RADIOACTIVE NEWS2.html


    
        
            

            
                Another view of IRIYA 2011

                
                    Nasreen Mahomed
                

                
                    (University of the Wiwatersrand)
                

                
                

                The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) provides
                international radiologists and radiology residents the opportunity to
                attend a special research seminar held in conjunction with the RSNA
                Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting at McCormick Place, Chicago,
                Illinois. The focus of this seminar is to encourage radiologists from
                outside North America to pursue careers in academic radiology, and is
                supported by the RSNA.

                I was privileged to be one of 16 radiologists from around the
                world accepted for the IRIYA 2011 programme. McCormick Place is one of
                the largest conference centres in the world, with around 60 000
                delegates attending the 2011 congress, so the orientation and welcome
                reception by D Tokarski and F Miller for the IRIYA delegates was most
                helpful. The IRIYA programme directed by Dr J Eng and Dr W Mayo-Smith
                was very well organised. A detailed programme and relevant reading
                material were sent to all IRIYA participants well in advance,
                facilitating more interactive sessions. Some sessions were combined
                with the Introduction to Academic Radiology Seminar for North American
                residents, while other sessions were dedicated to IRIYA participants.

                Particularly relevant lectures included Opportunities in
                Translational Research and Quantitative Imaging by Professor K Macura;
                Research Opportunities in Informatics by Dr N Safdar; Statistics by A
                Frangos; and Radiology Research: Deductions from the Literature and How
                They May Be Applied to Your Research by Professor R Hichwa. The RSNA
                Grant Programs and Education Resources seminar by F Miller, E Pietrzak
                and S Walter introduced delegates to the many research grants,
                opportunities and resources offered by the RSNA to international
                radiologists. During the research seminar, all IRIYA delegates were
                given the opportunity to present a current research proposal, which was
                critically evaluated by a panel. I found this particularly useful as my
                moderator Professor J Blickman and panelists Professor S Voss and Dr W
                Willinek were experienced and objective.

                The IRIYA programme was an excellent opportunity to network
                and meet international mentors, researchers and colleagues,
                facilitating opportunities for future collaborative research projects.
                It was also most inspiring to meet previous attendees of the IRIYA
                programme and hear of their accomplishments in research
                internationally, since their attendance.

                In addition to the IRIYA programme (where all sessions were
                compulsory), I was able to attend the early morning and late afternoon
                refresher and multisession courses. I found the paediatric imaging and
                breast imaging series to be particularly relevant. The information
                gained is already being used to update certain protocols – in
                particular, breast MRI imaging at my institution.

                I take this opportunity to thank Professor V Mngomezulu for
                nominating me for this programme, the RSNA for providing me with this
                outstanding opportunity, and the Radiological Society of South Africa
                (RSSA), President Dr C Sperryn and Congress Chairman Professor L J van
                Rensburg, for facilitating this opportunity through the RSSA’s
                affiliation and collaboration with the RSNA. I also thank Professors V
                Mngomezulu and S Andronikou and Dr I Nagdee for supporting me with
                research. As I am currently working on several research projects with
                radiologists, registrars and clinicians, this programme will help to
                strengthen research in our institution.

                To conclude: the 2011 IRIYA programme was an excellent
                platform for building a successful career as a South African researcher
                and academic in diagnostic radiology and collaborating at an
                international level.