Ultimate focus: applications of the Churchill Method in radiology

Abstract

The Churchill Method evolved as an approach to shooting sporting clays; essentially, successfully shooting the clay as it followed its multi-dimensional trajectory could be distilled into a simplified task, with well-trained instinct taking over to allow achievement of the more complex overall task. The simplified task might be ultimate focus on finding the leading edge of the target – with instinctive hand-eye coordination handling everything else including bringing the barrel into alignment. If the instinct is not present, the Churchill Method will not work – and practice and repetition must be utilized in order for there to be success with the overall goal. Those ideas can inform multiple aspects of radiology practice, from day-to-day, hands-on procedures to long-term career building. Regarding procedures, the Churchill Method can instruct us to keep our focus on the screen or monitor, while letting our honed instincts guide our hands to where they need to be for maximal efficacy. In the context of diagnostic imaging, fleeting ultimate focus can intersect with specific, high-yield areas of the anatomy in instinctively defined search patterns. As for career building, the Churchill Method suggests that ultimate focus on the next paper or the next grant or the next important talk can instinctively allow us to achieve our long-term career goals. With the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI), approaches such as the Churchill Method that can maximize human achievement are important to ensure that human endeavor remains relevant as many tasks begin to fall under the AI umbrella.