Medical student knowledge regarding radiology before and after a radiological anatomy module: implications for vertical integration and self-directed learning.

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2014-10-10
Authors
Murphy, Kevin P.
Crush, Lee
O'Malley, Eoin
Daly, Fergus E.
O'Tuathaigh, Colm M. P.
O'Connor, Owen J.
Cryan, John F.
Maher, Michael M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Published in cooperation with the European Society of Radiology
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Abstract
Objectives: To examine the impact that anatomy-focused radiology teaching has on non-examined knowledge regarding radiation safety and radiology as a specialty. Methods: First-year undergraduate medical students completed surveys prior to and after undertaking the first-year anatomy programme that incorporates radiological anatomy. Students were asked opinions on preferred learning methodology and tested on understanding of radiology as a specialty and radiation safety. Results: Pre-module and post-module response rates were 93 % (157/168) and 85 % (136/160), respectively. Pre-module and post-module, self-directed learning (SDL) ranked eighth (of 11) for preferred gross-anatomy teaching formats. Correct responses regarding radiologist/radiographer roles varied from 28-94 % on 16 questions with 4/16 significantly improving post-module. Identification of modalities that utilise radiation significantly improved for five of eight modalities post-module but knowledge regarding relative amount of modality-specific radiation use was variable pre-module and post-module. Conclusions: SDL is not favoured as an anatomy teaching method. Exposure of students to a radiological anatomy module delivered by senior clinical radiologists improved basic knowledge regarding ionising radiation use, but there was no improvement in knowledge regarding radiation exposure relative per modality. A possible explanation is that students recall knowledge imparted in didactic lectures but do little reading around the subject when the content is not examined. Teaching Points: Self-directed learning is not favoured as a gross anatomy teaching format amongst medical students; An imaging anatomy-focused module improved basic knowledge regarding ionising radiation use; Detailed knowledge of modality-specific radiation exposure remained suboptimal post-module; Knowledge of roles within a clinical radiology department showed little change post-module.
Description
Keywords
Radiology , Medical student , Radiologist , Radiographer , Radiation dose
Citation
Murphy, K. P., Crush, L., O’Malley, E., Daly, F. E., O’Tuathaigh, C. M. P., O’Connor, O. J., Cryan, J. F. and Maher, M. M. (2014) 'Medical student knowledge regarding radiology before and after a radiological anatomy module: implications for vertical integration and self-directed learning', Insights into Imaging, 5(5), pp. 629-634. doi: 10.1007/s13244-014-0346-0