Development of a Web-based Curriculum to Prepare Radiology during their Post-Graduate Year 1 by Promoting Learning via Retrieval Practice and Spaced Repetition

Diagnostic radiology training comprises five post-graduate years beginning with a clinical internship (PGY-1) followed by a four-year residency (PGY2-5). The PGY-1 experience is not tailored to the future needs of a radiology resident, creating a lost educational opportunity. As a result, even the most ambitious interns struggle with how to best prepare for their upcoming radiology training; this year-long gap often translates into reduced learning and productivity during the first year (PGY-2) of radiology-specific training. Despite the number and variety of available resources, there is not a single comprehensive resource directed at this diverse PGY-1 audience. This project will develop such a curriculum to address this need and bridge the educational gap. Its design will be based on established learning and memory principles of active learning, retrieval testing, and spaced repetition. Specifically, the investigators will create a web-based set of 35 short, interactive multimedia presentations and will reinforce the material through self-directed repeated testing. The project will develop a bank of questions; the web-based technology will permit the PGY-1 intern to generate quizzes, at any point in time, based on information within the completed modules. The curriculum will stress clinically relevant anatomy and medical physics, fundamental principles of image interpretation, patient safety, and reporting skills. By implementing this program, it is expected that novice radiology residents will be better prepared to begin their radiology-specific training and will have requisite background knowledge to facilitate higher-order learning at an earlier stage of training. We will rigorously assess the methodology by comparing the test scores and clinical productivity of future PGY-2 residents who utilize this new program to baseline data from previous residents not afforded this learning opportunity. Once validated locally, the expectation would be for national distribution to achieve a higher quality and more uniform PGY-1 pre-radiology resident experience. .