Incorporating Radiology into Early Medical Education The pre-clinical years of medical school set the foundation of knowledge and skills that we build upon for the rest of our careers. The core curriculum includes organ-based teaching on the anatomy, pathophysiology, and management of patients. Within that curriculum, radiologic imaging is often presented intermittently as pathognomonic signs without regular Radiologist-led anatomy or pathology lessons. I would argue, however, that radiology – led by Radiologists – should become an area of focus during pre- clinical years. Anatomy is a core aspect of medicine, and its teaching has evolved over the years; from a largely cadaver-based experience, the integration of new technologies has presented innovative ways to present and interact with the human body. In practice, however, the day-to-day anatomy we see is in radiologic images. Chest X-rays, body CTs, US, and MRIs are the modalities that we turn to when we need more information and form the conduit through which we understand the anatomy, and thus pathology, of our patients. Our curriculum can incorporate Radiologists with dedicated lectures teaching pathology from an imaging perspective to better prepare students for their clinical years. For example, lectures on tumor staging and features through histology slides can be augmented by Radiologic Oncology lectures covering basic image-based tumor staging and features. Before working with cadavers, we can introduce mock-pre-operative planning with Body Imaging Radiologists guiding students through relevant anatomy prior to dissection. Each organ system curriculum already has topic- specific faculty and can be expanded to include topic-specific Radiologists to create a stronger foundation in imaging and understanding of anatomy-based pathology for trainees.
- Brandon Matthew Caldwell, 4 th -year Medical Student
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker