Medical knowledge and clinical productivity: independently correlated metrics during radiology residency

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between medical knowledge relevant to radiology practice (as measured by the Dutch radiology progress test [DRPT]) and clinical productivity during radiology residency.

METHODS: This study analyzed the results of 6 DRPTs and time period-matched clinical production points of radiology residents affiliated to a tertiary care academic medical center between 2013 and 2016. The Spearman correlation analysis was performed to determine the association between DRPT percentile scores and average daily clinical production points. Linear regression analyses were performed to determine the association of DRPT percentile scores with average daily clinical production points, adjusted for age and gender of the radiology resident, and postgraduate year.

RESULTS: Eighty-four DRPTs with time period-matched clinical production points were included. These 84 DRPTs were made by 29 radiology residents (18 males and 11 females) with a median age of 31 years (range: 26-38 years). The Spearman correlation coefficient between DRPT percentile scores and average daily clinical production points was 0.550 (95% confidence interval: 0.381-0.694) (p < 0.001), indicating a significant moderate positive association. On multivariate analysis, average daily clinical production points (β coefficient of 0.035, p = 0.003), female gender of the radiology resident (β coefficient of 12.690, p = 0.001), and postgraduate year (β coefficient of 10.179, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with DRPT percentile scores. These three independent variables achieved an adjusted R2 of 0.527.

CONCLUSION: Clinical productivity is independently associated with medical knowledge relevant to radiology practice during radiology residency. These findings indicate that clinical productivity of a resident could be a potentially relevant metric in a radiology training program.

KEY POINTS: • There is a significant moderate correlation between medical knowledge relevant to radiology practice and clinical productivity during radiology residency. • Medical knowledge relevant to radiology practice remains independently associated with clinical productivity during radiology residency after adjustment for postgraduate year and gender. • Clinical productivity of a resident may be regarded as a potentially relevant metric in a radiology training program.