Keywords:
Workforce, Quality assurance, Education and training, Safety, Radiation safety, Education, Ultrasound, Nuclear medicine conventional, CT, Radioprotection / Radiation dose
Authors:
Y. Al-Obudi, R. S. Malliwal; London/UK
DOI:
10.26044/ecr2019/C-0724
Methods and materials
An online survey was distributed to all junior doctors including Foundation year 1 (FY1) and Foundation year 2 (FY2) and General Practitioner trainees (GPST1-GPST3) at Whipps Cross University Hospital (part of Barts Health NHS Trust).
Participants were given three months to complete the survey with tri-weekly reminders.
Foundation training refers to a two-year mandatory training programme (FY1 and FY2) for doctors who have completed their five-year undergraduate medical degree in the UK.
General Practitioner training is a three-year programme (GPST1-GPST3) that can be completed following foundation training.
The survey consisted of four themes of questions Fig. 1
- Theme 1: Participants were asked if they had received any teaching on radiation awareness.
- Theme 2: Participants were asked to estimate radiation doses (in equivalent chest x-rays) of common radiological examinations including abdominal x-ray,
barium swallow, CT head, CT abdomen and pelvis, MRI head,
US KUB and ventilation/perfusion scan Table 1 [6].
Answers within 15% of the sample answer were deemed correct.
- Theme 3: Participants were asked to estimate the lifetime risk of cancer associated with CT abdomen and pelvis,
chest x-ray and abdominal x-ray.
- Theme 4: Participants were asked about whether they inquire about pregnancy before requesting a radiological investigation.