Learning that will be useful for life

[frankg1401]

I am an MSI3 and I am quite set on diagnostic radiology. I am wondering, when rotating through different specialties in clerkship and internship, what part of learning will be eventually useful as a future radiologist, for the purpose of passing board exams or for practicing? Is there something that I can study more now to make it easier a few years down the road?

Thanks!

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[colbgw02]

When on rotations, try to understand why an imaging study is being ordered and what question the team hopes to answer. This may be difficult because 1) the team may not really know or have specific (or good) reasons and 2) as a student spending lots of time with interns, it's easy to get focused on checking boxes rather than understanding concepts.

Spend very little, if any time, trying to gain knowledge required to interpret exams (aside from basic stuff that many non-radiology physicians learn, like CXRs) as a student, and by no means should you worry about the board exams until you're in residency.

 

[frankg1401]

Spend very little, if any time, trying to gain knowledge required to interpret exams (aside from basic stuff that many non-radiology physicians learn, like CXRs) as a student, and by no means should you worry about the board exams until you're in residency.

Thank you so much for the advice, colbgw02. I appreciate it.

Do you mind elaborating on the part that do not try to gain knowledge related to image interpretation? I know there are entry-level textbooks that people recommend for radiology. Shall I not read those until residency?

 

[colbgw02]

Thank you so much for the advice, colbgw02. I appreciate it.

Do you mind elaborating on the part that do not try to gain knowledge related to image interpretation? I know there are entry-level textbooks that people recommend for radiology. Shall I not read those until residency?

Whatever sporadic exposure you have to image interpretation as a medical student or intern isn't really going to make you a better radiology resident or radiologist. You're not really going to learn that until you're doing it all day, every day while in residency. As an example, by the end of internship, I thought I knew a decent amount about a chest radiograph...right up until someone put a dictaphone in my hand and told me to create a report. Now, you may need to stuff your heads with some radiology facts to shine while getting pimped or read a basic text to look good on a radiology rotation, but that's a different question.

Every imaging study is asking a question, and radiologists are at our most-useful when we're answering that question. Now, sometimes it's a stupid question or even the ordering provider doesn't know what they're asking (garbage in ---> garbage out), but I digress. Use your time as a student and intern to figure out as many of those questions as you can so that you can answer them when you're on the other side of the radiology report.

 

[Tiger100]

A different perspective

If you have some free time in med school or internship, try to learn a hobby, a real hobby like playing music, painting, cooking, a new sport, history, economy etc. Something that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Don't waste your time reading some radiology book or some medicine book. You will have enough time to learn during your residency. Enjoy life as much as you can.

 

[frankg1401]

Whatever sporadic exposure you have to image interpretation as a medical student or intern isn't really going to make you a better radiology resident or radiologist. You're not really going to learn that until you're doing it all day, every day while in residency. As an example, by the end of internship, I thought I knew a decent amount about a chest radiograph...right up until someone put a dictaphone in my hand and told me to create a report.

Thanks for the explanation. This makes sense.

 

[frankg1401]

A different perspective

If you have some free time in med school or internship, try to learn a hobby, a real hobby like playing music, painting, cooking, a new sport, history, economy etc. Something that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Don't waste your time reading some radiology book or some medicine book. You will have enough time to learn during your residency. Enjoy life as much as you can.

Great idea. Thanks!