The Impact of an Artificial Intelligence Certificate Program on Radiology Resident Education

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a pilot artificial intelligence (AI) certificate program in aiding radiology trainees to develop an understanding of the evolving role and application of artificial intelligence in radiology. A secondary objective was set to determine the background of residents that would most benefit from such training.

This was a prospective pilot study involving 42 radiology residents at two separate residency programs who participated in the Radiological Society of North America Imaging AI Foundational Certificate course over a four-month period. The course consisted of 6 online modules that contained didactic lectures followed by end-of-module quizzes to assess knowledge gained from these lectures. Pre- and post-course assessments were conducted to evaluate the residents' knowledge and skills in AI. Additionally, a post-course survey was performed to assess participants' overall satisfaction with the course.

All participating residents completed the certificate program. The mean pre-course assessment score was 37 %, which increased to 73 % after completing the modules (p < 0.001). 74 % (31/42) endorsed the belief the course improved familiarity with artificial intelligence in radiology. Residency program, residency year, and reported prior familiarity with AI were not found to influence pre-course score, post-course score, nor score improvement. 57 % (24/42) endorsed interest in pursuing further certification in AI.

Our pilot study suggests that a certificate course can effectively enhance the knowledge and skills of radiology residents in the application of AI in radiology. The benefits of such a course can be found regardless of program, resident year, and self-reported prior resident understanding of radiology in AI.