ACR Hub for Medical Educators

One medical school hosting a one-day event or 10–40 students anticipated in attendance. Valued at $150.

ACR provides:

• Postcards/giveaways for up to 40 students.
• Prizes valued up to $50.
• Event promotion through ACR social media.
• Access to existing online ACR content and presentations upon request.

School provides to ACR:

• List of registrants with contact information.
• Agenda/program schedule.
• Marketing and promotional information.

Two to three medical schools partnering for a one-day event or 40–75 students anticipated in attendance. Valued at $500.

ACR provides:

• Postcards/giveaways for up to 75 students.
• Prizes valued up to $100.
• Event promotion through ACR social media.
• Food and beverage allowance ($275).
• Access to existing online ACR content and presentations upon request.

School provides to ACR:

• List of registrants with contact information.
• Agenda/program schedule.
• 30-minute ACR spotlight session (based on member volunteer availability).
• Marketing and promotional information.

Four or more medical schools partnering for a one-day event or 75–150 students anticipated in attendance. Valued at $750.

ACR provides:

• Postcards/giveaways for up to 150 students.
• Prizes valued up to $100.
• Event promotion through ACR social media.
• Food and beverage allowance ($575).
• Access to existing online ACR content and presentations upon request.

School provides to ACR:

• List of registrants with contact information.
• Agenda/program schedule.
• 30-minute ACR spotlight session (based on member volunteer availability).
• Marketing and promotional information.

The Pipeline Initiative for the Enrichment of Radiology (PIER) is a nationally recognized program designed to introduce talented medical students to the field of radiology and radiation oncology early in their training.  

PIER offers rising second-year medical students a comprehensive six to eight-week summer experience that includes:  

• Expert-led lectures and seminars by leading radiologists and guest speakers  
  
• One-on-one mentorship from dedicated preceptors  
  
• Hands-on exposure to radiographic imaging across various modalities  
  
• In-depth case discussions with faculty and peers  
  
• Development of a Case-in-Point submission and presentation  

Throughout the program, students also engage in academic research and collaborate with their preceptors to prepare a Case-in-Point submission and an oral presentation to be presented at the National Medical Association (NMA) Annual Meeting.  

This immersive experience helps participants build core skills in medical imaging, intervention and treatment, critical thinking, and patient communication. PIER has proven instrumental in preparing students for residency programs in diagnostic radiology, interventional radiology, and radiation oncology, with many alumni successfully matching into competitive programs across the country. 

Since 2020, PIER has been offered as a fully virtual program, enabling broader participation and greater accessibility for students nationwide. What began as a five-student, in-person pilot has grown significantly to accommodate up to 40 students each year. This growth reflects the increasing interest in radiology among medical students and the success of the program in delivering a high-quality, engaging, and impactful experience. As the only radiology medical student summer internship developed by the American College of Radiology, ACR PIER offers premier training in Diagnostic Radiology, Interventional Radiology and Radiation Oncology as well as medical physics and non-interpretive skills and tips to prepare you for a successful application for residency.   

By offering early exposure and structured support, PIER plays a key role in building a strong, well-prepared radiology workforce and promoting excellence in patient care. 

If you are interested in being a preceptor for the PIER radiology summer internship, you may want to ask for support from your chairman and obtain administrative support to help with logistics.

Administrative support would be able to contact the student with all credentialing details such as HR paperwork, communication and check on transportation needs to and from the hospital. This person can set up requirements such as compliance training, etc.

If you have a medical student coordinator in your department, that person could help the student integrate into the medical student lecture and reading room rotation schedule. Since this is meant to be an internship that exposes the student to radiology, it would be good if they could spend time in subspecialty reading rooms or with a clinical colleague. We intend to provide the student with a diverse clinical radiology experience so they can see all aspects of radiology.

• Assign a desk with computer and access to PACS.
• Designate a person to teach student access to PACS and EMR.
• Establish rules for communication with the preceptor.
• Meet with your institution’s diversity office to see if they have activities for the student participate in.

• Create a calendar with lectures, reading room schedules, etc. that the intern can both access and edit.
• Schedule deadlines (abstract submission, day of service*, etc.) on the calendar. Plan when data collection and analysis should be complete as well as submission day for poster printing.
• Plan for any down time. For example, if you see a great case in the reading room, perhaps the student can submit an ACR Case in Point.

American College of Radiology. The Power of PIER: The Importance of Support in the Radiology Pipeline. ACR Bulletin. Available at: https://www.acr.org/Clinical-Resources/Publications-and-Research/ACR-Bulletin/power-of-pier-support 

Hernandez E, Chan P, Johnson G, Wang J, Hawkins CM. Student Perspective of Pipeline Programs: An Essential Tool in Diversifying Radiology. J Am Coll Radiol. 2022;19(2):205–207. Available at: https://www.jacr.org/article/S1546-1440(21)00751-1/fulltext