Enhancing residency training by addressing anatomical knowledge gaps through structured educational programs: a need assessment study in radio diagnosis residents.

Abstract

Introduction: The evolving curricula in medical education have significantly reduced the time allocated for learning and clinically correlating anatomical facts. This has led to noticeable gaps in the anatomical knowledge observed by specialists while training junior residents and is being extensively documented in the literature.

Materials and methods: The descriptive, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted online by sharing the questionnaire via e-mail, WhatsApp, and Telegram to institutes across all Indian states and union territories where postgraduate radiodiagnosis courses are offered.

Results: The survey had a predominant response from radiodiagnosis residents belonging to the female gender (53.8%), pursuing MD (83.2%), from final year (43.4%), and from private (58%) institutes. 98% of the residents encountered challenges interpreting radiological images, 89% had no formal training in anatomy during residency, and 59% felt a lack of confidence regarding the human anatomy knowledge required for radiodiagnosis. 91.5% of the residents believe that a short human anatomy posting would significantly improve their radiological reporting skills, and 94% expressed interest in attending workshops or seminars to enhance their knowledge of human anatomy for radiological practice. A standardized curriculum for human anatomy training during the radiodiagnosis residency program is needed for the current period, as 90% of the respondents agreed.

Conclusion: To bolster future radiologists' diagnostic acumen, an enhanced anatomical education within radiodiagnosis residency programs in India is indeed necessary. Implementing structured training programs, incorporating interactive workshops, and leveraging advanced technological tools can significantly bridge knowledge gaps among residents.