Bridging the gaps: medical students' perspectives on undergraduate radiology education and curriculum enhancement

Abstract

Background and objective: Radiology plays a vital role in modern medicine, yet many new graduates face challenges in selecting the appropriate imaging studies and interpreting their findings. This study seeks to examine medical students’ perspectives on their undergraduate radiology curriculum in order to identify existing gaps and suggest areas for improvement.

Methodology: This mixed-methods study, conducted at the Faculty of Medicine, Northern Border University, from November 2024 to March 2025, used a structured questionnaire with quantitative and open-ended questions. A convenience sample of 150 students from the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th years participated.

Results: The majority of students agreed or strongly agreed that the curriculum was effective (P < 0.001). However, they noted limited radiology integration in preclinical years, though it improved in clinical years (P = 0.041). A hundred percent of students agreed that hands-on training was lacking. The most preferred educational methods were lectures (96.7%) and case-based learning (94%). Notably, 98% of students believe radiology should be introduced earlier, and 93% were interested in more learning opportunities.

Conclusion: Students highlighted that better integration of radiology in both preclinical and clinical settings would boost their confidence and preparedness for clinical practice. They strongly recommended hands-on and case-based sessions to improve education and emphasized the need to focus on foundational radiology knowledge at the undergraduate level.

Abbreviations: ESR: European Society of Radiology, OSCE: Objective Structured Clinical Examinations

Keywords: Clinical Practice; Curriculum Enhancement; Medical Education; Mixed-methods study; Radiology

Citation: Bhatti MOA, Parrey MUR, Shafiq P, Abdul-Latif MM, Elmisbah HO. Bridging the gaps: medical students' perspectives on undergraduate radiology education and curriculum enhancement. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2025;29(8):955-961. DOI: 10.35975/apic.v29i8.3024

Received: August 25, 2025; Revised: August 29, 2025; Accepted: September 01, 2025