Journal of the American College of Radiology : JACR
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Self-assessment is paired with continuing medical education in the "lifelong learning " component of the American Board of Radiology's (ABR) Maintenance of Certification program. The literature on the use of self-assessment in higher education and the professions is instructive with regard to the distinctiveness of this form of adult learning. ⋯ Data on the use of ABR-qualified SAMs are reported. On completion of this article, the reader should be able to describe the nature, role, and best practices of self-assessment; apply these concepts to the creation or use of a SAM; and identify future opportunities for SAM development and use that will enhance the lifelong learning of radiologists.
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Errors in reading radiologic images create health risks to patients and can adversely affect physicians through litigation and increased insurance costs. This study assessed the usefulness of a radiology teaching database for training physicians to improve their diagnostic accuracy. This tool is particularly important in pediatric radiology because children have unique anatomies and pathologies, and most physicians are generally more familiar with adults. ⋯ Physicians who used the collections did so very frequently, but many experienced physicians never accessed the collection. Inexperienced physicians' reliance on reference books compared with Internet resources highlights a need for computer-based teaching and reference tools. This study illustrates that easy-to-use computer-based teaching files are useful for training physicians and as reference tools for experienced physicians.