Performance in reading radiographs: does level of education predict skill?
BACKGROUND
Previous studies demonstrated lack of progress in electrocardiographic analysis skills with increasing levels of medical education. This study examined radiograph analysis skills, a similar cognitive task, across a range of educational experience: senior medical students (n = 23), family practice residents (n = 16), general practitioners (n = 41), and their family practice educators (n = 7).


METHODS
Written records of diagnosis or description of abnormalities were used to detect skill in interpreting radiographs. The instrument was 12 sets of radiographs: 2 normal and 6 abnormal chest radiographs and 2 normal and 2 greenstick radial fractures.


RESULTS
The mean score for correctly diagnosing all 12 sets of radiographs was 5.59 +/- 1.68, and the mean score for correctly diagnosing the 4 normal radiographs as normal and the abnormal radiographs as abnormal was 8.76 +/- 1.55. There was no statistically significant difference between the four groups of participants.


CONCLUSIONS
Skill level in interpreting radiographs did not appear to improve with additional experiential training and may require a more formal educational approach to address this issue.
Department of Family Medicine, United Arab Emirates University, POB 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Stephen A
SA
Margolis
Karl Anders
KA
Nilsson
Richard L
RL
Reed
D002983:Clinical Competence; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000592:standards*; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014479:United Arab Emirates; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*