Importance of radiology clerkships in teaching medical students life-threatening abnormalities on conventional chest radiographs.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of medical students who had already completed medicine and surgery clerkships to identify life-threatening abnormalities on conventional chest radiographs.


METHODS
From May 2000 to August 2001, 72 consecutive 3rd- and 4th-year medical students enrolled in the radiology clerkship at Rhode Island Hospital completed examinations before and after the radiology clerkship. During the examination, they were asked to identify acute abnormalities on five conventional chest radiographs. Only students who had already completed both medicine and surgery clerkships were included in this prospective study.


RESULTS
Before the radiology clerkship, the frequency of correct diagnoses of pneumothorax, pneumoperitoneum, congestive heart failure, misplaced endotracheal tube, and misplaced feeding tube were 40%, 61%, 57%, 6%, and 6%, respectively. After the radiology clerkship, these findings were correctly identified more than 94% of the time (P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Learning to identify life-threatening abnormalities on conventional chest radiographs through medicine and surgery clerkships is insufficient. The radiology clerkship provides a unique educational experience that significantly improves these abilities.
Scheiner
Jac D
JD
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown Medical School, Providence 02903, USA.
Noto
Richard B
RB
McCarten
Kathleen M
KM
D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003162:Competency-Based Education; D006801:Humans; D011859:Radiography; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education*; D012237:Rhode Island; D013337:Students, Medical; D013896:Thoracic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*