By Vanessa Sulina
Photos ASA 400 Studio
On its first day of the conference, held this Thursday (1st), JPR 2025 presented the course Education and Introduction to Research. The class was composed by renowned professionals from the academic sector from different countries, with content aimed at those interested in deepening their knowledge of the subject.
At the opening of the program, the professor and head of Neuroradiology at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, in the United States, Dr. Roy Riascos, spoke about study opportunities for foreign doctors, in addition to explaining the peculiarities and impact on the career of the professional of the three main types of visa for those who wish to immigrate.
According to Dr. Riascos, more and more foreign doctors are joining the American workforce. “We have more and more residency positions filled by international graduates. This is because we are not training enough professionals to fill these positions in the United States. There is a big gap,” he explained.
To give an idea of its magnitude, medicine is the choice of one in eight students in the United States. “On the other hand, currently, not all the available fellowship positions are filled. It is a kind of opposite curve. And we need doctors, we need a solution, and, generally, it comes from foreign graduates,” the speaker highlighted.
According to him, one of the advantages of studying radiology in the US is the possibility of proving that you have graduated in your home country and then continuing your studies; in other specialties, you have to start training again.
When it comes to an academic career, Riascos pointed out that this is not the strong point of American doctors, partly because of the high financial investment involved. “This is different from the reality of foreign students, who usually go to academia because they learned early and fell in love with it. In the healthcare environment, publishing is difficult because there is no environment conducive to the growth of research. Today, 80% of radiologists in the US are in the practical area, which is a natural consequence,” concluded the professor.
Recipe for a successful residency
Is there a successful model for radiology residency? This was the topic discussed by Dr. Sergio Lucino, a full professor of Diagnostic Imaging at the School of Health Sciences at the National University of Córdoba in Argentina: “Senior management must be committed to generating financial resources for the structure and for the professors,” he said.
In addition, the speaker drew attention to the need to adapt content due to generational changes. “We cannot offer the same content that, for example, I received [the professor is from the baby bloomer generation, born between 1946 and 1964]. I am very happy, but we need to modernize. Our current students are from generation Z, with very different characteristics.”
RadioGraphics: paths to scientific publication
The course coordinator and assistant international editor of the scientific journal Radiographics, Dr. Luiz Celso Hygino da Cruz Jr., gave a lecture on the processes and commitments for publishing articles in the American journal. In his presentation, the speaker explained the step-by-step process leading up to publication and commented on the importance of participating in such an important publication.
Brazil is the clear leader in the number of papers submitted among foreign countries. However, the majority of those invited to submit to the journal are still Americans. He commented that this scenario has been changing in recent years, with the increase in publications by Brazilians.
Dr. Hygino stressed the importance of publishing. “If you ask me what paper I did in 2023, I might not remember. But if you ask me what article I published in 1998, I remember. You immortalize the paper in a more categorical way,” he concluded.
The Director of International Affairs for the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), Dr. Jorge Soto, concluded the morning’s lectures by discussing possible paths to promotion in academic radiology. There are different opportunities along this path; however, the time required for dedication will not be short: “It is a sustained commitment, not a job that will last for a few years.”
Check out the participants’ impressions of the module:
