The Design and Preliminary Experience with a Virtual Diversity Visiting Student Acting Internship in Radiology for Underrepresented Minority Medical Students. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • OBJECTIVE: Benefits of a diverse physician workforce are numerous and the impact of a lack of diversity has been highlighted with the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the commitment of professional societies such as the American College of Radiology to diversity in Radiology, the field and its residency training programs remain the least diverse. With COVID-19 related suspension of in-person medical student rotations, our Department of Radiology redesigned and implemented a virtual radiology internship for underrepresented minority (URM) medical students. METHODS: A four-week virtual radiology internship was designed to provide clinical exposure to radiology and to allow students to gain an understanding of what a career in radiology entails. Course design included videoconference patient care sessions, didactic lectures, online modules, mentoring, and extra-clinical curriculum. Feedback from students was collected using online surveys assessing pre- and postcourse attitudes and understanding of a career in radiology and the students' perceived aptitude for such a career, as well as course component evaluation. RESULTS: Three participants were enrolled in the inaugural clerkship. All noted exceptional educational course content and ample opportunities to build connections with faculty and residents-with mentoring seen as the highlight of the course. All indicated a significant shift in perception of the field and in declaring interest in pursuing a career in radiology. CONCLUSION: Virtual radiology internship for URM students is a feasible paradigm to address potential impediments to diversification of the specialty by both engaging interested URM medical students in a career in radiology and arming them with the tools for a successful application to radiology residency.

publication date

  • March 25, 2021

Research

keywords

  • Internship and Residency
  • Radiology
  • Students, Medical
  • Virtual Reality

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85103248797

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.acra.2021.02.021

PubMed ID

  • 33773896

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 29

issue

  • 4