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Diagnostic Radiology is a required clerkship at Temple University School of Medicine which can be taken in a 4-week block in either the third or fourth years of medical school.

Course Directors

Goals and Objectives

Methods of Instruction

Presentations

Evening Call

Final Examination

Student Evaluation

Course Directors

Erin O'Connor, MD
Assistant Professor, Clinical Radiology
Director of Medical Student Education

Stephen Ling, MD
Assistant Professor, Clinical Radiology
Assistant Director of Medical Student Education

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Goals and Objectives

The goals of the Radiology 727 elective are to provide you with:

Guidlelines to assist you in learning how to review diagnostic imaging examinations;

An understanding of the role that the various imaging modalities and their specific examinations can/should play in the overall management of the patient;

Fundamental knowledge of the relative indications and contraindications of diagnostic imaging examinations;

An appreciation of the role that radiologists can and should play as consulting members of the medical team.

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Methods of Instruction

Students are given didactic lectures by radiology faculty and radiology residents twice per day on various imaging modalities.
Students participate in image interpretation sessions with a small group of peers twice per week. These sessions are facilitated by faculty members. These small group sessions are held for Chest Imaging, Body Imaging and Neuroimaging.
Students participate in imaging algorithm workshops to help them gain understanding of use of appropriate imaging studies for management of patients and the cost effectiveness of these studies.
Students are expected to complete 4 image based quizzes.
Students are expected to use web-based patient simulated cases, focusing of radiology (Case Oriented Radiology Education).
Students may access the Temple University School of Medicine Radiology Teaching File which contains examples of the imaging findings we see with specific disease entities as well as examples of normal imaging findings.
PowerPoint Educaton Module on MRI and Radiation Safety followed by a quiz.

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Presentations

During the final week of the clerkship, each student will make a 'powerpoint' presentation to his/her peers and to the Clerkship Director. This presentation should last 7 to 10 minutes and should focus on diagnostic imaging. References to the literature are encouraged to demonstrate an examination of the recent literature prior to one's presentation. Students may use a "case presentation" format, i.e. choosing an interesting case seen during your Radiololgy Clerkship or prior clerkships. Alternatively, a didactic approach to a focused imaging topic is also acceptable. Students may ask faculty or residents for help if needed when preparing for this presentation.

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Evening Call

Each student is expected to take one evening call from 4 pm to 9 pm, as assigned on the call schedule posted on Blackboard. If a student is unable to make his/her assigned call, he/she is expected to make arrangements with a peer to switch evenings. For night call assignments, students will work with a resident and attending who are covering evening hours. Students are expected to help the resident and attending with call duties. During your call shift, your resident will assign you to a patient for who you will be responsible to learn their clinical presentation, their diagnostic work up including imaging studies, the results of those studies and how it contributed to their management. These are the patients who should be presented by students in the “Interesting Case Conference” listed on the clerkship schedule.

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Final Examination

The final exam is a web-based exam with 75 questions taken from a national data bank of questions. The exam includes image-based questions, as well as questions without images regarding appropriate imaging management and other general principles of diagnostic imaging. The final exam is based on material covered in lectures.

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Student Evaluation

Successul passing of MRI and Radiation Safety Quizzes (5%)
Participation in small group image interpretation sessions and in imaging algorithm workshops (10%)
A 7 to 10 minute presentation on a diagnostic imaging topic (25%)
Completion of four radiology quizzes posted on Blackboard (15%)
Final examination consisting of questions based on information and images covered in lecture material (25%)
Completion of CORE (Case Oriented Radiology Education) cases
Professionalism (10%)

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