COVID hurt radiation training
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Researchers have reviewed COVID-19's impact on healthcare education.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted healthcare education, leaving radiography and radiation therapy students underprepared for the workforce, according to a survey conducted by the Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT).
It found that only one in four clinical educators felt graduates were ready to meet professional standards in 2020 and 2021, a sharp decline from 90 per cent before the pandemic.
Clinical educators, who oversee training during student placements, reported that the loss of practical learning opportunities was a key issue.
Many students were unable to access hands-on training, engage directly with patients, or experience diverse clinical environments.
These gaps had a lasting impact on their ability to transition from theory to practice, a challenge that educators referred to as the “theory–practice gap”.
Radiographers and radiation therapists play a vital role in Australia’s healthcare system, delivering more than 30 million diagnostic imaging services and 75,000 radiation therapy courses annually to cancer patients.
Yet the pandemic forced clinical sites to limit student placements, with some reducing capacity by more than half.
Virtual training was introduced as a substitute, but most educators agreed it was not sufficient to replace in-person experience.
“Placements are vital in giving medical radiation students the hands-on experience they need,” says ASMIRT President Carolyn Heyes.
“The healthcare training system as a whole needs to invest in tailored upskilling for graduates and supported workplace orientation programs as pandemic conditions lift.”
Educators also expressed concern about the professional readiness of graduates.
Key areas of concern included patient care, imaging techniques, and collaboration with healthcare teams.
Almost half of the survey respondents noted that clinical sites had struggled to uphold performance standards, with some underperforming students not being failed.
The consequences of these training gaps are expected to ripple through the healthcare sector.
Graduates entering the workforce during the pandemic-affected years are likely to need extended support to meet the requirements of the Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia.
These findings are published in the Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences.
