Survey of medical students and junior house doctors on the effects of medical radiation: is medical education deficient?
BACKGROUND
We investigated the knowledge of ionising radiation among medical students and junior doctors in Ireland and assessed whether this knowledge improved with clinical experience.


METHODS
A total of 269 subjects completed a questionnaire on the fundamentals of diagnostic imaging and patient doses.


RESULTS
Overall knowledge was poor, 99% of subjects underestimated the dose of radiation involved in a barium enema, plain film of abdomen, lumbar spine X-ray and a PET scan. Almost 90% underestimated the dose of a CT abdomen/pelvis. 42% of subjects knew that PET involved ionising radiation while 27% thought that MRI did. There was a significant improvement in understanding after transition to a clinical environment, however, no further development. 1% had attended formal radiation protection courses.


CONCLUSIONS
The knowledge of basic radiological procedures and patient doses was extremely limited. Current undergraduate teaching needs to be expanded and continued post-qualification to improve core understanding and facilitate safe practice.
McCusker
M W
MW
Department of Radiology, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. mccusker.mark@gmail.com
de Blacam
C
C
Keogan
M
M
McDermott
R
R
Beddy
P
P
D004501:Education, Medical; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013337:Students, Medical