Tag: inspiration

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Eight Ways To Find Inspiration During Residency

inspiration

You wake up to go to work. Maybe, you grind through what seems like a hundred films with your attending. And then, you arrive home exhausted, only to start reading books and case reviews. The work of a radiology resident never ends. So, how do residents find the inspiration to get through the day, study for the core exam, and get through the entire residency? And, what can residents do to have a fulfilling four years? Unfortunately, very few radiologists have the time to consider the resident’s plight. But I plan to tackle these issues today. Think of this post as chicken soup for the radiology resident, concepts one needs to tough things out for four brutal years.

 

Yes, You Will Save Some Lives

Never forget this fact. Imaging saves lives. And who interprets the images? You! So, get yourself right out of that funk. And, remember, we are not financiers, accountants, or lawyers. We directly prevent significant injuries and death!

Have A Hobby/Life Outside Of Residency

As much as you may love radiology, actively seeking other interests is just as important. I don’t care if it is swimming, stamps, reading, or traveling. Having a hobby enables you to return to work fresh and ready for the next day. Sometimes, studying and working improve when you have an unencumbered mind with the same old studying routine. Studies have shown that creativity and productivity also improve when you pursue activities outside your main interests. Why not let that be you? (1)

Sometimes It’s Not Just About The Work; It’s About You!

Inspiration does not only come from your patients and your films. Instead, feeling inspired stems from your moods and wants. To take care of others, you must also take care of yourself. So, remember… You have a responsibility to yourself to cater to yourself at times. Take a little time to yourself when things become tough studying. Or, if you lose focus during the day, sometimes you need to step away for a few moments. To regain your concentration, you need to refresh yourself!

Maintaining Health

It sounds strange that maintaining health can inspire you to become a great radiologist, right? Well, if you do not eat well, exercise, and sleep, it becomes much more likely for a resident to burn out before finishing residency! So, make sure to treat your body right!

Learning From Mistakes Can Be Inspiring

Mistakes are depressing and ugly, correct? If you continue to think that way, you should not become a radiologist. Expect mistakes. It’s part of the risk profile of our job (Although attorneys would think otherwise!). One study reported a significant error rate that ranges between 2 and 20% of all radiologist reports. (Br J Radiol. 2001 Oct;74(886):949-51.)

So, we need to become inspired to do better. How do we do that? Well, think of each mistake you or others make as an opportunity to prevent significant errors from happening again. If we want to get closer to perfection, we must inspire ourselves to learn from these mistakes, knowing we will not miss that finding or commit that knowledge error again!

Appreciate What You Have Accomplished

Think about the goals you have met to become a radiologist. You have completed college, medical school, and an internship. And remember all those tests that you have aced and passed to get to this point. This successful journey is a real accomplishment! Be proud of what you have achieved. You are not an average Joe. Instead, you have done what many folks can only dream about. And, if you have already gotten this far, imagine how far you can go… If that doesn’t inspire you, I don’t know what will!

Think About The End Goal

Inspiration often does not come from what you are doing right now. Many times, it comes from dreaming about what will be. So, it’s not about repeatedly reading that same paragraph to remember or understand a single concept. Instead, it is about how this pertains to the final goal of becoming a great radiologist. Therefore, don’t get stuck in the minutia. It’s about the big picture!

Education As Fun

Education is about the journey, not the destination. That is because we never really arrive. There is always more to learn and see. And what can be more exciting than discovering new ideas and concepts and applying them to the practical world? As radiologists, that is what we do! So, take each pillar and block of knowledge to form new and exciting structures. This process involves taking new ideas to create research projects or looking at studies in a different way that no one has thought about before. You are only limited by your imagination!

Final Thoughts About Finding Inspiration

Inspiration is what makes us tick. It gives us the passion for completing our dreams and going one step further. However, it does not come from the daily grind. Instead, it comes from our beliefs, hopes, dreams, and goals. So, appreciate what you have accomplished, think about what you do daily (and yes, that includes saving lives!), and remember your goals for the future. It’s all pretty amazing. That should be inspiration enough!

 

(1) http://www.cofcogroup.com/want-more-productivity-get-a-hobby/

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Top Traits Of Great Radiologists (They Might Not Be What You Expect!)

traits

Over the years, I have discovered that the best radiologists often do not comply with the stereotypical traits of one. For instance, you would think that the best radiologists all embrace technology. However, it is sometimes the opposite. Some of the best radiologists I know are the least technologically adept people you would ever meet, not able to conjure up an email password or conquer a new PACS system.

