Medical Students

We are proudly dedicated to and passionate about medical student education and are pleased to offer many opportunities for medical students to engage with and learn about radiology. We also have many award-winning educators and have presented nationally regarding our medical student education curriculum and methods.

- Mark E. Mullins, MD, PhD
Director of Radiology Medical Student Education

Each year, the Department of Radiology offers at least one second-year medical student elective. Topics vary and previously offered electives include 1) Radiology Quality and Safety; 2) Drawing and Medical Illustration for Medical Students (taught by Dr. Stefan Tigges and Ms. Julia Kjelgaard, senior lecturer in visual arts); and 3) Clinical Correlation: Anatomy, Pathology, and Radiology (supervised by Dr. Stefan Tigges).

In 2010, the freestanding two-week radiology clerkship was replaced with a two-credit-hour, letter grade “virtual” clerkship: radiology lectures, small group sessions, and shadowing are woven into the other seven traditional, required clerkships. Medical students have about 40 hours of contact with members of the Department of Radiology distributed over the entire third year, with topics appropriate to each particular clerkship rotation. For example, students on the surgery clerkship are shown how and what kinds of imaging can help diagnose the etiology of abdominal pain.  

Students also learn how to approach common imaging studies such as chest radiographs and head CTs. In addition, they learn about the American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria® so that they know when imaging is indicated, and if so, what imaging modality is best for a given condition.

Students also learn 22 "don’t miss" imaging findings like pneumothorax and intracranial bleeding so that important diagnoses are not missed or delayed (Alliance of Medical Student Educators in Radiology). Finally, the students review 16 computer-based modules on important topics in imaging such as trauma and read the textbook Learning Radiology: Recognizing the Basics, 4^th Edition. At the end of the third year, the students are tested using a nationally designed and validated computer-based exam offered by the Association of University Radiologists (AUR)/Alliance of Medical Student Educators in Radiology (AMSER) and Aquifer. The clerkship director is Dr. Keith Herr, Dr. Smyrna Tuburan is assistant director, and Carol Dowdle is clerkship coordinator.

A Clinical Elective in Radiology is offered by the Emory University School of Medicine and is administered by Dr. Aine Kelly and Dr. Colin Segovis. This elective provides a varied exposure to the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences and the numerous subspecialties (e.g., abdominal, cardiothoracic, interventional, neuroradiology, breast imaging, nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, musculoskeletal, and pediatric imaging) within our department. The duration of the elective is traditionally 4-weeks.  Postgraduate students can discuss alternative timelines with the course directors on an individual basis.

This elective available to medical students and residents is a combination of didactic sessions and readouts (a virtual readout is available during the COVID-19 pandemic).  Core didactic sessions are tailored for medical students and PGY-1s and cover general radiology topics that are expected to be useful during the remainder of medical school and/or subsequent clinical practice. Learners will also have the opportunity to attend radiology resident lectures.

A great deal of radiology teaching occurs at the workstation “readout” during which an attending radiologist reviews cases with radiology residents.  This elective will give the learner the opportunity to participate in readouts either in person or virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learners will select specialties in radiology and sites to best meet the learner’s needs and interests. 

In addition, students will learn about the American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria® so that they know when imaging is indicated and what imaging modality is best for the situation. Learners will also review a core set of pathologies, many of which are part of the 22 "don’t miss" imaging findings (Alliance of Medical Student Educators in Radiology) like pneumothorax and intracranial bleeding, so the learner can identify important diagnoses that should not be missed as to avoid a delay in care

This elective uses a continually feedback process through brief weekly “check-ins” to optimize the learner's experiences.

Please contact Dr. Kelly at aine.marie.kelly@emory.edu or Dr. Segovis at colin.m.segovis@emory.edu, or the course coordinator Wanda Dozier at wanda.dozier@emory.edu, if you have questions.