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A Survey of Interventional Radiology Awareness Among Final-Year Medical Students in a European Country

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Abstract

Interventional radiology (IR) is a rapidly expanding specialty that is facing the challenges of turf wars and personnel shortages. Appropriate exposure of medical students to this field can be vital to recruitment of potential future trainees or referring physicians. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and views of final-year medical students in a single EU country regarding various aspects of IR. An electronic survey was sent via e-mail to all final-year medical students in a European country. The students were given a month to respond to the questionnaire. A total of 234 students of 675 (34.5%) replied to the survey. Of the respondents, 35% had previously completed an attachment to the radiology department. The majority of students (63%) thought their knowledge in radiology in general was poor. The percentage of students who correctly identified procedures performed by interventional radiologists was 69% for Hickman line insertion, 79% for fibroid embolization, and 67.5% for lower limb angioplasty. Sixty percent, 30%, and 47% thought that interventional radiologists perform cardiac angioplasties, perform arterial bypasses, and create AV fistulas, respectively. Forty-nine percent felt that interventional radiologists are surgically trained. Eighty-three percent of students were first made aware of angioplasty by a cardiologist. Thirty-one percent thought that interventional radiologists do ward rounds, 24% thought that interventional radiologists have admitting rights, and 26% felt that interventional radiologists run an outpatient practice. A significant number of students (76%) thought that the job prospects in IR are good or excellent but only 40.5% were willing to consider a career in IR. In conclusion, this study indicates that IR remains a nascent but attractive specialty to the majority of medical students. Further development of the existing informal undergraduate curriculum to address shortcomings will ensure that IR continues to attract the brightest talents to the field.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Academic Radiology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland

    Sum Leong, Aoife N. Keeling & Michael J. Lee

Authors
  1. Sum Leong
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  2. Aoife N. Keeling
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  3. Michael J. Lee
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Correspondence to Michael J. Lee.

Appendix: Awareness of Interventional Radiology Among Final-Year Medical Students in Irish Hospitals

Appendix: Awareness of Interventional Radiology Among Final-Year Medical Students in Irish Hospitals

Medical School______________________

Current Position______________________

  1. 1.

    Have you completed an elective attachment to a radiology department? Yes____No____

  1. 2.

    How does your knowledge of Interventional Radiology compare to other subjects? Excellent____Good____Adequate____ Poor____ No knowledge____

  1. 3.

    An Interventional Radiologist performs the following procedures:

    1. (a)

      Cardiac angioplasty or stenting Yes____No____

    2. (b)

      Femoral-popliteal arterial bypass Yes____No____

    3. (c)

      Venous access procedures (e.g., Hickman line) Yes____No____

    4. (d)

      Arteriovenous fistulas for dialysis Yes____No____

    5. (e)

      Uterine artery embolisation for fibroids Yes____No____

    6. (f)

      Lower limb angioplasty and stenting Yes____No____

  2. 4.

    An Interventional Radiologist trains

    1. (a)

      As a surgical trainee Yes____No____

    2. (b)

      As a radiology trainee Yes____No____

    3. (c)

      Both Yes____No____

    4. (d)

      None of the above Yes____No____

  3. 5.

    Are you familiar with the following procedures?

    1. (a)

      Vertebroplasty Yes____No____

    2. (b)

      Radiofrequency ablation of tumours Yes____No____

    3. (c)

      Endovascular repair of aortic aneurysms Yes____No____

    4. (d)

      Percutaneous nephrostomy Yes____No____

    5. (e)

      Image-guided tumour biopsy Yes____No____

  4. 6.

    Are you familiar with the procedure called ‘angioplasty’? Yes____No____

If yes, where did you gain that exposure?

  1. (a)

    Cardiologist Yes____No____

  2. (b)

    Vascular surgeon Yes____No____

  3. (c)

    Interventional Radiologist Yes____No____

  4. (d)

    Others (please specify)______________________

  5. 7.

    An Interventional Radiologist

    1. (a)

      Has outpatient clinics Yes____No____

    2. (b)

      Does ward rounds in the hospital Yes____No____

    3. (c)

      Admits patients to the hospital Yes____No____

    4. (d)

      Treats patients with minor illnesses Yes____No____

    5. (e)

      Treats patients with major illnesses Yes____No____

    6. (f)

      Does not treat patients at all Yes____No____

  6. 8.

    How do you rate the following to provide student exposure to Interventional Radiology? [rank 1 (best) to 8 (worse)]

    1. (a)

      Ward rounds

    2. (b)

      Radiology department attachments

    3. (c)

      Lectures from Interventional Radiologists

    4. (d)

      Multidisciplinary meetings

    5. (e)

      Outpatient clinics

    6. (f)

      Self-directed learning websites

    7. (g)

      Study modules

    8. (h)

      Clinical research projects

  7. 9.

    How do you rate your knowledge of radiology in general compared to other subjects? Excellent____Good____Adequate____Poor____No knowledge____

  1. 10.

    Would you consider a career in Interventional Radiology? Yes____ No____

  1. 11.

    What do you think about the career prospects for Interventional Radiologists? Excellent____Good____Adequate____Poor____Don’t know____

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Leong, S., Keeling, A.N. & Lee, M.J. A Survey of Interventional Radiology Awareness Among Final-Year Medical Students in a European Country. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 32, 623–629 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-009-9569-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-009-9569-8

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