Evaluation of radiology resident cognitive performance

Using radiographs and slides in three formats, we objectively tested the cognitive performance of 16 residents during an 8- month period. One format tested individual residents with radiographs and required only that a list of findings be provided within a week. For-the second method; radiographs were projected to a small group of residents and a single diagnosis for each of ten cases was required. The third format required a larger group of competing residents to view projected slides of ten loosely defined but thematically connected cases and develop one diagnosis. Two of the test formats correlated significantly with a Spearmen rank, r =.50 or better (P <.025) with a ranking based upon total score on the American College of Radiology Inservice Examination. All three test formats had a Spearmen rank r =.50 or better (P<.05) when compared with pooled ranking performed by the staff’ radiologists.