How to Choose a Research Question That Survives Reality

A good research idea is not always a good research question. Bruno Hochhegger, MD, PhD, speaks with host Amit Gupta, MD, about choosing research questions that are clinically relevant, feasible, and worth pursuing in real-world settings. Listen to their discussion in episode 1 of The Early Career Researcher's Playbook, an AJR Podcast Series. Full article: https://www.ajronline.org/doi/10.2214/AJR.26.35586 *Key Takeaways Defining Clinical Relevance: A strong research question must answer a direct patient management issue, such as determining if a nodule is benign or malignant. The Feasibility and Sustainability Matrix: Moving from simple case reports to professional science requires navigating EMRs, securing IRB authorizations, and finding reliable grant funding. The AI Implementation Trap: While building artificial intelligence models on GitHub has become more accessible, adequately validating these tools for real-world clinical practice remains a massive, frequently underestimated hurdle. Multidisciplinary Research Networks: True feasibility requires nonmedical input; successful projects demand early feedback from IT departments, technologists, and referring surgeons to ensure workflows survive reality. *Key Moments 00:00 Intro and Welcome 01:18 The Importance of Small Steps: Lessons from a Failed MRI Lung Cancer Screening Trial. 04:30 Defining Clinical Relevance and the Crucial Role of the Physician-Researcher. 07:47 Assessing Feasibility: Navigating EMRs, IRB Approvals, and Data Access. 08:45 Research Sustainability: Securing Grants and Transitioning from Voluntary to Professional Science. 10:50 The AI Feasibility Trap: Why Validating Models is Harder Than Coding on GitHub. 16:08 Identifying the Key Indication: Solving Direct Patient Management Questions. 21:51 Beyond Mentorship: Building a Network Across IT, Technologists, and Referring Clinicians. 28:51 Establishing Niche Expertise: Strategic Advice for Radiology Residents and Fellows Follow AJR on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/ajr-radiology/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfFAYezkLMxJGMgIJLN0Dpg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajr_radiology/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ajr_radiology X: https://x.com/AJR_Radiology BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/ajrradiology.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.com/@ajr_radiology *These portions of the page were generated using artificial intelligence (Google Gemini) and then reviewed for accuracy.