This study assessed students’
awareness of radiation exposures and determined the impact a curriculum in
clinical radiology (CICR) had on awareness.
Six hundred seventy medical
students at one medical school were studied. CICR was delivered in yearly
modules over the 5-year programme. Five hundred twenty-three students (years
1–5), exposed to increasing numbers of CICR modules and 147 students beginning
medical school (year 0), represented the study and control groups,
respectively. Students completed a multiple choice questionnaire assessing
radiation knowledge and radiology teaching.
Most students in the study
population received CICR but 87% considered they had not received radiation
protection instruction. The percentage of correctly answered questions was
significantly higher in the study population than the control group (59.7%
versus 38%, p<0.001). Students who
received CICR achieved higher scores than those who did not (61.3% compared
with 42.8%, p<0.001). Increasing exposure
to CICR with each year of medical education was associated with improved
Assessment of students’ awareness
of radiation exposures in diagnostic imaging demonstrates improved performance
with increasing years in medical school and/or increasing exposure to CICR.
Findings support the Euroatom 97 directive position, advocating implementation
of radiation protection instruction into the undergraduate medical curriculum