title: The earlier the better: an evaluation of changes to teaching Year 1 nuclear medicine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In 1996 changes were made to the nuclear medicine content and mode of delivery in the Year 1 degree program at The University of Sydney, Australia. The aim was to evaluate whether changes made to the program raised the clinical abilities of students entering their clinical placement in Year 2.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires to assess the students' perception of how well Year 1 had prepared them for their clinical Year 2 were distributed to both the 1995 and 1996 students. The clinical supervisors also were surveyed to determine if the 1996 students demonstrated any difference in their understanding and application of nuclear medicine technology principles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 1996 students were more positive about their clinical readiness and the clinical supervisors observed an increased level of understanding and application by the 1996 students.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Changes in the Year 1 curriculum provided students with a higher level of clinical readiness at the commencement of their Year 2 clinical placement.
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Radiation Technology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Lidcombe, Australia.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kilburn-Watt
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Cowell
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D009683:Nuclear Medicine / Q000193:education*; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching; D013679:Technology, Radiologic / Q000193:education*