Homegrown business curriculum teaches new rads how to ‘think like an MBA’
Harvard researchers have piloted a curriculum for instructing radiology trainees in the business of modern medicine.
The teaching team says the program has been tested and well received at their hospital, Brigham and Women’s, and is adaptable by any academic radiology operation.
Cardiothoracic radiologist and former chief resident Ariadne DeSimone, MD, MPH, and colleagues describe their work in a paper published online June 8 in Academic Radiology [1].
For the pilot, the researchers drafted material to present in lectures and discussions, organizing segments around five “core pillars” common to MBA education—strategy, management, operations, finance and health policy/economics. Subtopics included such timely concentrations as conflicts of interest, supervisory skills, and billing and coding.
Prior to beginning the sessions, the team surveyed participants and found close to 80% dissatisfied with the business-of-medicine training they’d received to date. Some 94% indicated interest in growing toward leadership positions while expressing lack of confidence in their grasp of business-of-medicine fundamentals.
Most of the participants were residents, but a handful of radiology fellows and a few early- or mid-career radiologists virtually attended at least one session or discussion. The interest of the latter subgroup suggests that demand exists for similar training tailored for faculty, the authors note.
Upon surveying the field following completion of the curriculum, DeSimone and co-authors found “significant improvements in satisfaction with their training in the business of medicine and perceived improvements in knowledge of important concepts in the business of medicine.”
The authors comment in their discussion:
Our pilot curriculum highlights an unmet need among radiology trainees for education in the business of radiology in preparation for their future careers. We have illustrated that this need is feasibly and effectively achieved through the development of an Academic Radiology Business Series that leverages institutional expertise for practical, interactive and personalized instruction that can be scaled and implemented at any training program.”
DeSimone and colleagues add that they’re planning to offer the program annually at their institution, continuously improving its components with input from from faculty as well as trainees.
In addition, tapping a grant from the Association of University Radiologists’ Research & Education Foundation, they aim to design and pilot “an interactive and highly adaptable Academic Radiology Business Series for nationwide dissemination to radiology training programs and medical educators.”
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Reference:
- Ariadne DeSimone et al: “Think Like an MBA: Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of an Academic Radiology Business Series (ARBS) for Radiology Trainees.” Academic Radiology, June 8, 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acra.2022.05.008
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.