Tag: applicants

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Are Less Paperwork And EHR Selling Features For The Radiology Specialty?

paperwork

As I was scrolling through some random Twitter feeds that came up in my email, I saw the following statement come up from a fellow physician: “Physicians should not use the amount of paperwork as means to decide on which specialty they should choose.” Well, as I stared at this statement, I became more and more incensed. Why? Because many burgeoning medical students were possibly looking at this Twitter feed. And, some may utilize this suggestion as they search for their specialty of choice. Meanwhile, this statement/question could not have been further from the truth. An excessive amount of paperwork could ruin the most glamorous and exciting medical specialty work.

High Paperwork Burden And Electronics Health Records (EHR) Use Is A Cause For Burnout

One of the main reasons for burnout and lack of interest in a specialty is the excessive paperwork and the inordinate number of clicks on an EHR system. This person suggested that medical students should ignore this factor and go into a subspecialty regardless. Now, I don’t know about you. But, for me, one of the best parts of radiology is having to deal with much less paperwork than our colleagues in other subspecialties. I delight in not having to constantly document interactions with patients and write tons of prescriptions, and mull through a myriad of HIPAA forms every day. These are tasks that would have made me miserable. And, we, as radiologists, do not have nearly as many of these issues as other subspecialties.

Of course, I also chose radiology based on the diversity, large information base, and my interest in technology. But, if I knew at that time that we had so much less paperwork than most other specialties, that would have indeed reinforced my decision. I certainly would use it as a way to choose between several subspecialties of interest!

Should We Use The Benefit Of Less Paperwork To Our Advantage In Recruitment?

Now, telling medical students that they should choose our specialty because we have less paperwork is like saying to become a secretary because you get to sit down all day. Sure, it is a perk of the job, but not the reason for joining our fold. But if presented in the right way and placed in the context of how other specialties have to deal with the work daily, it could become a game-changer. Have a student ask an internal medicine doctor how much time you spend on dictating reports and phone calls. And then have them sit with them while they are doing these tasks. The amount of time spent away from the more exciting patient care activities may shock them!

Then, have a student sit next to a radiologist on any given day. And let them see the amount of time we get to spend on patient care activities such as looking at films and performing procedures. They will see a significant difference between the amount of paperwork and EHR time. Then, they can use these factors as a valid means to deciding on which specialty is right for them.

Let The Student Decide On A Specialty Based On The Facts!

We all should choose a specialty in medicine based on the facts, not on emotion alone. One of those critical factors is the amount of paperwork and EHR. It is a pressing problem. And, pundits should not gloss over the unenticing aspects of a specialty. Practicing a medical specialty is not just about the glorified moments in the operating room or with a patient.

In reality, you can’t always do only the things you love. You also need to accept the facts of any specialty. And, if excessive paperwork is one of those realities, students need to know about it and make an informed decision. Negative information cannot just be swept under a rug when you make your specialty choice!

 

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USMLE Step 1 New Pass/Fail Grading-Winners and Losers From A Program Director’s Perspective!

grading

Every year, program directors spend large amounts of time and effort in the application process to select qualified radiology residents. Currently, we rely upon sparse information to ensure we get capable residents. And, one of those pieces of data includes one of a few items that discriminate all applicants equally regardless of institution, nationality, or sort of medical school degree: the USMLE Step 1 examination. But, that stream of information will become even more meager. As some of you may have heard, as of 2022, this USMLE Step 1 examination will become a pass/fail examination. As a result, we lose out on a discriminator that can assess a resident’s ability to pass exams and correlates to passing our radiology core examination. Unfortunately, these changes render the test useless for our purposes.

So, we will need to rely upon other methods to select residents that can pass a radiology board examination. In this case, let’s take this issue on step further. How is the new grading system going to affect applicants? And, who will be the winners and losers? Let me guide you through what I predict will happen once the new grading system for this exam begins.

Winners

Ivy League Medical Graduates/Medical Schools

Since we are losing out on one of the few means of equalizing all applicants, we will have to rely more upon the “name” of the school rather than the individual data points. Therefore, known medical schools will take on higher importance in the application process. Regardless of quality, the system is forcing us to use the institution’s reputation over the quality of the individual’s data.

