Could a radiology “summer school” increase interest in the specialty among undergraduate medical students?
According to almost 97% of students who participated in such a program, the answer is a resounding yes.
Although the term “radiology summer school” makes it seem like the program might interfere with a student’s much anticipated summer break, the program in question is actually quite short, lasting just three days. Details of the course were shared by experts involved with it in a recent paper published in Insights into Imaging.
“The field of radiology is currently underestimated by undergraduate medical students,” corresponding author of the paper Laura Segger, with the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology at Charité University Medical Center in Berlin, and co-authors explained. “The “Hands-on Radiology” summer school was established to improve radiology knowledge and interest among undergraduates.”
The program was held by the German Association of Young Radiologists. It was developed with the intention of closing knowledge gaps relative to radiology among medical students. Held in August of 2022, the three-day course consisted of lectures, quizzes and small group hands-on workshops that included practical work with interventional simulators.
Before the course’s launch in August and following its completion, participants were surveyed on their knowledge of and interest in the field of radiology. Students rated the course at 9.47 on a 10-point scale. Post-course surveys also revealed a one-point increase in knowledge of radiology and 96.7% expressed an increase in interest in pursuing radiology as a specialty.
The students also expressed a preference for onsite learning over online teachings. This environment enabled them to get vital hands-on experience with interventional simulators—something that was repeatedly praised in the feedback, the experts noted.
The authors suggested that these courses can be “valuable tools to strengthen interest in radiology and increase knowledge among medical students.” They added that such programs also increase motivation among medical students already interested in pursuing radiology as a specialty.
To learn more about the summer school, click here.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She joined Innovate Healthcare in 2021 and has since put her unique expertise to use in her editorial role with Health Imaging.