E2452. EMPOWER (Evaluating Medical Student Participation, Observation, and Workstation Education in Radiology): Preliminary Findings of a Survey
Authors
Jeffrey Quezada;
University of California Irvine Medical Center; University of California Irvine School of Medicine
Maryam Golshan-Momeni;
University of California Irvine Medical Center; University of California Irvine School of Medicine
Arif Musa;
ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital
Peter Wang;
University of California Irvine Medical Center
Arash Anavim;
University of California Irvine Medical Center; University of California Irvine School of Medicine
Objective:
The past decade has seen significant progress in undergraduate radiology education centering around providing medical students an opportunity to interact with a radiology workstation during their clerkship. At the UC Irvine Medical Center Department of Radiological Sciences, we surveyed students upon completion of an elective musculoskeletal radiology clerkship to assess their experiences at the workstation, interest in radiology as a career, and the educational utility of each experience within a hybrid curriculum.
Materials and Methods:
Students were educated using a hybrid model that incorporated a personal workstation, online lecture series, and observation of diagnostic and interventional radiology procedures. Upon completion of the elective, we provided a cross-sectional survey to students. Survey responses were quantified on a 5-point Likert-type scale.
Results:
As of July 2022, 13 students have completed the elective, of which 12 (92%) completed the survey. A total of 10 (83%) respondents found that attempting image interpretation at their own workstation was educationally useful and all (12/12) felt that reviewing those interpretations with a resident or attending radiologist was useful. Of the 5 students that participated in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, 4 (80%) found it useful to their education. Overall, all respondents found the workstation improved their understanding of radiological anatomy, musculoskeletal pathologies, and the role of radiologists as consultants, image interpreters, and proceduralists. Furthermore, all but one felt the workstation increased their understanding of different imaging modalities. The percentage of students interested in radiology as a career choice increased to 55% after elective completion compared to 25% prior to the elective (p = 0.08). Students’ current educational level (MS4 versus MS3 and recent graduate) had no significant association with career interest in radiology prior (p = 0.41) or post-elective completion (p = 0.62), experiences at the workstation (p = 0.37), or educational benefit (p = 0.55).
Conclusion:
Overall, students found the hybrid curriculum beneficial in improving their understanding of radiology as a medical specialty and that the personal workstation improved their knowledge of basic radiological anatomy and principles. The hybrid learning model also significantly increased student interest in radiology as a possible career path.
