Research Training of Future Leaders in Radiology: A Pilot International Outreach Educational Program

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Research Methodology
• Radiology

Background:

• Assessing the impact of research methodology training on academic careers is crucial.
• Comparing outcomes between participants from economically emerging and developed countries provides valuable insights.
• Understanding long-term publication trajectories informs educational strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the short-term knowledge enhancement from a research methodology course.
• To determine the long-term publication trajectory (up to 10 years) of course participants.
• To compare outcomes between participants from economically emerging (cohort 1) and developed (cohort 2) countries.

Main Methods:

• A four-day research methodology course covering research design (M1) and statistics (M2).
• Pre- and post-tests administered to assess knowledge gain.
• PubMed searches conducted to track publications, impact factor (IF), and authorship up to 10 years post-course.

Main Results:

• Participants showed significant knowledge improvement in both modules (cohort 1) and statistics (cohort 2).
• Publication output per person was similar at 1 year post-course but significantly higher for cohort 2 at 10 years.
• Mean impact factor of publications remained comparable between cohorts at both time points.

Conclusions:

• The research methodology course effectively enhanced knowledge, particularly in statistics, for radiology trainees.
• While publication quality was consistent, long-term publication output diverged between participants from different economic backgrounds.
• Sustained research productivity may require targeted support for trainees from economically emerging countries.