The Key Role of Objective Experience in Enhancing the Knowledge of Ionizing Radiation for Pre-interns and Residents

Due to the widespread use of ionizing radiation in diagnosis and therapy and its associated risks, this study seeks to evaluate the radiation knowledge of pre-interns and residents and find key factors in this regard. This research was conducted at an educational hospital involving 56 pre-interns and 42 radiotherapy and radiology residents. The questionnaire contained fifteen questions about radiobiology, radiation knowledge basics, and ionizing radiation protection principles. The findings revealed that pre-interns had a mean score of 60.48 ± 11.69, whereas radiology and radiotherapy residents had mean scores of 55.75 ± 9.11 and 82.00 ± 13.06, respectively. The knowledge level of radiotherapy residents was significantly higher than other groups in every section (P-value<0.0001), with no significant difference found based on gender. The mean level of knowledge varies by academic degree. Pre-interns scored significantly lower than residents (P-value<0.05). The higher level of radiation knowledge within the cohort of radiotherapy residents underscores the pivotal role of continuous learning through objective experience. Given their professional focus on the use of ionizing radiation, this group is objectively in ongoing training.