Creativity, Connection, and Community: Reimagining the Radiology Society Meeting.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: With the shifting needs of radiologists due to escalating healthcare demands, the impetus for an increased focus on wellness and the benefits of the humanities in medicine inspired a novel approach to curricular planning of the 2023 Association of University Radiologists (AUR) annual meeting. In this manuscript, we describe the creative process behind planning and executing this innovative meeting format. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Reimagining the annual meeting was a collaborative effort centered around the development of an innovative Arts and Wellness Program, with the goal of integrating opportunities for artistic expression and experiential wellness throughout the meeting. RESULTS: Of the 1313 meeting attendees, 423 (32.2%) completed the annual meeting evaluation, of which 244 were in-person and 61 attended virtually. 178 of 423 respondents (42.1%) participated in the arts and wellness programming. 160 of 203 respondents (78.9%) reported that the arts and wellness programming enhanced the overall meeting experience. 164 of 197 respondents (83.2%) gained greater appreciation for the talents of radiology colleagues. 97 of 195 respondents (49.7%) stated that the programming gave them ideas as to how to cope effectively with stress. CONCLUSION: The incorporation of art, music, and other wellness activities into a national radiology meeting was well-received by meeting attendees. For many radiologists who participated in the various musical and artistic offerings at the AUR 2023 meeting, sharing artistic talents with the radiology community and colleagues represented the most fundamental way to be fully seen, express authenticity, and connect with others.

The Big Squeeze: Factors Contributing to Moral Distress Among Radiologist Clinician-Educators.

Moral distress is a term used to describe the cognitive-emotional dissonance that is experienced when one is compelled to act contrary to one's moral requirements. This occurs as a result of systemic constraints that prevent an individual from taking actions that they perceive as morally right, resulting in a perceived violation of one's core values and duties. There has been a growing interest in the prevalence of moral distress in healthcare, particularly as a root cause of burnout. A recent national survey on moral distress in radiology found that 98% of respondents experienced at least some degree of moral distress with 18% of respondents having left a position due to moral distress. One of the scenarios associated with the highest degree of moral distress related to the conflict that arises when one feels unable to fulfill teaching responsibilities due to high clinical demands. Now more than ever, clinician-educators are asked to do more with less time, fewer resources, and in an increasingly demanding work environment that is often discordant with providing quality education to their learners. In this manuscript, we aim to discuss the factors contributing to moral distress in radiologist clinician-educators as a framework to better understand the implications of these drivers, and to offer our perspective on potential mitigating measures.

American College of Radiology Paid Family/Medical Leave Policy: A Call to Action for the House of Medicine.

The American College of Radiology (ACR) passed a historic paid family/medical leave (PFML) resolution at its April 2022 meeting, resolving that "diagnostic radiology, interventional radiology, radiation oncology, medical physics, and nuclear medicine practices, departments and training programs strive to provide 12 weeks of paid family/medical leave in a 12-month period for its attending physicians, medical physicists, and members in training as needed." The purpose of this article is to share this policy beyond radiology so that it may serve as a call to action for other medical specialties. Such a PFML policy (1) supports physician well-being, which in turn supports patient care; (2) is widely needed across American medical specialties; and (3) should not take nearly a decade to achieve, as it did in radiology, especially given increasing physician burnout and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Supported by information on the step-by-step approach used to achieve radiology-specific leave policies and considering current and normative policies at the national level, this article concludes by reviewing specific strategies that could be applied toward achieving a 12-week PFML policy for all medical specialties.

Radiology Medical Student Education 2020: Surveys of the Alliance of Medical Student Educators in Radiology and Medical Students.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in significant changes to medical student education by disrupting clinical rotations, licensing exams, and residency applications. To evaluate the pandemic's impact and required modifications of radiology medical student courses, the authors developed and administered surveys to Alliance of Medical Student Educators in Radiology (AMSER) faculty and enrolled medical students. The surveys requested feedback and insight about respondents' experiences and innovations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anonymous twenty-question and seventeen-question surveys about the pandemic's impact on medical student education were distributed via email to AMSER members and medical students. The surveys consisted of multiple choice, ranking, Likert scale, and open-ended questions. Differences in the Likert score agreement was performed using one-sided Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests. Survey data were collected using SurveyMonkey (San Mateo, California). This study was IRB exempt. RESULTS: The AMSER survey indicated 96% of institutions cancelled medical student courses and 92% resumed with virtual courses, typically general radiology. A total of 64% of faculty enjoyed online teaching, although 82% preferred on-site courses. A total of 62% of students felt an online radiology course was an excellent alternative to an on-site rotation, although 27% disagreed. A total of 69% of students who completed both on-site and online courses preferred the on-site format. Survey-reported innovations and free response comments have been collated as educational resources. CONCLUSION: Faculty were able to adapt radiology courses to the online environment utilizing interactive lectures, self-directed learning, flipped classroom sessions, and virtual readouts, which were effective for student respondents. Hybrid rotations with on-site and online elements may offer the best of both worlds.

