Medical Students Need More Radiology Education

Medical students are exposed to the interpretation of radiographic studies only sporadically during their education, and very few U.S. medical schools have required radiology clerkships.1 This is surprising, since the information obtained from radiographic studies contributes to the diagnostic and therapeutic management of most if not all hospitalized patients. Concerned by my lack of specific training in radiology, I recently completed a four-week radiology elective. I aimed to familiarize myself with the basics of radiology while also gaining an introduction to the more advanced imaging modalities. I did not aspire to interpret subtleties; my objective was to diagnose peril in quiescence: the pneumothorax after placement of a central venous line, the feeding tube in the right mainstem bronchus, the impending small-bowel obstruction. I wanted to leave medical school able to recognize whether an MRI image is T1- or T2-weighted and whether it demonstrates evidence of cerebral infarction. I aspired to look at a CT scan and spot the renal calculus causing a patient's flank pain. Thanks to the guidance and patience of the radiologists with whom I worked, I feel that I was able to accomplish these goals and, incidentally, to gain a new perspective on the work of a radiologist. I learned how important it is to order an imaging study with the indication clearly delineated. I came to appreciate the level of patient cooperation required for the successful completion of a barium study. Perhaps most importantly, I discovered that, as in all other disciplines of medicine, in radiology gray is a much more common color than is black or white. Unfortunately, the average hospital setting does not always provide for seamless communication between the physician ordering a radiographic study and the radiologist interpreting it. Imaging studies are sometimes ordered without the benefit of private consultation with a radiologist, and in some circumstances misinterpreted images can temporarily become the basis for clinical decision making. I chose to complete a radiology elective because I hope to contribute to improving these conditions. I believe all medical students would be well served by having the opportunity to be exposed to the field of radiology through a mandatory clinical clerkship.