Whitney Bowen
University of Cincinnati
Purpose To identify the ways in which medical imaging programs are currently assigning students to their clinical rotations and to investigate if there is a link between clinical rotation assignments and post-graduation employment.
Methods A twelve question survey was sent via email using Qualtric data collection to assess current clinical placement methods of medical imaging programs (n=55 program responses). In addition, the University of Cincinnati’s Advanced Medical Imaging Technology program clinical site placement records and six month post-graduation employment data (n=93 students) was assessed for correlating links between clinical rotation assignments and post-graduation employment locations.
Results The majority of medical imaging programs that completed the survey (87.3%) have their program faculty and/or clinical coordinator assign students to their clinical rotations. Other program methods used include: a lottery system (5.5%), students are responsible for finding and securing their own clinical rotations (3.6%), and an interview/match system (3.6%). From the University of Cincinnati student data: 60.4% of graduates were employed in medical imaging within 6 months of graduation. Of these 55 students; 76.4% of graduates were employed at a facility they attended for a clinical rotation, 27.3% of graduates were employed at local facility they did not attend for a clinical rotation, and 14.5% of graduates relocated and found employment in medical imaging.
Discussion A total of 133 programs, including MRI, Nuclear Medicine, Radiography and CT imaging modalities, were sent the survey regarding clinical site placement. A response rate of 41.4% was received with some limitations with university spring break and Qualtrics browser support. A graduate survey response rate of 75.8% was received by paper survey. Correlation between clinical rotation locations and employment locations could be further expanded to all programs surveyed with the placement method survey in a future study.
Conclusion The majority of medical imaging programs (87.3%) are assigning students to their clinical rotation assignments based on program faculty/clinical coordinator assignment methods. The top priority of medical imaging programs when assigning students to clinical rotation sites is to ensure the students complete their competency requirements and see a large variety of scans/procedures. In addition, these clinical rotations often lead to future employment for students. Based on University of Cincinnati data, the majority of graduates (76.4%) who are employed in medical imaging six months post-graduation are employed at a clinical site where they completed a clinical rotation as a student.
