Joerg Wilhelm Oestmann MD,PHD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

To design and execute a teaching project that improves the recruitment of young professionals to radiology and increases the understanding of the imaging sciences and image assisted interventions in a wider medical public exposed to radiology on a clinical basis.

Selected didactically optimized cases of all radiological subspecialties were presented along with a choice of potential diagnoses based on morphological and clinical aspects. The reader was asked to analyze the cases following laid out rules and to come to a most likely diagnosis. To increase the attention span, the personal enjoyment and the understanding of how radiology "ticks", the reader was embedded in an virtual "internship" setting filled with peer group characters having the same task. In a preparatory imaging technology part normal life analogies were used wherever seen fit.

Over 4000 students completed the material on their own intiative. Responses were generally favorable. Special emphasis was given to the size of the images and the indication of pathology within the images where room for improvement was seen. The "embedded" peer group learning situation was felt to be pleasant and helpful. Some analogies were said "not to be serious or scientific enough" and "not sufficient for exam preparation".

The concept of the virtual "embedded" peer group learning environment in radiology at a student level was well received. The method seems fit to attract more students to the field and to increase the understanding of those not planning to go into radiology. With the student responses at hand it will be further refined.

J.W.O.: Author of textbook "Radiologie - Ein fallorientiertes Lehrbuch"; Thieme Verlag Stuttgart 2002 and "Radiology - From Image to Diagnosis"; Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc. New York, 2005

Oestmann, J, Recruiting the New Generation: How to Attract Medical Students to the Heart of Radiology.  Radiological Society of North America 2005 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 27 - December 2, 2005 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2005/4405638.html