Page 61 - JRCERT Update Articles

JRCERT Update

Before entering these programs, the courses they ƒ study skills that emphasize the need to be able to
took, from elementary school through their current retrieve previously learned facts in any course
academic accomplishments, were presented in isola- ƒ time management strategies that focus on the
tion and not in collaboration with one another. Math, time needed to practice and become proficient in
English, history, social studies, and science are subjects required skills in the laboratory
independent of one another and when completed at ƒ test-taking strategies
the end of the semester, are rarely referenced in future Second-semester attrition for academic failure is a
semesters or courses. Students in a radiologic science good indicator that the student has not developed the
program are, therefore, challenged with a need to study ability to retrieve and apply knowledge from previous
to remember and retrieve information at any point in course work, including clinical skills. A review of their
the curriculum as well as to perform the skills associat- exams, focusing on the location of the missed questions
ed with the acquired knowledge. Students are required (ie, item analysis), can facilitate identification of the
to apply the newly acquired information and not just students’ problem or problems. Missed questions scat-
memorize it for an exam before it is quickly forgotten. tered throughout the exam, for example, might indicate
Performance of the required skills and the time it a general lack of knowledge of the material covered
takes to gain proficiency in that performance is a sec- in that exam. A large portion of the first 10 questions
ond component affecting academic success. Radiologic missed might indicate test anxiety, which creates a
science students initially might not realize that a large surge in adrenalin and decreased attention to detail. A
portion of their studying will be in the form of practic- large portion of the last 10 questions missed might indi-
ing in the laboratory setting, which requires them to be cate test fatigue, caused by a drop in adrenalin. Clinical
on campus for more time than anticipated. Time man- laboratory skills that were demonstrated in a previous
agement skills are essential because opening a book to semester but not practiced might lead to clinical failure
study can occur anywhere and anytime, but practicing from diminished skills.
clinical skills might be done only in a laboratory setting
when the area is open and available. This added campus Conclusion
study time might cause issues in their personal life. Collecting and analyzing data regarding the
Although attrition can and does happen throughout completion rate of a radiologic science program is 1
a program, loss of students late in a radiologic science requirement of JRCERT Standards. Identifying when
program usually is caused by reasons other than aca- attrition happens during a program is key to determin-
demic failure. Tracking per semester attrition on an ing which intervention will be the most effective. Loss
annual or cohort basis will help identify root causes. of students in the first semester for academic failure
Identification of a particular course or instructor might should direct attention to the program admission cri-
surface when examined over multiple years and illicit a teria and the orientation process. A class review of the
specific and focused intervention, from faculty mentor- initial exam will help to address any misunderstand-
ing to course content modification. If the reason for ings or misreading errors. A more thorough individual
attrition is nonacademic, the faculty member could use test review might be indicated for a student who is
the support services provided by the sponsoring institu- struggling. Second semester academic failures iden-
tion, or refer to other local resources. tify a weakness in a student’s ability to retrieve and
High first-semester attrition would indicate a need apply previous information with the recently acquired
for further evaluation of the program’s screening and knowledge and skills. Academic failures in subsequent
admission process. The addition of an orientation ses- semesters are fewer and usually have an outside cause
2
sion for accepted students should occur before the onset (eg, family, health, or finances), or perhaps the stu-
of the program. The session would address: dents were marginally passing in preceding semesters.
ƒ professional expectations in the classroom and Students leaving the program at any point for reasons
clinical areas other than academic failure need to be assessed on an

RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY, January/February 2020, Volume 91, Number 3 309
Reprinted with permission from the American Society of Radiologic Technologists for educational purposes. ©2019. All rights reserved.