So You Want To Be A Radiologist

Ah the radio. One of the most influential and sophisticated inventions of its time. Before we had laptops and the tv, this bad boy would be on the shelves of some of the most prominent stores and the latest models would probably have caught your eye during the festive season but why would we need a radiologist in the medical field after so many technological advancements and what good would the radio do for us in medicine? You’re right we don’t use the radio in medicine even though that would be cool and a radiologist doesn’t study the radio. In this installment of the “So You Want To Be” series post, we will explore who a radiologist is, what they do along with some information on the Canadian pathways to pursue a career in the field.

Who is a radiologist.

Radiologists are medical doctors that specialize in diagnosing and treating injuries and diseases using medical imaging (radiology) procedures (exams/tests) such as X-rays, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography (PET) and ultrasound. There are different types of radiologists but the job of such individuals will stem from the following basic specialties:

Diagnostic radiologists

These radiologists use medical imaging procedures to assess and diagnose conditions inside the body. They report and interpret the resulting images from various scans to aid the patient's doctors on a potential treatment. They may also participate in research and other clinical work. You can find most diagnostic radiologists working in breast imaging, chest radiology, musculoskeletal radiology, and many more.

Interventional radiologists

They are doctors that diagnose and treat patients using image-guided, minimally invasive techniques. They guide instruments through tiny incisions in the body, reaching the source of medical problem and delivering targeted treatments. These radiologists are usually on teams that perform traditional surgeries.

Radiation oncologists

These radiologists prescribe and oversee each cancer patients treatment plan.

Education

Radiologists have to undergo 13 years of training which includes 4 years of med school, 4–5 years of residency and a 2 year fellowship. Some students cut down those years but enrolling in an undergraduate and graduate program based for radiology students. In Canada, these programs include:

Undergraduate programs

• Mcmaster University — Medical physics and applied Radiation sciences
• McGill university — Medical Radiation Physics
• British Columbia institute of technology — Medical imaging
• University of Alberta- Diagnostic Radiology

Graduate programs

• University of Manitoba — Graduate Programs in medical Physics
• University of Alberta Medical Physics Graduate Teaching Program

How do I decide if Radiology is for me?

Radiologists have certain characteristics and since this job depends on the intellectual side of medicine rather than the rigorous side of it most students that enjoy piecing puzzles together will enjoy a career in radiology. Some other questions to ask yourself include:

1. Do I value a work-life balance?
2. Am I ok with not seeing the patient eye to eye but rather helping the main doctor?
3. Am I ok with working in a procedural(clinic and surgeries) and non-procedural (reading room) setting
4. Do I have a big Ego? (most radiologists are not as appreciated in the field.)

Trends and Food for thought?

Recently arguments have come up over the use of artificial intelligence to replace radiologists. AI can learn to detect these conditions and so some have argued that the cheaper cost might outweigh the importance of having a human reading the scans. Other have argued that some diagnoses have human components that cannot be replaced. The human eye is a very important tool in detecting abnormalities and the algorithms will only be able to act on learned knowledge.

I for one will argue and agree with the statement “AI won’t replace radiologists, but radiologists who don’t use AI will be replaced by those who do.” We can’t deny the advancements of technology but we can use it to improve our practices and this option allows everyone to keep their jobs while putting the patient's care first. What do you think about AI replacing radiologists? Let us know on your media platforms. Post your answer on your story with video or text and tag us @ontarioyouthmedsociety on Instagram.