Poor Test Takers

For those folks with problems passing an examination, this change will help somewhat. You will have one less exam to obsess about your score, now that you only have to pass the test. Of course, you will now need to do well on the Step II examination. And, this test will probably replace the Step I exam as a screening tool for the ERAS application to our specialty. But, it is one less hoop for the average poor exam taker to jump through.

Step II USMLE Examination Review Courses

Now that acing the Step I examination no longer becomes significant, program directors will need to rely on another indicator for test-taking abilities. And, the only one left during the residency will be the Step II examination. So, this will force applicants to take this examination m0re seriously. So, you will probably see more Step II courses sprouting up to help applicants score well on this test.

Losers

Foreign Applicants

As program directors, we like to compare apples to apples when assessing resident applications. And, many times, it is harder to determine the quality of a medical school when it does not adopt the standards of the ACGME. So, we need to rely on other means to assess the residents. Now, we lose out on another data point to do so. Therefore, foreign residents will be the first to lose out in the selection process at the expense of other standardized medical institutions.

Radiology Program Directors

For several reasons, this will hamper our radiology residency selection process. First of all, we are losing out on one of the only examinations that correlate with passing the core exam. Therefore, theoretically, we will be accepting more residents that will not be able to pass a standardized test, the core examination. Second, we will have a smaller pool of applicants from which to choose, now that many of us will require applicants to take the USMLE Step II as our “test-ability discriminator.” Third, we will be more delayed in waiting for Step II exams to come in for the ERAS application. And, finally, we will have one less data point to use in our assessment arsenal.

Step I Pass-Fail Grading: Changing The Playing Field!

Tweaking the testing process always changes the outcomes for those applicants that take them. And, the new grading system for the USMLE Step I is no exception. In the radiology application process, there will be clear winners and losers. Foreign applicants and radiology program directors will get the short end of the stick. Meanwhile, Ivy League applicants and poor test-takers will benefit a bit more. And, to assess applicants, we will become more reliant on Step II USMLE examination. So, these are the main changes that lurk over the horizon. Get ready to change accordingly!

 

 

 

 

 

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Radiology Resident Myths Versus Reality

One of my mission statements is to be an excellent forum to dispel the myths and false expectations about radiology and radiology residency. So, I’ve done a post on the top myths about personal statements (Radiology Personal Statement Mythbusters: Five Common Misconceptions About Radiologists). And, I’ve written about the unexpected traits of great radiologists (Top Traits Of Great Radiologists (They Might Not Be What You Expect) ).  But, I have not yet written about what is real versus myth for radiologist residents. And, yes, there are lots of false information out there!

So, one by one, I will take each bit of rumor and conjecture you might have heard bandied about the internet below. Then, I will dismiss the fake truth about radiology residency that you may listen to from your classmates and colleagues. Beware the false information that you may see posted on forums, social media, and other websites. Here are some of the more common statements you may hear from your fellow students, and medical colleagues about radiology residency that are not the truth!

You Don’t Need Good Communication Skills To Become A Radiology Resident!

Have you ever heard of a successful radiology resident that cannot communicate with her colleagues? Among all the reports, conferences, and all physician interactions, the only successful residents are those that can speak and write in a manner that others can understand. Moreover, I have never seen a halfway decent radiology resident that can’t give an interdisciplinary conference or handle a team of ornery surgeons at nighttime. You cannot just pump out ill-conceived reports in the dark sitting at a computer. It just doesn’t work that way!

It’s A Cush Residency Compared To Others

Talk to most any resident at nighttime. And, she will tell you the hardest working resident in the hospital is the radiology resident. Regularly, they are bombarded with orders, phone calls, demands for reports, and diagnoses at any moment without a refrain. Do they get a wink of sleep? You have a much better shot at some rest as a surgeon or internal medicine resident between cases!

You Can Get Away With Reading Like You Did In Your Subinternship And Internship

Total BS! I don’t care what they might say about on that radiology forum that you have read. Never, and I mean NEVER,  have I seen a resident that can perform well without putting in the time to read. It’s just not possible. We are covering almost every single specialty of radiology. And, yes, that even includes psychiatry and dermatology (on occasion)!

