Development of a Competency-Based Radiology Clerkship Using Categorical and Statistical Analysis of Assessment

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Radiology
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Medical education requires effective radiology training.
• Assessing competency in radiology is crucial for diagnostic accuracy.
• Curricular reform can enhance medical student learning in radiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and analyze a competency-based model for medical student radiology education.
• To guide curricular reform in radiology clerkships.
• To improve diagnostic skills in radiology for medical students.

Main Methods:

• A competency-based model was implemented for a 2-week radiology clerkship.
• 326 fourth-year medical students participated during the 2019-2020 academic year.
• Pre- and post-instruction knowledge on "must see" diagnoses was assessed using an online platform (ExamSoft), with statistical and categorical analysis.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in diagnostic accuracy was observed for 85% of topics after instruction.
• The curriculum had a high impact on 48% of topics, a lower impact on 22%, and revealed learning gaps in 30% of topics.
• Categorical analysis identified specific areas of challenge for students.

Conclusions:

• The instructional program effectively increased medical student competency in critical radiologic diagnoses.
• Categorical analysis provides valuable insights beyond statistical analysis for tailoring education.
• This approach enables dynamic adjustments to teaching strategies to address identified learning gaps.