Why How to Be a More Efficient Radiologist Belongs on Your Shelf
In radiology, technical skill is the ticket to entry—but efficiency? That’s the key to thriving. Reading studies well is important. Reading well and fast? That’s what separates the merely competent from the consistently calm, finished-by-5:00, going-home-with-energy professionals.
That’s why How to Be a More Efficient Radiologist: A Guide to Practice, Reporting, and Workflow Optimization by Long H. Tu, MD, PhD, and a cadre of contributor-radiologists, deserves a spot on your shelf. This book tackles one of the most under-taught, yet lifestyle-defining skills in radiology: how to work faster without sacrificing quality.
Whether you’re a trainee just figuring out how to navigate PACS without rage-quitting, or an attending who’s been using the same mouse settings since the Bush administration, this book delivers practical, actionable tips to upgrade your efficiency—and maybe even your sanity. As of July 2025, this book is listed at just $20 on Amazon—a steal. For radiologists, the practical tips and time-saving insights inside are simply worth many, many times that. It’s a no-brainer investment in your efficiency.
What’s Inside?
The book covers dozens of strategies, from the granular (mouse and mic setup, dictation macros) to the bigger picture (structured visual search, workflow design, automation tools like AutoHotKey). You’ll learn how to squeeze more out of your PACS, make your workstation actually work for you, and streamline your day in ways that compound into massive time savings over a career.
Here’s the kicker: most of this wasn’t taught during my own training. A lot of the PACS features discussed in this book didn’t exist yet—or if they did, nobody thought to explain them beyond “click here to scroll.” Concepts like chunking, advanced MPR usage, or optimizing your macro setup? I had to figure that out on the job. Slowly.
This book made me seriously rethink my own dictation habits. Some of the examples—overly detailed phrasing, unnecessary filler—felt like a direct call-out of the style I adopted during training. But after taking the book’s principles to heart, I have to admit: my reports are now a bit leaner, a bit sharper, and also more effective. I’m communicating what matters more efficiently—saving time for both myself and the referring physicians who rely on my reads.
This book is so valuable across several scenarios:
For every radiology resident: This should be essential reading during residency. Residency is the time to experiment, to build habits, and to learn what not to do (ideally under the watchful eye of someone who can fix it). This book gives you a jump start—and a way to avoid reinventing the wheel.
For mid- and late-career radiologists: Think you’ve maxed out your speed? Maybe. But probably not. The book introduces tools and tweaks that even experienced radiologists may have overlooked—especially if you haven’t explored the latest PACS capabilities or peripherals.
For anyone entering a high-volume environment: Whether academic or private practice, reading efficiently matters. This book won’t make your list shorter, but it might make you faster at getting through it—with fewer mistakes and less stress.
For Visage PACS users: The authors use Visage, so their tips are especially useful for that platform. But fear not—if you use another modern PACS, most of the strategies translate well.
For program directors: This book could (and probably should) become a foundation for formal residency training on efficiency. It fills a crucial educational gap that usually gets left to informal mentoring—or worse, the school of hard knocks.
For anyone who loves radiology books that aren’t about imaging findings: This isn’t a case review book. It’s not about what to look for—it’s about how to look. That’s what makes it unique, and frankly, refreshing.
Is your current setup holding you back?
This book offers a surprisingly practical overview of tech options you may not have considered. Take, for instance, the idea of using two fully programmable gaming mice—one in each hand. Sounds extreme? I thought so too. While I don’t personally use that setup (at least not yet), I now understand why some radiologists swear by it. For me, a game-changer was ditching the old mammogram reading pad and switching to a high-quality programmable gaming mouse specifically optimized for my Visage PACS. That one move cut my mammo reading time by at least 10%, simply by streamlining my search while also reducing hand strain. Better speed and better ergonomics? Yes, please.
Final Word
Kudos to Dr. Tu and his colleagues for creating a book that radiology needs. These are the kinds of skills that aren’t on the CORE exam, but they shape the arc of your career in real, daily ways.
If you’ve ever thought “there has to be a better way to do this,” there is—and it’s probably in this book.
Curious about the gear that can boost your efficiency?
Inspired by this book, I've put together a list of leading mice, keyboards, microphones, and mic stands to help streamline your workflow: The Radiology Review Gear Guide
Upgrade Your Radiology Workflow with the Best Workstation Peripherals.
Dr. Covington purchased his own copy of this book for this unsolicited book review.
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