Emory program helps improve radiology services in China

The radiology department is now reaching around the world and working with Chinese physicians to make significant contributions to improved health care in Xian, China, through the Emory-Xian Medical Univer-sity Cooperative Program in Radiology. The purpose of the program, which began in 1992, is to provide intensive radiology training for a select group of practicing physicians and students in their final year of medical school at Xian Medical University. Medical imaging and radiology are undergoing rapid growth in China but suffer from a shortage of qualified physicians who can use the procedures. The Emory-Xian cooperative program is designed to address this need and to serve as a model for developing similar programs in other Chinese universities.

The program is the result of ongoing collaborative efforts between Perry Sprawls, professor of radiology at Emory, and the Xian Medical University faculty. Sprawls serves as the Emory coordinator and has been appointed honorable professor by Xian Medical University. Sprawls' textbook, Physical Principles of Medical Imaging, has been translated into Chinese as one of the first activities of the collaborative effort.

The first class graduated in the spring of 1993. Assistant Professor of Radiology Rick Stiles served as one of the instructors in the program and represented Emory at the graduation. Stiles said that he "was very im-pressed by the dedication of the students and their eagerness to learn about all aspects of radiology." He also said that the Chinese physicians are asking the same questions as American doctors about the choice of imaging modalities for specific clinical situations.

Xian Medical University President Ren Huimin recently wrote in a letter to Sprawls, "Due to the involvement of your personal efforts, and the support from Emory University, our cooperative program of the first Imaging Class held at XMU was very successful, and we have experienced a strong pressure from the medical centers throughout the nation seeking for the supply of our graduates. Until now those employers of these students are quite satisfied with the students' performance and are hoping for more qualified graduates of this type in the future."

This year Assistant Professor of Radiology Debra Monticciolo will go to Xian to teach in the program and conduct conferences for practicing physicians on the diagnosis of breast diseases.

"In addition to teaching and coordinating the education program, I am also developing funding for educational resources in Xian," said Sprawls. "We have already established a library and a teaching file for use by the faculty and students. Our next step is to develop a dedicated learning center in which computer technology will be used to provide the Chinese physicians with access to a wide range of medical education resources."

This article is reprinted from the Radiology Reading Room newsletter.