"Empowering Future Generations: A Radiology Outreach Initiative for Youth in Baltimore City"

Purpose: This project aims to provide a practical perspective on building an outreach program in radiology for Underrepresented-in-Medicine (UIM) individuals by targeting primary education students in West Baltimore. It seeks to address socioeconomic disparities and promote interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, focusing on radiology.

Methods/Materials: The UMB Cure Scholars Program was created in 2015, offering mentorship and education in STEM subjects to middle school students in West Baltimore. Since May 2021, The Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at our institution has collaborated with this program, delivering 4-5 annual interactive sessions to students enrolled in a year-long anatomy course. Content includes public health topics and introduces radiology concepts, integrating imaging with anatomy and physiology. The content was designed to match the students' existing knowledge and interest, using a mix of institutional and publicly available images. Our narrative study seeks to share our practical experience to support and encourage other radiology programs to create similar initiatives in their communities.

Results: Students in this program have been engaged, showing significant interest and aptitude in learning anatomy and physiology, and have enthusiastically participated by offering their interpretations of radiologic images. The program enhanced student engagement with interactive Powerpoint presentations, teaching device models, 3D printed organs, and Jeopardy-style games. Attention to principles of education theory guided the design of a program that could engage primary school-aged children. Resident volunteers from diverse backgrounds facilitated the program, contributing to its success.

Conclusions: The outreach program engaged Baltimore City youth in a radiology-based anatomy curriculum, demonstrating the potential for radiologists to contribute meaningfully to public health and STEM education. The program serves as a model for similar initiatives in other communities while highlighting the potential role of radiologists in addressing educational disparities and inspiring future generations of STEM professionals.