All The Residents Will Be Nerd Techies

Radiology attracts all types. I’ve seen men and women come through who have been “fashionistas.” I have also seen the more techie/nerdish sorts. And I have seen all kinds in between. A stereotype like this does not do justice to the wide variety of personalities that enter our fold. Just stop by most any residency program and see for yourself!

We Hedge More Than Everyone Else

Medicine is not physics. There are so many variables in medicine that no one in any particular specialty can be one hundred percent sure of the future. Radiologists, like any other specialist, operate in this same environment. And, if you talk to almost any excellent physician in any specialty, they are aware of this fact. And, they hedge just as much. Check it out for yourself. Go into the medical records and charts, and look at all the notes from all sorts of specialists. You will see the same!

It’s The Best Way To Get Away From People

Well, it depends on which people!. Indeed, you will have less patient contact if you are working on some outpatient imaging rotations. But, you will not get away without speaking to other nurses, technologists, and other physicians.  That is part of our job description! We talk to these folks every day.

It’s Impossible To Get In If You Are A Foreign Resident

Yes, it is a bit more challenging to get into radiology if you are coming from outside the United States. But, certainly not impossible. About a little less than a third of radiology residents graduate from outside the country. (From the NRMP) That’s a decent number of residents!

Radiology Resident Myths Versus Reality

We exist in an environment where it is effortless to propagate untruths and fake data. In a world of inaccurate information, I aim to provide you a bit of the truth in the world of radiology residency from a reliable inside source. So, don’t just take the information about radiology residents at face value. At radsresident.com, you can discover facts about radiology residency like these, which is the reality rather than myths!

 

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A Rarely Utilized But Effective Tool To Make Sure A Residency Program Is Reputable

residency program

Recommendations for “good” residency programs about where to apply are a “dime a dozen.” Residents and attendings often give you their opinions about programs based on previous reputations. Or, perhaps, they attended or have friends within the residency. Rarely a faculty member knows the current residency program well enough to tell you if the perceived residency quality matches its current status.

Additionally, any program’s directors, chairpersons, faculty, and residents continuously change. So, these folks may know much about the residency from many years ago but not much about the current status.

So, how do you confirm whether a radiology residency program is reputable once you arrive on the interview day? To do just that, it takes one straightforward but rarely performed step: Ask residents and attendings from other departments within the same hospital about the residency program at the interview site.

Why Does The Opinion Of Other Department Physicians About The Residency Program Matter So Much?

Remember. When you apply for a residency, the residency has a vested interest in selling you a spot. The residency director, residents, and faculty want all applicants, regardless of rank, to select their program to get “the best residents.” So, asking a radiology resident or residency director whether she likes his residency is like asking a car salesperson if he loves the car he is selling.

On the other hand, other department members may work directly with the radiology residency. However, they do not have the same filter. They can say whatever they want about the program without being directly affected by the repercussions. Therefore, asking these fellow physicians can give you a more truthful answer.

Moreover, physicians within most other departments often work directly with radiology residents and attendings. So, they have great insight into the quality of the radiology department as a whole.

Why Do Applicants Rarely Perform This Step?

First and foremost, most residents never consider the option. Interview days are so chock full of activities that asking other departments would never cross your consciousness. You may also think you do not have the time to bother.

For others, however, it may involve stepping outside your comfort zone. It would help if you asked other physicians you don’t know about another residency. You may worry if they will even respond. But, you will likely find that most physicians will be happy to talk.

What Kind Of Information Can You Find?

Well, the information you may discover can be invaluable. What about a question to an emergency department physician like: Do you trust the reads of the residents in this program? This question can give you a lot of information about the quality of a training program. You will get a much more truthful answer than asking the program director about the program’s quality.

Or, how about asking the oncologists, do you get along well with your radiology colleagues? This question can tell you more about a radiology program’s culture than any pointed question you may ask the radiology residents or faculty.

My advice is to consider some pointed questions to ask after the interviews. And, then, try to find a few residents and attendings in another department to ask about these questions.

Making Sure A Residency Program Is Reputable

If a particular residency seriously interests you and you want to confirm its reputation, then you want to consider taking the extra time to step out of your comfort zone. Ask a few random attendings from different departments about the program. It’s a great way to ensure that the residency matches your expectations. You may find that all is not as it seems!