Exploring New York Medical Center: Insights into Cutting-Edge Healthcare and Future Medical Trends - Part 2
Here comes the exciting continuation! In this segment, we'll delve deeper into the experiences and insights gained by two doctors during their visits to Montefiore Medical Center's Radiology Department and Comprehensive Cancer Center's Radiation Oncology Department.
Firstly, let's start with Dr. Wang Xiaodong from the Fourth People's Hospital of Zibo City. In mid-January 2024, he began a three-month clinical rotation at the Radiation Oncology Department of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine-affiliated Montefiore Hospital. During his rotation, Dr. Wang received comprehensive training and education, which brought him new knowledge and insights.
Firstly, he noticed that the Cancer Center was equipped with advanced radiation therapy equipment, such as CT simulators, MRI simulators, linear accelerators, MRI-guided linear accelerators, TOMO systems, and proton accelerators. These machines not only provided essential technical support for radiation therapy but also enabled doctors to devise more precise and personalized treatment plans, thereby maximizing treatment effectiveness while minimizing damage to surrounding normal tissues.
Furthermore, Dr. Wang observed that the Radiation Oncology Department categorized tumors based on organ systems, with each professor responsible for 2-3 different types. This organizational structure allowed professors to gain a deeper understanding of the tumors they were responsible for, facilitating both their clinical and research work. Dr. Wang had the privilege of shadowing professors responsible for various tumor types, learning and practicing comprehensively from patient consultations to radiation therapy preparation, target delineation, treatment planning, side-effect management, and follow-up examinations. This experience provided him with a deeper understanding and mastery of radiation therapy techniques.
In addition to technical learning, Dr. Wang also improved his English proficiency. Through interactions with professors and colleagues, he enhanced his understanding and usage of professional terminology, improving his communication skills and laying the foundation for future international exchanges and academic cooperation. He actively participated in academic conferences, case discussions, and radiation therapy planning discussions, broadening his horizons and knowledge base through these learning opportunities.
Through interactions with hospital staff, Dr. Wang gained a profound understanding of the importance of standardized workflows and operations in hospitals, as well as how to utilize advanced operating systems to improve work efficiency and quality while reducing errors and resource wastage. The work atmosphere at Montefiore Hospital's Cancer Center was relaxed and harmonious, with everyone diligently fulfilling their duties and willing to help and share experiences.
This conducive work environment provided Dr. Wang with better opportunities for learning and growth, enabling him to achieve more comprehensive development in professional skills.
Through this enriching learning experience, Dr. Wang not only expanded his professional knowledge but also accumulated rich experience in English communication. He expressed his gratitude for the learning opportunity and pledged to apply what he had learned in practice to provide better treatment services for patients and actively contribute to the hospital's development.
"I am deeply grateful for this learning opportunity," said Dr. Wang.
The second visiting doctor is Dr. Tian Zhiyong from the First Hospital of Handan City. Dr. Tian also began a three-month observational learning rotation at the Radiology Department of Montefiore Medical Center in mid-January.
He observed that the Radiology Department at Montefiore Medical Center had a relatively comprehensive range of specialties, including abdominal radiology, breast radiology, cardiovascular radiology, emergency radiology, musculoskeletal radiology, neuroradiology, nuclear medicine, pediatric radiology, ultrasound, vascular and interventional radiology, etc. The Imaging Department had a well-established Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) system, fully digitized, allowing clinicians to access clinical histories and various current and past examination results online, facilitating comprehensive analysis of lesions; when uncertain about certain issues, doctors could promptly search online.
During his rotation, he rotated through five specialty groups: breast radiology, neuroradiology, musculoskeletal radiology, abdominal radiology, and cardiovascular radiology. During the two months of rotation, the hospital adjusted his rotation plan twice based on his work status and actual needs, for which he expressed sincere gratitude.
Regarding English proficiency, when he first arrived at the department, he struggled due to his limited English proficiency, especially in listening and speaking, which posed barriers to communication with teachers in a purely English-speaking environment.
He found it difficult to understand the teachers' explanations, and some professional vocabulary was hard to memorize and express, leading to anxiety and self-doubt. Fortunately, the teachers from various specialty groups were very enthusiastic; they took his feelings into account and often conducted one-on-one teaching. They would slow down their speech during explanations and sometimes use translation software to help him understand. Over time, he gradually adapted to the English environment and improved his comprehension skills.
