or After Fellowship?

So, all of this talk begs the question, when should you get an MBA? This part of the equation is a bit harder to answer, but I will give you my thoughts about the advantages/disadvantages of each.

Before Fellowship?

I like to consider this pathway, the path of least resistance. By far, logistically speaking, it is the easiest route to take. You are already training in medical school, and many programs offer MD/MBA pathways during their stay. What’s another year of education when you are already paying for your training, right?

However, I have witnessed many residents having pursued this extra degree before entering our program. And, a good chunk of these folks has no interest in utilizing their education toward the goal of healthcare management and practice finance. Although some may take a few nuggets from their MBA training with them into practice, the return on investment can be small.  Why? Because they never created an action plan on how to use this degree.  An MBA is only worth the time and money if you know what to do with it. And, herein lies the most significant disadvantage of completing an MBA early on in your training.

Instead Of A Fellowship

Out of all the ways you can complete an MBA, this pathway is the rarest. And I don’t know any radiologists in my program who have completed an MBA instead of a fellowship. For most of you, it is a difficult time to complete an MBA. First of all, your accumulated debt upon graduating residency often feels like a gazillion dollars. Then, of course, most of you are ready to embark on your career as a radiologist after all the training that you have completed.

In terms of timing, if you did not have to worry about money or the time it takes to complete while having to pay loans, it may make some sense. By this point, you have a better idea of your career goals. And, you can better focus on the goals that you want to achieve when you complete your MBA. However, many of you, by this time, still have not had the working experience to utilize your MBA teachings fully.

After Fellowship

Finally, in terms of convenience, completing an MBA while working is probably the most disruptive. Now, many of you have families and lifestyles that are less conducive to completing another degree. But there are courses and university programs that are willing to work within the confines of your life. These programs are often called executive MBAs and allow you to finish the degree while working. I know of several radiologists that have taken this pathway. Of course, you can also opt for a more traditional 2-year degree.

For those of you that complete an MBA after your fellowship, you most likely have a laser-focused reason for completing an MBA. Maybe, you know that the leadership of your practice may need a new change and wants someone with business experience. Or, perhaps you want to begin working for hospital administration at an available position. At this point, an MBA is usually the most meaningful since you most likely have a targeted application for the degree.

Considering A Business Degree? Taking It All Into Consideration

Well, for those of you mulling the MBA route, all this information is a lot to think about. But think of the MBA as a tool. If you utilize your degree for the right reasons, it can pay off “big-time.” It will allow you to pursue your selected area and have the knowledge to do so. On the other hand, a poorly thought out mission to complete this degree can lead to becoming cash poor with little to show for it. So, be careful choosing this pathway and when you decide to pursue this degree. And, don’t let the Covid pandemic be your only guide!

 

 

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Not A Good Test Taker! Can I Make It Through Radiology Residency?

test taker

Question:

Current radiology resident, just finishing up the intern year, with concerns whether I’m cut out for this. I was a miracle match: Low MCAT scores. Pretty much barely passed all shelf exams. I’m not a good test taker.

Am I smart enough to be doing this, or am I kidding myself? If I fail this crazy 80% pass rate core exam, will they fire me? And then what will I do?

Any advice, uplifting stories, anything would be appreciated. Should I transfer out now? Or, should I stick it out and see if I can pull out another miracle? I don’t want to ruin my life here.

Help!

 

Answer:

First of all, you need to separate the following two issues, being a good radiologist and being a good test taker. I know of excellent radiologists who have had to take the core exam or the oral boards with multiple attempts to pass. So, don’t confuse taking tests with being “smart.” It is an entirely distinct skill from working as a radiologist. Moreover, don’t count yourself out. You may find that you are a better test taker than you think when you study material that is more relevant to your future career. You never know; maybe you’ll even pass on the first attempt.

 

Also, no program should fire you for failing a core examination if you are a good resident. Residencies should be looking at other characteristics other than the core exam and test-taking skills to assess their residents. If you do well in your residency, it should go noticed by your program directors and faculty regardless of your testing scores. No one test will ever be the judge of your abilities. And, if needed, you can retake the exam until you finally pass.

 

Finally, I don’t think you need another miracle. You have already accomplished a challenging feat, getting into a radiology residency program. It will just take a bit of hard work, grit, and determination over the next four years to do a good job and get to the next phase of your career!
Regards,
Barry Julius, MD