Empowering Radiology Education: Embracing the Potential of Online Learning
We read the article “Empowering radiology education: embracing the potential of online
learning”[1] with great interest. We are delighted and thankful to the authors for writing a
letter to help us clarify our thoughts and concerns. We are also thankful to the authors
for acknowledging the concerns regarding the quality and increasing number of online
resources, and need for standardization in residency structure across various states
and institutes/hospitals in India.
However, we are afraid that the authors may have misunderstood the central issue we
raised in our initial letter.[2] There is no doubt that online learning resources are a boon for modern radiology
education. In fact, we share the authors' perspective in that online resources have
had a tremendous impact on our learning experience, making it more accessible, affordable,
and equitable. They have become indispensable tools for radiology education that we
all rely on. However, our emphasis in the original letter[2] was on the prudent and wise utilization of these resources. We are confident that
the authors, in their eight points, assume that everyone using these resources will
use them judiciously understanding one's need. Indeed, the essence of effective learning
is to utilize all available resources (including online tools and resources) wisely,
ensuring that they contribute to a well-rounded and comprehensive educational experience.
Our primary concern pertains only to their effective utilization, given the swift
surge in their availability from multiple providers. Moreover, offering guidance as
needed (in choosing the available resources wisely) does not imply lack of confidence
in the perceptiveness and judgment of radiology residents. On the contrary, we strongly
believe that experienced mentors, possessing a strong grasp of the subject matter
and having adeptness in the prudent utilization of available learning resources (including
online resources), could provide valuable guidance (whenever required) to residents,
particularly during their early years of residency. This guidance would enable a multitude
of them to make judicious and efficient use of their time. While few residents may
require little or no guidance, many could benefit tremendously from timely course
corrections and mentorship. Effective mentors indeed possess the skill to gauge when
and to what extent they should intervene to best support their residents' development
and learning. The aim is to provide mentorship and assistance as needed, ensuring
that each resident receives appropriate help and guidance when required, without unnecessary
intervention in the absence of a need for course correction. Mentorship is about being
there to support and assist residents when they can benefit from it.
Last, but not least, we extend our congratulations to the authors for their valuable
contribution in developing some of the very useful online radiology learning tools.
