Radiology Expo Day: Developing a Framework for Increasing Interest, Awareness, and Understanding of Radiology Among...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Radiology
• Healthcare Equity

Background:

• Diversity in radiology remains inadequate, impacting healthcare equity.
• Targeted recruitment and inclusive practices are key to improving workforce diversity.
• Radiology outreach events can increase student interest, but effectiveness needs measurement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement a Radiology Exposition Day (RED) for medical students.
• To quantify changes in student familiarity, confidence, and interest in radiology.
• To develop an evidence-based update for the Association of Academic Radiology's toolkit.

Main Methods:

• A one-day RED event featured lectures, workshops, and mentorship.
• Pre- and post-event surveys assessed changes in student knowledge and interest.
• Statistical analysis included Wilcoxon Signed-Rank tests and thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Twenty students attended; 17 completed surveys.
• Significant increases observed in radiology familiarity (p=0.02) and image interpretation confidence (CT, MRI, ultrasound).
• Interest in radiology as a specialty significantly increased (p=0.04), with high participation from first-generation (76%) and URiM (29%) students.

Conclusions:

• The RED event successfully enhanced medical student familiarity, confidence, and interest in radiology.
• The event attracted a diverse cohort, demonstrating a promising model for engaging underrepresented students.
• Future events should enhance mentorship to address identified barriers.