Evaluating the clinical teaching of medical imaging students at Curtin University of Technology, Australia.

PURPOSE: To ascertain the effectiveness of the clinical, tutorial-based component of teaching and the clinical assessment method in the Bachelor of Medical Imaging Science at Curtin University of Technology (CUT), Perth, Western Australia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In mid-2006, second- and third-year students enrolled in CUT's Medical Imaging Science degree were asked to complete a questionnaire assessing the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) evaluation program and clinical teaching. Thirty-three of 57 students answered questions about demographics and their opinions of the laboratory sessions, clinical placements and the OSCEs.

RESULTS: Seventy-six per cent of students were satisfied with their laboratory sessions and clinical placements. Sixty-four percent of respondents indicated that the OSCE was not an objective evaluation, but 82% of students felt the OSCE was an effective test of their radiography skills and knowledge, and believed that they were able to evaluate and care for a patient during the OSCE.

CONCLUSION: Overall, the surveyed students believed that the practical skills explored in laboratory sessions helped improve clinical training outcomes; however, only 33% of the students were satisfied that the OSCE was an appropriate assessment of their clinical training in hospitals.