Transforming Fellow & Resident Education
One Module at a Time
A structured, evidence-based approach to paediatric radiology training — asynchronous learning, flipped classroom teaching, and continuous programme evaluation.
From passive attendance to measurable mastery
PedRad Academy replaces information-delivery lectures with a model where trainees arrive already prepared, in-person time is reserved for clinical reasoning, and the question bank creates an objective record of progress at every stage of training.
Flipped Classroom
Module completion is a requirement before each session. Trainees arrive with a shared knowledge baseline, so the room's time is spent entirely on case-based reasoning and differential discussion — not on covering material that can be delivered asynchronously.
Longitudinal Progress Tracking
The question bank is administered at defined milestones throughout training. Score trajectories reveal whether a trainee is progressing as expected, and consistent weakness on a topic flags a learning gap before it reaches the board examination.
Programme Quality Feedback
When an entire cohort underperforms on the same topic, the problem is the curriculum, not the trainees. PedRad Academy makes this distinction objective and visible — for the first time, teaching deficiencies can be identified and corrected with evidence rather than intuition.
Board Preparation by Default
Every module question is written in ABR single-best-answer format with detailed explanations. Board readiness is not a separate activity — it is embedded in every rotation, every session, and every module completed across all nine subspecialties.
The teaching week — how it works in practice
Each block follows the same rhythm. In-person time is protected for expert-guided reasoning.
Module assigned
Faculty assigns the module 48–72 hrs before the session. Completion is mandatory.
Self-directed study
Trainee works through lecture, reference cards, and 5 ABR questions at their own pace.
Interactive session
Session opens with a brief uncertainty poll; the remainder is case-based discussion only.
Question bank set
Trainees complete a scored question set. Results are recorded and compared to cohort norms.
Data review
Faculty reviews aggregate scores. Outliers trigger targeted follow-up or module revision.
In-person time becomes a premium resource
When knowledge transfer moves online, 45 minutes of a teaching session can be used entirely for what only an expert can provide: probing a trainee's reasoning aloud and teaching the clinical judgement that sits above pattern recognition.
Individual trajectory
A score record across all modules and time-points creates a training portfolio. A plateau or decline triggers a targeted intervention months before the board examination.
Cohort benchmarking
Scores across a whole cohort reveal systematic patterns. A consistent drop at the same topic, across multiple cohort years, points to the curriculum rather than the trainee.
Early warning
Trainees scoring below threshold before a session are identified in advance. Faculty can adjust the session focus before anyone falls behind.
When the whole cohort struggles, the curriculum answers
If every trainee underperforms on AFP interpretation, that is not a disciplinary finding — it is a quality improvement trigger. The programme director reviews the module content, the faculty reviews their teaching, and the case schedule is adjusted. The data makes the invisible visible: for the first time we can distinguish "this trainee needs more effort" from "this topic has always been poorly taught here."
| Stage | Timing | Question bank use | Action on low score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline | Start of training | 5 questions per module, all 9 subspecialties — establishes individual baseline | Informs rotation sequence; flags prior knowledge gaps |
| Pre-rotation | Week before each block | 10 questions in the relevant subspecialty | Remedial module assigned if score <50%; faculty adjusts session focus |
| Mid-rotation | Midpoint of block | Matched set — compares directly to pre-rotation score | Faculty reviews teaching if score gain <20% |
| Post-rotation | Final week | 20 questions, higher complexity — summative assessment | Below-threshold score triggers documented remediation plan |
| Pre-boards | 6–12 months before ABR / CAQ | Full bank, all 9 modules, timed simulation | Personalised study plan from weakest topic clusters |
Measure
Question bank scores logged per trainee and per cohort at every stage.
Analyse
Programme director reviews data annually, separating individual variance from curriculum deficits.
Intervene
Underperforming topics trigger module revision, targeted case sessions, or expert teaching.
Re-measure
Next cohort's scores confirm whether the intervention worked. The loop is self-improving.
ACGME milestone documentation without additional burden
Module completion records and question bank scores map directly to Medical Knowledge and Patient Care milestone domains. The evidence is a natural by-product of the learning process — no separate assessment events, no additional forms.
Nine subspecialties. One coherent system.
The neonatal liver masses module is the proof of concept. The architecture scales identically across all nine PedRad Academy subspecialties — Chest, Abdominal & GI, Genitourinary, Musculoskeletal, Neuroradiology, Head & Neck, Vascular Anomalies, Interventional Radiology, and Imaging Techniques & Safety. Each new module extends the question bank and deepens the evaluation data. Faculty contribute cases and questions drawn directly from institutional practice.
"The goal is not to replace the expert teacher — it is to ensure that every minute with the expert teacher is spent on the things only an expert can do."PedRad Academy · Boston Children's Hospital