Georgeann McGuinness, M.D.
Editor-in-Chief
This issue of Radiata focuses on our department’s Education Enterprise. With the trend towards subspecialization in clinical fields we must promote, and prove worthy of, an increasing reliance on, and expectations of, imaging by our super-specialized referring clinicians. We ensure the primacy of radiology by providing comprehensive training, and expanding subspecialty training, of expert radiologists, and we must establish ourselves as the authorities in the field through our research discoveries and reports. Through faculty development programs, we can guarantee that academic radiology departments will lead the field in education and research. We can continue to lure the creative and inquisitive minds to academia by making certain that they will be provided with the infrastructure and opportunities to be successful. How do we do all of this? Through our educational programs.
When training house staff we grapple with different challenges. As the breadth of our field expands there is a clear need for a formalized, inclusive curriculum to provide effective, organized exposure to radiology fundamentals for all residents. Delivery of this detailed and dynamic curriculum requires didactic lectures, while at the same time we acknowledge the irreplaceable value of practical clinical experience with one-on-one guidance from an experienced radiologist. We are challenged to effectively teach residents who do not approach self-learning in the old, familiar ways. There is less and less reliance on books by current trainees; rather, study is biased to search engine-derived online reports on specific, defined topics, at the expense of a structured, comprehensive textbook presentation of the subject in a broader, more in-depth context. The universal utilization of PowerPoint in “unknown case conferences” alters the traditional dynamic of residents “taking” cases; films, or a series of films, no longer have to be searched to discover the relevant findings; with PowerPoint the pertinent images are selected by the faculty presenter, diminishing the parallel to actual clinical experience. As the faculty’s clinical workload increases, along with multiple other demands, there is less time to teach. In our practice, the Bell Commission 405 regulations limiting house staff time in the hospital further curtail opportunities for teaching. How do we adapt our teaching methods to these realities? Through the commitment of an incredibly dedicated faculty to produce a responsive, vibrant education program.
In this issue we also highlight the incredible accomplishments and creativity of the I.T. group at NYU Radiology. This team, while defining the role of I.T. in radiology and positively affecting virtually every aspect of our professional lives, has positioned NYU Radiology so far ahead of the curve that we are held in awe by other radiology departments. Morton A. Bosniak, M.D., a pillar of our department, and indeed, the field of radiology, receives deserved accolades in this issue, and offers his unique observations gleaned from a half century in the field. Finally, we appreciate the opportunity to thank Frank E. Richardson and Kimba M. Wood for their strong support and continued commitment to our department. It is through the generosity of benefactors such as these that we thrive.
Part of the gratification as the editor-in-chief in assembling a magazine such as Radiata comes from the privilege of highlighting the achievements, contributions, and accomplishments of our department. Much of the satisfaction, however, is derived from the opportunity to collaborate with the talented contributors to this endeavor — from the individuals who composed articles, to the researchers who shared their work, to the many people who submitted to interviews and profiles. I especially want to acknowledge the creativity and talent in photography and graphic design of Tony Jalandoni, our Art Director, who conceived of and styled our visuals. I also want to thank Jenny Mandell, who assisted with writing, editing, and many other more nebulous but equally challenging tasks. It is these remarkable people who give our department its due on the pages of Radiata. With this issue we highlight our departmental commitment to Radiology Education. What we offer as teachers, and those whom we teach, is our legacy.