A Novel Design-Thinking, Hospital Innovation Core Certificate Curriculum for Radiologists and Trainees: Creation, Implementation, and Multiyear Results

David S Liu; Mercy H Mazurek; David C Whitehead; Michael C Hood; Peter Choi; Anu Gupte; Mark P Ottensmeyer; Florian J Fintelmann; Raul N Uppot; Katherine P Andriole; Michael S Gee; James A Brink; Marc D Succi

doi:10.1016/j.acra.2023.11.018

A Novel Design-Thinking, Hospital Innovation Core Certificate Curriculum for Radiologists and Trainees: Creation, Implementation, and Multiyear Results

Acad Radiol. 2024 Feb;31(2):417-425. doi: 10.1016/j.acra.2023.11.018.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Medically Engineered Solutions in Healthcare Incubator, Mass General Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts (D.S.L., M.H.M., D.C.W., M.C.H., P.C., F.J.F., R.N.U., M.S.G., J.A.B., M.D.S.); Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (D.S.L., M.H.M., D.C.W., M.C.H., F.J.F., R.N.U., K.P.A., M.S.G., J.A.B., M.D.S.); Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114 (D.S.L., M.H.M., M.C.H., M.P.O., F.J.F., R.N.U., K.P.A., M.S.G., J.A.B., M.D.S.).
² Medically Engineered Solutions in Healthcare Incubator, Mass General Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts (D.S.L., M.H.M., D.C.W., M.C.H., P.C., F.J.F., R.N.U., M.S.G., J.A.B., M.D.S.); Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (D.S.L., M.H.M., D.C.W., M.C.H., F.J.F., R.N.U., K.P.A., M.S.G., J.A.B., M.D.S.).
³ Medically Engineered Solutions in Healthcare Incubator, Mass General Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts (D.S.L., M.H.M., D.C.W., M.C.H., P.C., F.J.F., R.N.U., M.S.G., J.A.B., M.D.S.).
⁴ Mass General Brigham Innovation, Boston, Massachusetts (A.G., M.D.S.).
⁵ Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114 (D.S.L., M.H.M., M.C.H., M.P.O., F.J.F., R.N.U., K.P.A., M.S.G., J.A.B., M.D.S.).
⁶ Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (D.S.L., M.H.M., D.C.W., M.C.H., F.J.F., R.N.U., K.P.A., M.S.G., J.A.B., M.D.S.); Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114 (D.S.L., M.H.M., M.C.H., M.P.O., F.J.F., R.N.U., K.P.A., M.S.G., J.A.B., M.D.S.); Data Science Office, Mass General Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts (K.P.A.).
⁷ Medically Engineered Solutions in Healthcare Incubator, Mass General Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts (D.S.L., M.H.M., D.C.W., M.C.H., P.C., F.J.F., R.N.U., M.S.G., J.A.B., M.D.S.); Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (D.S.L., M.H.M., D.C.W., M.C.H., F.J.F., R.N.U., K.P.A., M.S.G., J.A.B., M.D.S.); Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114 (D.S.L., M.H.M., M.C.H., M.P.O., F.J.F., R.N.U., K.P.A., M.S.G., J.A.B., M.D.S.); Mass General Brigham Innovation, Boston, Massachusetts (A.G., M.D.S.). Electronic address: msucci@mgh.harvard.edu.

PMID: 38401987
DOI: 10.1016/j.acra.2023.11.018

Abstract

Rationale and objectives: Innovation is a crucial skill for physicians and researchers, yet traditional medical education does not provide instruction or experience to cultivate an innovative mindset. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a novel course implemented in an academic radiology department training program over a 5-year period designed to educate future radiologists on the fundamentals of medical innovation.

Materials and methods: A pre- and post-course survey and examination were administered to residents who participated in the innovation course (MESH Core) from 2018 to 2022. Respondents were first evaluated on their subjective comfort level, understanding, and beliefs on innovation-related topics using a 5-point Likert-scale survey. Respondents were also administered a 21-question multiple-choice exam to test their objective knowledge of innovation-related topics.

Results: Thirty-eight residents participated in the survey (response rate 95%). Resident understanding, comfort and belief regarding innovation-related topics improved significantly (P < .0001) on all nine Likert-scale questions after the course. After the course, a significant majority of residents either agreed or strongly agreed that technological innovation should be a core competency for the residency curriculum, and that a workshop to prototype their ideas would be beneficial. Performance on the course exam showed significant improvement (48% vs 86%, P < .0001). The overall course experience was rated 5 out of 5 by all participants.

Conclusion: MESH Core demonstrates long-term success in educating future radiologists on the basic concepts of medical technological innovation. Years later, residents used the knowledge and experience gained from MESH Core to successfully pursue their own inventions and innovative projects. This innovation model may serve as an approach for other institutions to implement training in this domain.

Keywords: 3d printing; Artificial intelligence; Innovation; Medical device; Prototyping.

MeSH terms

Clinical Competence
Curriculum
Education, Medical, Graduate* / methods
Hospitals
Humans
Internship and Residency*
Radiologists