Ensuring a Smooth Transition for Trainees Returning from Parental Leave - A Guide for Program Directors.

Transitioning from parental leave during radiology residency training can be a time of stress and uncertainty. However, there are ways that program directors can help make the transition smoother and less overwhelming. Trainees report numerous stressors upon returning from leave involving childcare, lactation concerns and logistics, and discrimination. Program directors can help alleveate these stressors by counseling trainees returning from parental leave and providing reseources and a supportive enviroment. This article provides a structured frame work with tool for programs directors to ensure the transition from parental leave back to training is a smooth one.

Self-Care and Storytelling for Radiologists: A Feasibility Study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Physician wellness and burnout mitigation strategies have become priority practices in recent years. Despite these efforts, however, physicians living with the psychological effects of the current COVID-19 global pandemic, political stressors, and social injustices, face ever increasing threats to their personal and professional well-being. This manuscript investigates the process of storytelling as a self-care practice for radiologists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The AUR Well Being Ad-Hoc Committee introduced and approved Storytelling Geek Week, a virtual workshop held by The Moth, a Peabody award-winning storytelling nonprofit group. Nineteen AUR members applied and were selected for participation in the workshop which occurred over 5 days in November 2020. Anonymous electronic surveys were sent to participants before and after the workshop to gather feedback on their experience. RESULTS: Of the 19 AUR member participants, 12 (63%) completed the pre-workshop survey and 8 (42%) completed the post-workshop survey. Participant current state of well-being was found to be increased between the pre- and post-course surveys, with a statistically significant adjusted P-value of 0.017. All 8 post-workshop respondents reported that they would recommend the workshop to others. With regard to how participation in the workshop impacted their wellbeing, representative free text responses include, "helped with processing emotions," and "felt more connected to strangers." Regarding shifts in perspective as a result of workshop participation, representative free text responses include, "more empathetic" and "started focusing on hope and gratitude rather than sadness and anxiety." CONCLUSION: Participants in a storytelling workshop reported a positive impact on their perceived sense of well-being. Respondents also reports shifts in their sense of empathy and connectedness to others. This type of intervention may help to mitigate burnout and build community during challenging times.

Meeting Faculty Development Needs: Review of Current Resources and Opportunities for Program Development.

This paper will review faculty development focus and programming at the early, mid and late career stages. Topics covered include challenges at each career stage, institutional and national programming currently available for the needs of faculty at that stage, and suggested best practices for development of new career focus and potential programs for each stage.

Resident Clinician Educator Leadership Pathway Tracks in US Radiology Programs: An ADVICER 2021 Survey Study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this manuscript is to elucidate the prevalence, characteristics, outcomes, and perceptions of Alliance of Directors and Vice Chairs of Education in Radiology (ADVICER) members on Clinician Educator Leadership Pathway (CELP) tracks in diagnostic and interventional radiology residency programs in the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS: IRB exemption was obtained for this study. A 17-question anonymous survey was administered to the ADVICER members, an Association of University Radiologists (AUR) affiliate group, via email once, and then as a reminder 14 days later. Statistical analysis occurred via built-in analytics of the survey vendor, SurveyMonkey. RESULTS: Thirty five of 72 ADVICER members (48.6%) responded to the survey. 45.7% (16/35) respondents indicated the presence of leadership or specialty pathways in their respective residencies. 28.6% of respondents indicated a CELP (10/35) in their residency programs. 92.0% of respondents endorsed CELP as preparatory for an academic career, and 93.6% endorsed development of a national CELP curriculum. CONCLUSION: The majority of radiology residency programs do not have a CELP in their training curriculum. ADVICER leaders overwhelmingly support CELP for professional development of the future educational leaders in radiology and endorse the creation of a national CELP curriculum.