Optimizing Radiology Postgraduate Education with Increase in Number of Seats: The Way Forward

Over the last few years, there has been a rising trend in India of increased availability of postgraduate seats in radiology. In many institutions, this has resulted in the ratio of postgraduates to faculty members doubling, allowing for an increased number of trainees. This pattern is also evident across all medical specialties. However, a concern has emerged regarding the maintenance of training quality. While standard classes and image interpretation sessions are less likely to suffer, aspects involving patient interaction, such as ultrasound examinations, may face some challenges. Moreover, opportunities for image-guided procedures are likely to be reduced.

It is therefore imperative to engage in brainstorming sessions to identify optimal solutions. The main pillars of postgraduate training are education, patient care, and research. Universities and medical colleges would benefit from scheduling formal discussions. A “train-the-trainers” initiative for emerging faculty could be organized through conferences and workshops. The session could focus on areas such as faculty development, research-oriented education, finding relevant topics for a thesis, telemedicine integration, and competency-based education. The incorporation of health care technology, including electronic health records (ABHA ID), government health schemes, and mobile health applications, can enhance training quality. At this juncture, the regular online teaching sessions conducted by the Indian College of Radiology and Imaging (ICRI) for radiology postgraduate students are commendable. Utilizing simulators and conducting workshops for image-guided procedures would facilitate effective skill-based learning.

The anticipated increase in the number of trained radiologists is expected to have a broadly beneficial impact on health care. Tier-two cities will have improved access to medical imaging and interventions. Furthermore, the expansion of subspecialties within radiology will progress in tandem with the advancement of broader specialties such as general medicine and general surgery into various subspecialties.

In summary, it is crucial to highlight that educators hold the responsibility of ensuring the quality of training amidst this significant increase in the number of postgraduate students.

Publication History

Article published online:
27 April 2025