Why did I write a book?

When I started Becoming a Radiologist over 6 years ago it was borne out of an idea and a little bit of desperation. Having recently completed my final radiology fellowship exams and approaching the end of my training, I had more junior radiology trainees and junior doctors interested in radiology asking me for my advice. In particular, my colleagues were interested in my approach to exams, study and how to learn radiology in general. I feared that if I didn't immortalise what I had learned, it would be gone forever. Even looking back at those early posts I am surprised at the insight I managed to capture.

The day I was finally able to hold the finished product in my hands!

Having already written a short piece for RANZCR's publication Inside News, outlining my 7 Tips for Tackling Radiology Exams, I decided to keep going. The writing process was giving me a much-needed outlet to declutter my mind and make sense of the challenges I had encountered in my journey through medicine and into radiology so far. What's more, people seemed to be responding positively to it.

The blog evolved from a collection of exam tips and advice to a platform for pondering radiology training and professional practice in general. I wrote about more vulnerable topics such as imposter syndrome and responding to constructive feedback, and shared my own personal experiences as a trainee raising a family and how I navigated the hidden curriculum of exam technique. I still have colleagues coming up to me to tell me how much they love the idea of the 'study-cation'.

When the RANZCR training program underwent a significant redevelopment, accompanied by an overhaul of the exam structure, many trainees and educators in the Australian and New Zealand community sought guidance. The challenge was that the new exam format had never been run before. As such, no one was an expert.

At the time, I was working as a an incoming Director of Training and was feeling the pressure to demystify the new exam format. The stakes of understanding how to approach and teach the new format were high for my trainees of course, but also for weighed heavy on me as an educator.

One of the small but pertinent inclusions in the new curriculum - and the final examination - was the intrinsic roles section. Intrinsic roles covered professionalism and non-interpretive skills, as well as the critical topic of cultural safety. This domain was to make up 5% of the final exam mark, and at that time the community was scratching their head about how to learn, teach and examine it.

I took on the challenge of the intrinsic roles as a personal one. Already exploring and studying in the medical imaging education and diversity, equity and inclusion spaces I had skin in the game and academic curiosity around the role of a radiologist outside reading scans. This led to lecture content, blog posts and the eventual creation of a syllabus mapped question bank on this very site.

The biggest challenge was that a comprehensive syllabus existed, filled with learning points that were too commonly misconstrued as 'soft skills', 'things that are commonsense', or 'cannot be taught'. Yet, they needed to be examined in an objective way supported by a marking rubric. In short, there had to be a 'correct answer' if intrinsic roles were going to be incorporated into the radiology fellowship exam. As a qualitative researcher, and seasoned writer or exam questions, I knew that I had a niche skill in deciphering this.

While this was unfolding, I was exploring my creative side in various ways and spending more time reflecting on what truly fulfilled me professionally. I had always found that I expressed myself best through the written word (or through a PowerPoint slide) and took the opportunity to undergo a course with Allen & Unwin in 2023. Focused on memoir writing, it was incredibly cathartic to unpick the personal and professional events that had shaped me. While I liked what I was putting out, the publishers and agents were less keen on my personal story. Turns out, I wasn't selling myself as all that interesting.

Fortunately, I was able to repurpose my newfound knowledge of the publishing process and pitch a short textbook to Routledge/CRC Press. They were much more interested in this than my memoir idea. After a year of planning, reflection, procrastination, research, and many hours of writing, the book was completed. After CRC Press put the finishing touches on it, Professional Skills in Radiology was released to the world in May 2025.

The book was always written with trainees at its heart, hopefully providing them with the building blocks to understand the evidence behind those essential aspects of professional practice that lie beyond the chest x-ray. It was never intended to be comprehensive, but rather a starting point for growth. While delivered through my own Australian lens, I deliberately wrote with a global audience in mind. Strong professional practice skills are universal.

Working with my junior doctors, I also quickly realised that there was wisdom in the pages for interns and residents looking towards a career in radiology, both in terms of understanding the discipline and preparing for interview panels. With this inspiration, the final chapter offers words of advice for those pursuing a career in radiology, as well as a glimpse into my own journey.

For me, writing the book allowed me to consider my practice in a way I hadn't before. Several times during the writing process, I found myself caught off guard by a new insight that shifted my perspective; radiologists as mentors, leaders, educators, advocates and people. For the medical imaging specialists who happen to pick up the book, I hope they feel some of the same moments of clarity.

I am immensely proud that 'Professional Skills in Radiology' has finally made its way out into the world. I can only hope it holds value for the radiology community it is dedicated to.

Perhaps, I will return to that memoir one day.

If you or anyone you know are interested in purchasing a copy of Professional Skills in Radiology, it is available as a paperback, hardback or e-book.

E-books and physical copies can be purchased through:

• Routledge (free shipping is available wherever you are in the world)

• Amazon: US UK Australia/NZ

• Booktopia

Personally signed paperback copies are available for purchase through Becoming A Radiologist by clicking here.