UCLH registrars gain recognition for imaging projects

At November’s annual congress of The British Institute of Radiology in London, The BIR/Bayer Make it Better award was presented to specialist registrar in clinical radiology Dr Louis Dwyer-Hemmings from University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH).

The team designed and introduced a novel, short MRI protocol for the detection of joint inflammation that aims to improve the accessibility and patient experience of MRI in rheumatology practice, and to support rheumatological diagnosis and treatment decisions. Also attending were team members Professor Margaret Hall-Craggs, Dr Natasha Thorley and Lisa Bida. The award is given to a group of people who have demonstrated the best improvement in an aspect of service delivery by making it more effective, or have improved patient experience.

UCLH academic clinical fellow/radiology registrar Dr Jina Pakpoor was awarded the BIR/Siemens Healthineers Research bursary award, which will help to fund research into which socioeconomic factors can predict success or failure at the FRCR examinations. Identifying factors such as gender, ethnicity, age, less-than-full- time status, disability and socioeconomic situation is key to understanding differences in career progression between trainees. It will also enable the option to increase support and resources to trainees potentially at risk of failure, facilitating equity in radiology training. The £1,000 award is in memory of radiology pioneer Sir James Mackenzie Davidson and provides pilot funding for research in radiology, radiotherapy, oncology, radiography or medical physics, helping researchers attract further funding from external sources.

Lead picture: Bayer business development manager Fiona Spaziani, Dr Louis Dwyer-Hemmings, Dr Natasha Thorley and BIR president Professor Stephen Keevil.

Published on page 13 of the February 2024 issue of RAD Magazine.