Ekpo Ernest U, Snaith Beverly, Harris Martine A, McEntee Mark F
Discipline of Medical Radiation Science, Faculty of Health Science and Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Department of Radiography and Radiology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
J Med Radiat Sci. 2017 Sep;64(3):195-202. doi: 10.1002/jmrs.231. Epub 2017 Apr 25.
Research is critical to evidence-based practice, and the rapid developments in technology provide opportunities to innovate and improve practice. Little is known about the research profile of the medical radiation science (MRS) profession in Australia and New Zealand (NZ). This study provides a baseline of their doctoral activity.
A cross-sectional survey of MRS professionals in Australia and NZ holding a doctorate or undertaking doctoral studies, was performed using an online tool (Bristol Online Survey , Bristol, UK). A chain-referral sampling technique was adopted for data collection. An email invitation with a link to the survey was generated and distributed through email and social media. The survey contained questions related to participant demographics, doctoral status, qualification route, funding and employment.
There were 63 responses to the survey comprising 50.8% diagnostic radiographers (DRs; n = 32), 23.8% radiation therapists (RTs; n = 15), with the remaining 25.4% (n = 16) equally split between sonographers and nuclear medicine technologists (NMTs). A total of 40 (63.5%) of respondents had completed their doctoral qualification. In NZ, only DRs held a doctoral award constituting 0.3% of DRs and 0.2% of the total registered MRS population. In Australia, there was a greater proportion of doctoral NMTs (n = 8/1098; 0.7%) than RTs (n = 15/2394; 0.6%) and DRs (n = 27/12,001; 0.2%).
Similar to other countries, findings show a very small percentage of doctoral MRS professionals in Australia and NZ. Strategies to engage and support individuals in research, up to and beyond doctoral study, need to be embedded in practice.
研究对于循证实践至关重要，技术的快速发展为实践创新和改进提供了机遇。对于澳大利亚和新西兰（NZ）医学放射科学（MRS）专业的研究概况知之甚少。本研究提供了其博士活动的基线情况。
使用在线工具（英国布里斯托尔的布里斯托尔在线调查）对澳大利亚和新西兰持有博士学位或正在攻读博士学位的MRS专业人员进行了横断面调查。采用链式推荐抽样技术进行数据收集。生成了带有调查问卷链接的电子邮件邀请，并通过电子邮件和社交媒体进行分发。该调查包含与参与者人口统计学、博士状态、资格途径、资金和就业相关的问题。
该调查共收到63份回复，其中50.8%为诊断放射技师（DRs；n = 32），23.8%为放射治疗师（RTs；n = 15），其余25.4%（n = 16）在超声技师和核医学技师（NMTs）之间平均分配。共有40名（63.5%）受访者完成了博士资格。在新西兰，只有诊断放射技师持有博士学位，占诊断放射技师的0.3%，占注册MRS总人口的0.2%。在澳大利亚，拥有博士学位的核医学技师比例（n = 8/1098；0.7%）高于放射治疗师（n = 15/2394；0.6%）和诊断放射技师（n = 27/12,001；0.2%）。
与其他国家类似，研究结果表明澳大利亚和新西兰拥有博士学位的MRS专业人员比例非常小。需要在实践中融入鼓励和支持个人开展研究直至完成博士学业及之后的策略。
