UK undergraduate aspirations and attitudes survey: do we have a perception problem in clinical radiology?

To understand medical students' potential long-term career choices, with particular reference to radiology, and their current perceptions and experiences of radiology and radiologists, with the aim to help inform future initiatives for undergraduate and early postgraduate medical education and workforce strategies.

An invitation to an online survey was sent to all undergraduate medical students at a large UK medical school, using Likert-style, multiple choice and ranking questions. A quantitative approach was used to explore these responses (n=328).

Radiology ranked only 10th out of 14 specialties for long-term career preference amongst medical student respondents (n=328). Radiology was judged as being "low status", but enabled a "good" work-life balance. Medical students considered making an impact on patient diagnosis and level of intellectual challenge as positive influences of a potential career in radiology. Perception of radiology by the public, patient relationship/contact time, perception of radiology by other clinicians, variation of work, and radiology work environment were all perceived more negatively.

Radiology remains a specialty with limited exposure and experience for undergraduate students, who appear to be incompletely aware of the scope and range of the work of modern radiologists. Greater exposure to radiology teaching in the undergraduate curriculum and placements in radiology departments may increase and expedite medical students' understanding and enjoyment of radiology at a juncture where demand for radiology services is increasing rapidly in the UK.