The practice of radiology education: challenges and trends will provide truly helpful gu- ance for those of you involved in teaching and training in radiology. The goal of this book is ultimately to improve patient care. As a companion piece to the first book radiology education: the scholarship of teaching and learning, this book focuses on applying the concepts at a practical level that can be applied flexibly within educational programs for radiology residents and fellows in any medical imaging learning environment. This book focuses on the application of scholarship in terms of the “dissemination of useful, testable and reproducible information to others. ” It links educational theory with practice and for those of you who wish to explore educational practice further, a number of chapters s- gest additional readings and resources. The publication is timely and congruent with one of the most important twenty-first century trends in medical education: the move from amateurism to professionalism in teaching. In the past, medical schools and other health professions’ training institutions have been criticized for their resistance to the adoption of the science of medical edu- tion. Very few of us learned how to teach as medical students and most of us have our teaching responsibilities thrust on us with little preparation. The award of a basic medical degree was assumed to carry with it basic teaching expertise, unfortunately an unw- ranted assumption in some cases.
The role of medical imaging is increasingly integral to health care, drug discovery, biology, and other life sciences. The changes that are occurring call for innovation in the training of the medical imaging experts of tomorrow. In their previous book, Radiology Education: The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (2008), the editors addressed the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of scholarship in radiology education. Now, in The Practice of Radiology Education: Challenges and Trends, they focus on the application of these concepts within educational programs for radiology residents and fellows. The book has three sections on Curriculum, Programs and Trainees, and Leadership and Resources. Within this framework, each chapter addresses theory and principles, practical issues, and resources and literature relevant to educational practice. The contributors are educators in radiology from around the world, providing a global perspective on the main challenges facing medical imaging education and the potential strategies required to meet these challenges. It is hoped that the book will assist in attaining the ultimate goal of radiology education: to help patients.