During his rotation, he observed many advantages of the Imaging Department at Montefiore Medical Center: first, standardized examinations, clear images, and comprehensive sequences. For example, spine (cervical, thoracic, lumbar) CT scans all had bone and soft tissue window thin-layer images, as well as coronal and sagittal reconstructed images, which were extremely standardized. Secondly, diagnostic reports were structured and detailed, minimizing misdiagnoses and facilitating quality control management. In addition, diagnostic results often followed guidelines and consensus, such as LI-RADS for liver lesions, PI-RADS for prostate lesions, Cad-RADS for coronary CT angiography, and Fleischner Society CT incidental pulmonary nodule management guidelines (2017), providing significant assistance for clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Moreover, he also learned about some advanced examination projects, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI) of brain tissue oxygen levels, which could clearly locate functional cortical centers, with significant implications for guiding cranial surgery and preserving functional tissue.
He also reinforced his anatomical knowledge and supplemented his previous deficiencies. As imaging anatomy is the foundation of radiology, lacking a solid anatomical foundation makes it difficult to make correct diagnoses. However, during his rotation, he learned a lot of anatomical knowledge through high-quality network atlases and comparisons with departmental cases. Finally, he also observed some interventional radiology procedures, such as shoulder joint arthrography and breast ultrasound or molybdenum target-guided biopsy, realizing that compared to domestic radiologists, radiologists abroad possess strong professional operational capabilities.
Regarding the training system for residents, he learned that the training of residents in the Radiology Department at Montefiore Medical Center is roughly divided into two main areas: Diagnostic Radiology and Interventional Radiology. Training related to diagnostic radiology, which is relevant to him, requires five years of rotation, including rotations in various systems within the radiology department, such as abdominal radiology, breast radiology, and cardiovascular radiology, rotating through one department per month. Residents are mainly responsible for writing and reading film reports, learning operations such as ultrasound and fluoroscopy, and participating in consultations and academic conferences. In the 4th-5th year, residents can undertake small research projects, which helps in-depth learning in personal interest areas. The teaching schedule during the training period is tight, and the teaching physicians are very responsible, providing one-on-one guidance to residents. After completing the residency in radiology, most residents in university programs will continue to apply for the qualifications of radiology researchers, while those in community programs may directly apply for jobs. During this period, they can choose to further study in a department within the radiology department that interests them.
After learning about the history and culture of New York, he deeply felt that the Radiology Department at Montefiore Medical Center had developed a unique management system, with many experiences and ideas worth learning from. He admired the comprehensive and exquisite diagnostic skills of radiologists. Regarding the training and management of residents and researchers, he found the whole-hearted dedication of radiologists to teaching worthy of emulation. He sees this learning opportunity as a chance to continue his professional development, combining it with the circumstances of his workplace. Lastly, he expressed gratitude to the teachers who had taught and guided him and thanked the hospital leaders and colleagues for their support.
That concludes the observations and experiences of the two visiting doctors today. We hope it provides valuable insights and assistance to future doctors who will undertake similar learning journeys. Feel free to learn more about the Aurora Health Intelligence's clinical training program for Chinese doctors at Montefiore Medical Center in New York.
Background: The China National Health Commission's Talent Exchange Service Center launched the International Specialist Doctor Training Program in July 2023, encouraging Chinese medical professionals to undergo training and exchange at internationally renowned hospitals. In response, Aurora Health Intelligence (AHI) introduced a specialized clinical training program for Chinese doctors at Montefiore Medical Center in New York. This program aims to arrange domestic young and middle-aged doctors for a 2-3 month clinical observational learning rotation at American hospitals to expand their international perspectives, promote discipline advancement and development. The learning content covers clinical observation in dozens of auxiliary departments in internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, as well as participation in daily hospital activities such as ward rounds, patient case analysis, multidisciplinary discussions, and attendance at academic conferences and research exchanges. Upon completion of the training, the hospital will issue a certificate of completion for international exchange training.
AHI is focus on international medical cooperation, including but not limited to medical education, talent training, and management.
Contact Information:
Joseph Lai
Email: ahi@auroramri.com