You would say that they would be masters of video games and spatial puzzles. Well, again, you would be squarely wrong. I know many-a-great-radiologist who find video games distasteful or who have no interest.

You would guess that the best radiologists have an “eye” for radiology from day one of radiology residency. Again, you would be incorrect. Some great radiology residents that I have trained had no clue how to read a film or make a finding on day one of residency.

So what is it that makes up the traits of the best of the best radiologists? Based on my experience, it is the following: enhanced clinical training, grit and determination, extreme organization, singular focus, and the passion for learning and maintaining scientific interest in our field. So, let’s go through each of these traits. Then, I’ll give you examples of how each allows some of the best radiologists to perform above and beyond the average radiologist. Finally, I will go through some recommendations on how you can train to be this great radiologist. Try to incorporate some this additional training or these personality quirks and traits into your daily practice.

Enhanced Clinical Training In Other Medical Fields

Some of the most incredible radiologists that I met had initially trained for a different medical subspecialty. The ones I know have either completed a second residency or participated in a residency in internal medicine or pediatrics for more than the required solitary clinical year. These radiologists have a complete understanding of the clinical issues involved in the patient’s films that they are reading. They take a step past the interpretation of the image and make it relevant for the clinician on the other end. They tend to know how to manage patients to a tee and use their skills to better the patient’s welfare. Excellent clinical management for a radiologist is a rare skill.

How can you add these traits to your practice in radiology? Participate in electives that involve interdisciplinary management. Question your fellow clinicians about the clinical significance of your interpretations. Shadow physicians in other specialties.

Grit and Determination

These excellent radiologists are folks that overcame incredible odds to get to where they are today. By sheer determination of will, they take an interpretation of a film to a new level, farther than the typical radiologist. They look into clinical issues more deeply than others. They don’t just stop at the conventional differential diagnosis. And, they can tell you the hows and the whys of what they find. When a clinician stops by, they are mesmerized by the litany of what these clinicians seem to know.

How can you add these incredible qualities to your arsenal? Don’t stop at the mere interpretation of the film. Look further into clinical history. Read up everything about the disease entity. Find out facts that would be clinically relevant to your patient’s care. Always look at priors that may have relevance to your case. Don’t be lazy with any of your imaging cases!

Incredible Organizational Skills

I have never met a great radiologist who has poor organizational skills. Conversely, the great radiologists I have met all have incredible organizational skills. These radiologists tend to keep track of all the patients they have ever seen. They use this information to interpret images and extrapolate the information to other patient’s circumstances. You can ask them about a case they may have seen a year ago, and they can go into their written or mental records and find it. They use all of this information for the betterment of patient care.

How can you become organized as a radiology resident? Always keep track of your unusual cases. Take pictures of the cases you see. Maintain a written or online notebook of what you learned. All these organizational skills will come in handy when you complete your residency and have questions about challenging cases.

Persistent Focus

Some of the most incredible radiologists have a single-minded focus that allows them to read cases, do research, or teach with such precision that they are best in their fields. They are not distracted by the daily minutia, the irrelevant red herrings, and the rumors of the day. They concentrate on their work and their work alone. These radiologists tend to miss very little. They are the type of radiologists that seem to have very few reports with errors and mistakes.

How can you maintain focus on your daily rotations? Maintain awareness of what you are doing at all times. Keep conversations and distractions to a minimum when you sit or stand to read multiple cases. The patient should be first and foremost on your day’s schedule. That is why we are here- to help people!

Passion For Learning/Maintaining Scientific Interest

Finally, the best radiologists I have encountered have a mission to either teach, research, or learn. They enjoy every minute of these processes and convey their passion to others in the specialty, whether they are fellow attendings, residents, nurses, techs, or patients. Moreover, their enthusiasm is infectious and inspires others to want to be the same. These are a rare breed and help overcome the problem of burnt-out physicians through teaching and personality. These radiologists go a step farther not because they have to, but because they enjoy radiology.

How can you become passionate about radiology? Don’t let the folks that complain all the time get you down. Find your path and what interests you. Don’t look to the negative, as those folks tend not to be the successful ones. People that love their specialty tend to become excellent at what they do. So, find your interests and passions and go with them all the way.

Final Inspiring Words

It is not typical traits such as being a techie, having “an innately good eye,” or being a puzzle master that makes a great radiologist. Instead, it is often those skills that we can work on that make us better than the average radiologist out there. So, go forth and learn about other specialties, keep determined, stay organized, maintain focus, and develop a passion for learning and radiology to become the best radiologist you can be!!!