Development of an effective short introductory course in diagnostic radiology.

As part of a general medical curriculum renewal, a new one-week course in diagnostic radiology was given to students at the beginning of their third year. The course format consisted of didactic presentations to the entire class, a single afternoon session of small group discussions of unknowns, and three daily case-of-the-day unknowns with prizes for correct responses. One hundred fifty-eight students were tested on the first and last days of the course; testing consisted of two parallel 46-item multiple choice questions given in a crossed design. Questions covered radiographic anatomy and pathology as well as proper test ordering. Differences in achievement before and after the course as measured by the pre- and post-tests were highly significant. The class achieved a mean of 27 (59%) correct responses on the pre-test and a mean of 37 (80%) on the post-test (F(1156) = 15.79; P less than .001). The reliability coefficient of the pre- and post-tests was about .30. A course critique was returned by 88 students. There was anticipated variation in the evaluations of the different didactic lecturers. Instructors receiving the highest scores were cited for their enthusiasm, clarity, and the relevance of their presentation. Conversely, those receiving low marks were cited as being unenthusiastic and boring, merely presenting example after example of radiographic abnormalities with little explanation. The afternoon small group discussions were perceived as the best part of the course. Despite the fact that moderator experience ranged from second year resident to full professor, the seminars received uniformly positive comments.

Educational impact of faculty review on radiology residents' radiographic interpretations.

The objective of this study was to analyze the improvements in film reading performance made by radiology residents during their first six months of training. Five first-year residents and eight radiologic technology students each interpreted two of three matched sets of 39 films under two conditions. One set's readings were reviewed by a staff radiologist, while the other's were unreviewed. Six months later, each observer read all three sets. After the first six months of training, residents improved their reporting of findings. There was less improvement in technologists' readings. Review and instruction by staff, both in the laboratory and daily work settings, appeared to contribute to improved performance. Accuracy of residents' final diagnosis did not improve significantly. We conclude that a training system in which residents' film interpretations are reviewed by staff can lead to improved resident performance. When studied in a longitudinal fashion, these improvements are detectable within six months. This teaching system is used in many radiology departments.

Effectiveness of small-group self-instruction in radiographic anatomy.

A small-group self-instructional program with 11 slide-tape units was designed to teach medical students radiographic anatomy concurrently with their course in gross anatomy. The effectiveness of the program was examined by administering an objective multiple choice examination at three medical schools. One school offered the slide-tape program alone; one, the slide-tape program plus lecture-demonstrations; and one acted as a control. The results indicate that students will, on their own, learn some radiographic anatomy. With exposure to an objectives-based, small-group slide-tape program, the students can learn significantly more. Such a slide-tape program plus lecture-demonstrations can further enhance learning. Student attitudinal results were uniformly positive toward this slide-tape program.

Radiographic workup. An integral part of the curriculum.

Description of a Senior Radiology Elective, designed to teach medical students the proper sequencing of radiologic studies, is presented. We believe that in using this teaching model students will learn sequencing concepts that result in better patient care while containing costs.

The influence of expertise on X-ray image processing.

Observers with four different levels of radiological experience performed a recognition memory task on slides of faces and chest X-ray films. Half of the X-ray films revealed clinically significant abnormalities and half did not. Recognition memory for faces was uniformly high across all levels of radiological experience. Memory for abnormal X-ray films increased with radiological experience and, for the most experienced radiologists, was equivalent to memory for faces. Surprisingly, recognition memory for normal films actually decreased with radiological experience from above chance to a chance level. These results indicate that radiological expertise is associated with selective processing of clinically relevant abnormalities in X-ray images. Expert radiologists appear to process X-ray images the way that we all process faces, by quickly detecting and devoting processing resources to features that distinguish one stimulus from another. However, the selective processing of X-ray films appears to be restricted to clinically relevant abnormalities. As they develop the ability to detect these abnormalities, radiologists appear to lose the ability to detect variations in normal features.

Introduction to critical review of roentgenograms.

Review of available roentgenograms, or x-ray films, by the attending physical therapist may be helpful in precise evaluation of patient status or progress or for educational purposes. This article presents background information on radiology and a simple mnemonic device for use in critically viewing roentgenograms. Eight case studies are presented in a programmed-learning format. Physical therapists are encouraged to adapt the following information to their specific setting and to produce a teaching package suitable for students and new staff members.

Evaluating cognitive learning for radiography education.

This discussion has been written to assist radiologic technology educators build better teacher-made tests. The systematic framework for test development has included defining cognitive learning objectives, constructing a test blueprint, writing clear test directions, and writing objective test items. This process enables the faculty to effectively monitor student progress, assess their own teaching effectiveness, and diagnose learning difficulties. It is hoped that this systematic approach to the assessment of cognitive learning will contribute to the education and development of a competent entry level radiologic technologist.

Effective inservice education in radiography.

Inservice education programs can be improved by using research on the principles of adult learning, coupled with addressing the particular stage or developmental level of the learner. These programs could then become a major vehicle for continuous self-renewal of radiographers and, ultimately, the radiology department.

Selecting audiovisual materials for use in radiography programs.

To select the highest quality audiovisual instructional materials for use in radiography programs, instructors must go beyond a simple subjective judgement. This article provides a method of selection that will help instructors locate and make an objective assessment of the instructional value of audiovisual materials and help insure that these materials will be of high quality and serve the learning needs of their students.

Radiographers' knowledge of aging.

A Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ) was given to a survey group of radiographers and students. As a group, radiographers were found to be as well educated as any other group of health care professionals. A progression was seen from student to graduate radiographer; the contention is made that early clinical experience may be responsible for much of the knowledge radiographers have about aging.

Selected personality and demographic variables: academic success in radiography programs.

This study was designed to investigate the feasibility of utilizing selected personality inventories and demographic variables as predictors of academic success in radiography programs. The findings of the investigation indicate that the personality and demographic variables are not related to student performance in academic courses, but that the personality variables have potential for utilization as predictors of clinical performance.

A collegiate model within a hospital-based program.

In the current age of consumerism, educators in radiologic technology must be accountable to provide high level educational experiences for students. The authors address the issue of standardizing and upgrading education by proposing that a collegiate model be developed and implemented with a hospital-based radiography program.

Essentials and guidelines of an accredited educational program for the radiographer.

The Essentials were initially adopted in 1944, and revised in 1955, 1969, and 1978. They were adopted by the American College of Radiology, the American Medical Association, The American Society of Radiologic Technologists, and the Program Review Committee of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. The Essentials, which represent the minimum accreditation standards for an educational program, are printed here in regular type face. The extent to which a program complies with these standards determines its accreditation status; the Essentials, therefore, include all requirements for which an accredited program is held accountable. The Guidelines, explanatory documents that clarify the Essentials, are printed in italic. Guidelines provide examples, etc., to assist in interpreting the Essentials.

Role of a radiologic technologist trained as a physician assistant in diagnostic radiology.

This article describes a program for physican assistants in diagnostic radiology at the University of Kentucky, currently the only one in the country. Available only to graduates of AMA-approved radiologic technology programs who have two years of field experience, it consists of two additional years of intensive education in many aspects of radiological medicine.

Student preceptorships--a factor in alleviating maldistribution of health professionals?

The maldistribution of health professionals between metropolitan and rural areas is a well-documented fact. The preceptorship has been hypothesized as a means of alleviating this problem. Upon completion of a preceptorship in radiologic technology, the students completed a questionnaire concerning values and interpretations derived from the preceptorship. This paper describes the results of the preceptorship and questionnaire.

Incorporating general education competencies in the radiography curriculum.

Due to the absence of general education (ie, arts and sciences) competencies in radiography accreditation standards, individual programs vary with regard to the amount and type of general education offered. Throughout the last 15 years, renowned educators have repeatedly suggested that, amongst other things, career mobility for the radiographer could be improved as a result of introducing general education into the curriculum. A method for incorporating general education competencies in the radiography curriculum through revision of the accreditation standards is presented.