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Revitalizing the Radiology Research Enterprise¹

¹ From the National Cancer Institute, 6130 Executive Blvd, Rm 800, Rockville, MD 20852 (E.V.S.) and the Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass (T.J.B.). Address reprint requests to E.V.S.

Index terms: Radiological Society of North America • Radiology and radiologists

Opportunities abound to improve both the quality and quantity of imaging research done in radiology departments in the United States with the resurgence of funding for research. National funding agencies have targeted imaging research as an area of extraordinary opportunity. The imaging industry continues its strong support of clinical research to bring its products to the marketplace. In addition, radiology societies are investing in research, and academic centers are offering numerous training programs for young radiologists and imaging scientists to learn the skills and acumen associated with an academic career. At the same time, departments of radiology are experiencing a renewal in their research interests as they begin to adapt to the remarkable socioeconomic changes that have prevailed during the past decade. Yet, research today is a more formalized and demanding process than it was in the past. A well-conceived and well-managed program is necessary to compete in this new environment.

The Radiological Society of North America has embarked on a program to assist academic radiology departments in becoming more successful in their research mission. As part of this program, the Society is offering a course for chairpersons and other members of departments involved in stimulating and managing research efforts. Acquiring the understanding and skills necessary to develop, administer, and nurture research programs of various maturity will be the focus of the course.

Several excellent programs exist for radiology leaders to prepare themselves for the administration of clinical departments. For the most part, however, the administration of the research component in an academic department is not specifically addressed in these programs. We are unaware of any similar course directed solely at radiology leaders to gain insight into how to develop and nourish a successful research program.

The RSNA's course will have two components: a 2-day workshop for all participants and an intensive 1-day workshop for six departments chosen to participate in the development stages of a research program. The 2-day workshop will consist of topical presentations followed by panel discussions and extensive audience interaction. Some of the topics to be discussed are people resources, infrastructure needs, economics of research, and models of successful research in imaging. As a research program matures, different needs arise that must be met to continue the support of the investigators and to enhance the strengths within the department and institution. The process for developing a research program passes through several well-defined steps. Exploring these steps with use of case studies will be a key component of the workshop. In the 1-day workshop, the selected participants will begin planning for a research program.

An application for participating in the course was mailed to all chairpersons of academic radiology departments October 15, 1999. All departments who complete the application will be invited to the 2-day workshop. Prior to the workshop, the Research Development Committee will select six departments from among the applicants to participate in the subsequent 1-day workshop, as well as additional phases of the RSNA's research development program. Representatives of these departments will meet on the 3rd day to begin developing their plans for their departments' research programs, including establishing evaluation critieria. Some time after the workshops when the chairpersons and their teams have completed draft proposals for their research programs, a site visit team will be sent to each of these six institutions to evaluate and comment on the proposals. A final plan will be drafted, approved, and put into place. The six departments will be asked to present their plans and report on their progress at the 86th RSNA Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting in 2000. The experiences of these six research programs will form the nidus for future meetings to be held within the framework of the RSNA annual meeting beginning in 2001. Additional departments will be invited to participate in the process beginning in 2001.

For further information, please contact Nikole Dawson of the RSNA Education Center at (630) 368-3753.

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