Radiological Imaging Interpretation Skills of Medical Interns

Ana Clara G Miranda,Luiz Eduardo Correia Miranda,Maria Luiza Câmara Pires,Caio César Paes Monteiro

doi:10.1590/1981-52712015v43n3rb20180189

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Medical students’ skills in radiographic image interpretation is neither known nor assessed in the case of most medical schools in Brazil. Objective The purpose of this study was to assess intern students’ performance in the interpretation of radiographic images of the chest and abdomen. Methods A 10-item test was developed using non-contrasted radiological images from the chest and abdomen. Internship students from two public medical schools (Classroom Group, n=50) and doctors (Control Group, n=20) answered the test. A third group (Online Group, n=38) composed of students from different medical schools answered a web-based form with the same 10-item test. Results Doctors and students were able to accurately interpret only 30% of the radiographic images; 50% of the students and 30% of the doctors performed poorly. The rest produced average levels of performance. There were minimal differences between the Classroom and Online Groups. A point-by-point analysis of their answers has been presented and discussed. Conclusion Efforts must be made, including the framing of medical curricula interventions, to improve student interns’ skills in radiological image interpretation.

Highlights

Newly-graduated medics often take on professional commitments, especially in primary health care and emergency services, without having undergone medical residency training
In the Online Group, 38 students responded to the invitation, 96 emails had been sent with the invitation to participate in the study (39.5% response rate)
General practitioner training requires the ability to adequately interpret radiological imaging for appropriate patient care, many of the medical school curricula fail to include formal training and teaching of these skills, despite well-conducted studies having demonstrated that training students in radiological imaging interpretation significantly improves those skills . 5,6,7 To assess the imaging interpretation skills of medical interns, we investigated the performance of students who are nearing the conclusion of their medical course by means of a test containing ten simple, digital radiograph images without contrast enhancement of the chest and abdomen, with a group of graduated physicians as the control group

Summary

Introduction

Newly-graduated medics often take on professional commitments, especially in primary health care and emergency services, without having undergone medical residency training In these services they are challenged to diagnose diseases based on complementary basic exams. Many medical courses do not include formal training of these skills in their curricular programs or teach them in a heterogenous manner with limited class time (1). Rather, this part of their learning is associated to learning of the other clinical areas, often in a segmented and disconnected manner. A third group (Online Group, n=38) composed of students from different medical schools answered a web-based form with the same 10-item test. Conclusion: Efforts must be made, including the framing of medical curricula interventions, to improve student interns’ skills in radiological image interpretation

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion