Hassan Aziz1, Gavin Drumm2, Augustus Gleason3, Sam M Han3, Saba Alvi3, Miklos Palotai3,4. 1. Department of Surgery, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. haziz@tuftsmedicalcenter.org. 2. Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. 3. Department of Surgery, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. 4. Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Radiological assessment is an important skill to develop in general surgery training. Therefore, we aimed to determine general surgery residents' points of view on receiving formal radiology didactics. METHODS: We performed an anonymous survey of general surgery residents throughout the USA. The survey queried the residents' postgraduate year, training program type, diagnostic radiology education in their training program, as well as the residents' comfort level in interpreting various imaging modalities, followed by a series of images to assess the residents' ability to interpret images showing various surgical disease processes. RESULTS: A total of 365 residents responded to the survey. In total, 76.6% of the respondent states that there is no structured didactic session in their program on radiological studies. However, 66.3% felt that interpretation of radiological images should be used to determine surgical competency and promotion to the next academic year. In terms of accurately reading images-68.7% of the residents were able to read an X-ray showing cecal volvulus correctly, 51.9% were able to read a cholangiogram correctly, and 95.3% were correctly read an X-ray showing free under the diaphragm. CONCLUSION: Most residents favored having radiological assessments as part of the competency evaluation. Furthermore, a curriculum and inbuilt training structure that aims to ensure residents develop competent clinical image interpretation abilities may enhance the development and retention of such skills, ultimately influencing patient outcomes.
BACKGROUND: Radiological assessment is an important skill to develop in general surgery training. Therefore, we aimed to determine general surgery residents' points of view on receiving formal radiology didactics. METHODS: We performed an anonymous survey of general surgery residents throughout the USA. The survey queried the residents' postgraduate year, training program type, diagnostic radiology education in their training program, as well as the residents' comfort level in interpreting various imaging modalities, followed by a series of images to assess the residents' ability to interpret images showing various surgical disease processes. RESULTS: A total of 365 residents responded to the survey. In total, 76.6% of the respondent states that there is no structured didactic session in their program on radiological studies. However, 66.3% felt that interpretation of radiological images should be used to determine surgical competency and promotion to the next academic year. In terms of accurately reading images-68.7% of the residents were able to read an X-ray showing cecal volvulus correctly, 51.9% were able to read a cholangiogram correctly, and 95.3% were correctly read an X-ray showing free under the diaphragm. CONCLUSION: Most residents favored having radiological assessments as part of the competency evaluation. Furthermore, a curriculum and inbuilt training structure that aims to ensure residents develop competent clinical image interpretation abilities may enhance the development and retention of such skills, ultimately influencing patient outcomes.
Authors: Kathryn L Butler; Yuchiao Chang; Marc DeMoya; Ara Feinstein; Paula Ferrada; Ugwuji Maduekwe; Adrian A Maung; Nicolas Melo; Stephen Odom; Jaisa Olasky; Michael Reinhorn; Douglas B Smink; Nicole Stassen; Chad T Wilson; Peter Fagenholz; Haytham Kaafarani; David King; Daniel D Yeh; George Velmahos; Dimitrios Stefanidis Journal: Am J Surg Date: 2015-08-05 Impact factor: 2.565