title: Evaluation of the ACRRM national radiology program for Australian rural and remote medical practitioners.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2000, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) developed a national radiology quality assurance (QA) and continuing medical education (CME) program for rural and remote non-specialist Australian doctors. The program commenced on 1 January 2001. It required rural doctors to obtain 30 radiology QA/CME points over a 4 year period. At least 15-20 of these points had to be obtained by one of two mandatory options of the program, either: (1) film interpretation, report and review clinical audit activity; or (2) a radiology clinical attachment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Doctors submitted their completed film review forms and clinical attachment logbooks to the program manager as confirmation of their educational activity to receive their professional development points. Data from film review forms and clinical attachment logbooks were de-identified and entered into two Microsoft EXCEL spreadsheets. The data were categorised and analysed in EXCEL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 1 January 2001 to September 2004, 823 rural and remote doctors enrolled in the ACRRM radiology program. This included 281 locums who enrolled in the short-term locum option of the program and 563 doctors who enrolled in the full program. In September 2004, 419 doctors had completed a radiology film review with a radiologist and 41 doctors completed a radiology clinical attachment in 31 different public and private radiology practices. One hundred and ninety-five doctors completed the short-term locum activity. Ninety-two different specialist radiologists participated in the program and assisted rural and remote doctors to enhance their radiology knowledge, confidence and skills. This article describes results from the two mandatory activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evaluation of the ACRRM radiology program after its first 3 years and 9 months shows there are a large number of rural and remote Australian doctors undertaking professional development and quality assurance activities in radiology.
authors.affiliation: Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, Brisbane, Australia. R.Glazebrook@acrrm.org.au
authors.forename: Roz
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Glazebrook
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chater
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kokar
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Escott
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Putman
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crosbie
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000458:organization & administration; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data