Rationale and objectives: The shortage of academic radiologists reveals an urgent need to attract more residents into academic careers. A great deal of attention has been focused on research, but few programmatic initiatives have addressed the development of the next generation of radiology educators. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a new 3-month residency elective in education.
Materials and methods: A large academic radiology department developed a 3-month education elective, during which two residents would be relieved of clinical duties and focus full-time on tasks related to their development as educators, including the completion of a major educational project.
Results: Two residents, in their 3rd year and 4th year of residency, respectively, proposed to collaborate in developing a Web-delivered tutorial for the department's senior medical student clerkship. At the end of 3 months, their radiology tutorial was introduced. In its 1st month, it received a mean rating of 4.3 on a five-point scale. The residents stated that the elective had enabled them to develop important skills in instructional technology, put into practice their enhanced understanding of learning psychology, and substantially strengthened their overall commitment to academic careers.
Conclusion: It is vital that residency programs focus on developing the next generation of radiology educators. This ongoing education elective represents one successful model.