Introducing Online Continuing Education in Radiology for General Practitioners

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Radiology Training
• E-learning Technologies

Background:

• Continuous professional development in radiology often relies on face-to-face courses with inherent time and location constraints.
• E-learning presents a flexible alternative to traditional medical education, potentially increasing accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the acceptance of an e-learning methodology for continuous radiology education among general practitioners.
• To assess participant satisfaction with an online Thorax radiology course compared to conventional methods.

Main Methods:

• An online Thorax radiology course was developed and delivered to 249 participants, including general practitioners, radiologists, and medical residents.
• Two phases of evaluation were conducted: a pilot study (Phase 1) and a main study (Phase 2).
• Participant feedback on course design, platform, and content was collected using a five-point Likert scale and analyzed with statistical tests.

Main Results:

• Pilot testing (Phase 1) showed satisfaction scores generally above 3.5.
• The main study (Phase 2) yielded satisfaction scores above 4.0 across all evaluated aspects.
• Statistical analysis confirmed high participant agreement and satisfaction with the e-learning format.

Conclusions:

• The e-learning methodology is highly acceptable for continuous radiology education.
• Online delivery effectively overcomes the limitations of traditional face-to-face courses.
• The study supports the integration of e-learning platforms in medical training programs.