Prof. Emilio Quaia MD PhD, DIMED Medical School of Padova, University of Padova (Italy)

Can you describe your role and affiliation?

Prof. Emilio Quaia MD Ph.D., Full Professor of Radiology, Director of Radiology Residency Program, Radiology Institute, Department of Medicine - DIMED Medical School of Padova, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.

In the course that you supervise, what are the needs of the students (and teachers) regarding the use and access of content relevant to specialist training?

The numerous weekly hours dedicated to the assistance activity by medical specialists in training often do not allow adequate coverage of the hours of frontal teaching required by the program. The use of computer support such as RADPrimer, combined with STATdx or not, allows the availability of a vast network of information that can potentially partially replace the traditional frontal lectures. The final self-study test also allows each student to assess the level of individual knowledge achieved. In addition, as part of the reporting activity, there is often the need to have reference support to propose the most plausible differential diagnoses on the basis of radiological findings and which must always be proposed at the end of a radiological report. RADPrimer and STATdx allow us to achieve this result and they are certainly useful to both graduates/trainees/residents and specialist doctors.

How long have you used RADPrimer and STATdx in your specialization course?

Two academic years.

From your point of view, what are the main benefits of using RADPrimer?

The use of RADPrimer allows immediate and exhaustive access to the essential information necessary to correctly propose a differential diagnosis relating to the radiological findings identified during the evaluation of the images and described in the report. In addition, RADPrimer allows you to conduct a personal test to evaluate the degree of self-learning achieved within the various teaching modules and verify the increase in knowledge in the various areas of imaging.

What are the main benefits of using STATdx and its integration with a platform like RADPrimer in specialist training?

Constant and immediate access to more detailed information relating to the different pathological findings, and formulation of the main differential diagnoses for each pathological finding.

How did you integrate the use of RADPrimer into your course?

At the beginning of the academic year, the graduates/trainees/residents are assigned the topics that are part of the school’s teaching program, device by device, in relation to the year of training. On a quarterly basis, assessment tests are conducted by the teacher to assess the degree of learning and propose the final grade of the year, first partial and then final.

Do you think the use of RADPrimer and STATdx has contributed to improving the training of the trainees? In what way and in which areas?

They both had a strong impact on the breadth of the theoretical knowledge of the graduates/trainees/residents which otherwise could not have been covered by the lectures only. These, however, continue to be administered even if aimed at specific topics of interest.

Could you give us an example of how the use of RADPrimer or STATdx influenced your specialization course?

Radiology diagnostics graduates/trainees/residents now have basic knowledge in all areas of radiology diagnostics, from a theoretical point of view. Previously, it was impossible to cover such a vast amount of information based solely on lectures or on the study of traditional texts.