Postgraduate musculoskeletal fellowship training in the United States: current trends and future direction

• Published in: Skeletal radiology Vol. 32; no. 6; pp. 337 - 342
• Main Author: BERQUIST, Thomas H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.06.2003; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Accreditation - trends; Biological and medical sciences; Curriculum - trends; Education, Medical, Graduate - trends; Fellowships and Scholarships - trends; Health participants; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Medical sciences; Musculoskeletal Diseases - diagnosis; Musculoskeletal Diseases - therapy; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Radiology - education; Radiology - trends; Teaching - trends; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; United States; United States; North America; America; Human; Unaccredited; Questionnaire; Invasive procedures; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Rheumatology; Journal clubs; Postal service; Interdisciplinary; Web-based learning; Medicine; Educational program; Higher education; Musculoskeletal disorder; Scientific research; Accredited; Medical specialty
• ISSN: 0364-2348; 1432-2161
• DOI: 10.1007/s00256-003-0634-0

To document current postgraduate musculoskeletal training program (accredited and unaccredited) curricula and approaches to education. Questionnaires were sent to all musculoskeletal training programs. Responses regarding radiology residency and fellowship program sizes, types of imaging and invasive procedures included, and other program parameters were solicited. Features of accredited and unaccredited programs were compared. Teaching approaches, including the use of web-based or distance learning were evaluated. Twenty-nine (73%) of 40 musculoskeletal programs responded to the questionnaire. Twenty-eight percent of programs were accredited and 72% unaccredited. Radiology residencies were also present at all responding institutions (the majority had a class size of 4-8/year). Residency programs in related specialties included pathology 96%, orthopedics and rheumatology 90%, oncology 83% and pain management 69%. The majority (93-100%) provided training in radiography, MRI and CT. Spine MRI was included in 69% of programs, ultrasonography in 62% and positron emission tomography in 24%. Arthrography and diagnostic and therapeutic injections (100%) were included in all programs. Other invasive procedures, including spine and radiofrequency ablation, were offered less frequently. Teaching approaches included conferences (100%), journal clubs (62%), multidisciplinary conferences (45-90%), web-based learning (30%) and distance learning (7%). Forty-one percent of programs offered off-site rotations. The majority of musculoskeletal training programs prepared trainees for private or academic practice. There are inconsistencies that could be improved to better prepare trainees for careers in musculoskeletal imaging.