My PIER Experience: Perspectives From a Medical Student

Ask any first-year medical student what it feels like to start medical school and you’re bound to hear many of the same thoughts: countless hours of studying, difficulty balancing extracurriculars with schoolwork and the dizzying idea of figuring out which specialty to eventually pursue.

Upon entering medical school, I had no idea which direction to go and struggled to plant my feet into the world of academia and real-world clinical medicine. It wasn’t until halfway through the year, when we became entrenched in anatomy lab, that something really stood out to me: Radiology.

As part of our anatomy curriculum, we incorporated plain film, CT scans, ultrasound imaging and MRI, correlating these with the relevant cadaver anatomy in the lab. It was so intriguing to analyze the internal anatomy and characterize pathology without even entering the tiniest wire into a patient’s body.

Looking to learn more about radiology, I stumbled upon the ACR® Pipeline Initiative for the Enrichment of Radiology (PIER) program. Available to rising second-years through the ACR Medical Student Section, this program offers a two-fold experience: Expert-led lectures and seminars by leading radiologists and guest speakers with hands-on exposure to radiographic imaging across various modalities, as well as one-on-one mentorship with a dedicated radiology preceptor who works with students to develop an ACR Case in Point® research submission and presentation.

My case report centered around an adolescent with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia who was hemodynamically decompensating from a bleeding arteriovenous malformation. Radiologists identified the lesion and quickly embolized it, saving a life that was slipping away in real time. This report introduced me to the incredible role that radiologists play in patient care.

Thanks to the PIER program, I came to learn that one of radiology’s profound superpowers is its ability to see and further treat disease before it is clinically apparent. This case report served as my introduction to the world of radiology research and gave me the opportunity to showcase my work at a national level. As part of the program, I traveled in person to present at the National Medical Association Annual Meeting as part of the radiology and radiation oncology section.

As an aspiring future radiologist, I understood the importance of accurately articulating my findings and eventually mastering oral case presentations. Learning how to work through the research process and craft a streamlined story about the imaging behind a clinical presentation gave me the skills to participate in future radiology research at the University of Minnesota. ACR offers a variety of oral case presentation resources to help you succeed as well.

My case report introduced me to one of the biggest benefits of the PIER program: The mentorship of a dedicated preceptor. I was paired with Kelly Dietz, MD, a pediatric radiologist at the University of Minnesota. Through Dr. Dietz, I learned about the vast field of pediatric imaging and radiologic procedures. More importantly, connecting with her gave me the chance to ask questions relating to my personal journey and the steps I should take if I wanted to pursue a career in radiology.

With my mentor’s help, I connected with other residents in the department, worked on future case reports and found opportunities to network with radiologists at conferences. The importance of having a mentor in your corner, coaching and providing support throughout the toughest moments of medical school, truly cannot be understated.

Despite radiology’s importance in clinical management across specialties, exposure to the field remains fairly limited early in medical school. Education tends to be primarily limited to specialty-specific pathology and imaging modalities. PIER lectures, delivered by world-class radiologists, served as my introduction to topics such as nuclear medicine, breast imaging, medical physics and minimally invasive interventional radiology procedural innovations. ACR Clinical Learning Pathways, a new ACR member benefit, supports your career at every stage with practical learning in neuroradiology, musculoskeletal imaging and pediatric radiology — at your pace, on your schedule.

One interactive, Jeopardy-style PIER lecture from Marques Bradshaw, MD, MSCR, a nuclear medicine physician at Vanderbilt School of Medicine, centered around introductory concepts in clinical nuclear medicine imaging. Captivated, I messaged Dr. Bradshaw after the lecture to ask a few questions about the information presented. To my surprise, he not only happily answered my questions but offered to meet with me one-on-one to further teach me about tenets of nuclear medicine at the medical-student level.

Thanks to the PIER program and Dr. Bradshaw, I discovered a love of nuclear imaging. When I returned to medical school for my second year, I connected with nuclear medicine physicians in my department and had the opportunity to shadow and further reaffirm my interest in the field. Now, nuclear medicine is among my top choices for fellowship specialty!

The PIER program was monumental for me in many ways. As a timid first-year medical student, the PIER program served as a steppingstone toward a career in radiology. Whether through the mentorship or the thorough lectures over various radiological topics, PIER illustrated the vast world of radiology. I believe that exploring radiology through the PIER program’s 10-week experience offers medical students more real-world perspectives than any textbook could. I look forward to seeing where the program continues to take my peers and future generations.