Schneider-Kolsky Michal, Wright Caroline, Baird Marilyn
Department of Medical Imaging & Radiation Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
Med Teach. 2006 Dec;28(8):e214-9. doi: 10.1080/01421590600969538.
Selection of suitable students into graduate medical and specialist health professional courses can be difficult. Historically, selection of students was primarily based on prior academic performance. Recently, however, more emphasis has been placed on considering broader academic backgrounds and personal characteristics and attitudes of students, but no reliable measurement tool is available to predict student success and satisfaction with their choice of profession. The aim of this study was to survey practising radiation therapists in Australia to seek their opinions regarding suitable selection criteria for graduate entry radiation therapy (RT) students in order to optimize selection procedures for future applicants. Four hundred questionnaires were sent to nine RT centres in three states within Australia. All nine clinics participated in the survey and 189 questionnaires were returned. Results show that the majority of radiation therapists place a high level of importance upon a sound knowledge of physics and mathematics, as well as life experience, and agree that a visit to an RT clinic plus an interview comprise important components of the selection process. Humanities, psychology and a psychometric test were not viewed as essential entry requirements. Experienced radiation therapists placed less value on academic performance in the primary degree and were more likely to include an interview as a selection criterion than junior practitioners. Empathy for patients was identified as the most important personal attribute. It is thus recommended that not only cognitive but also personal skills be evaluated during the selection of prospective radiation therapists.
挑选合适的学生进入医学研究生课程和专业健康职业课程可能具有挑战性。从历史上看，学生的选拔主要基于先前的学业成绩。然而，最近人们更加注重考虑学生更广泛的学术背景以及个人特征和态度，但目前尚无可靠的测量工具来预测学生在所选职业中的成功和满意度。本研究的目的是对澳大利亚的执业放射治疗师进行调查，以征求他们对放射治疗（RT）研究生入学合适选拔标准的意见，从而优化未来申请人的选拔程序。向澳大利亚三个州的九个RT中心发送了400份问卷。所有九个诊所都参与了调查，共返回了189份问卷。结果表明，大多数放射治疗师高度重视扎实的物理和数学知识以及生活经验，并一致认为参观RT诊所加面试是选拔过程的重要组成部分。人文、心理学和心理测试不被视为必不可少的入学要求。经验丰富的放射治疗师对本科阶段的学业成绩重视程度较低，并且比初级从业者更倾向于将面试作为选拔标准。对患者的同理心被确定为最重要的个人特质。因此，建议在选拔未来的放射治疗师时，不仅要评估认知能力，还要评估个人技能。
