UK Educational Structure for Medical Imaging Courses

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UK Educational Structure for Medical Imaging
Courses

• Gill Marshall
• Principal Lecturer
• Medical Imaging Sciences

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Introduction

• UK model may be valuable in developing post
  graduate radiographic education in Denmark
• However to maximise compatibility of developments
  address Tuning of Educational Structures in
  Europe
• http//ec.europa.eu/education/policies/educ/tunin
  g/tuning_en.html
• To embed the challenges of the Bologna
  Declaration 1999

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• Tuning is being addressed under the auspices of
  the Higher Education Network for Radiography in
  Europe HENRE
• Co- financed by the European Commission

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UK Model - Further Education

• All courses that are below degree level are
  called Further Education ( FE)
• Diploma of College of Radiographers (DCR) was a
  FE qualification
• DCR phased out in early 1990s
• All courses for Medical Imaging now at a minimum
  of degree level and based in Higher Education (
  HE)

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Higher Education

• Undergraduate degree courses are at Bachelors
  level
• Postgraduate degrees are at Masters level
• Ph.Ds ( Doctor of Philosophy) are at Doctoral
  Level

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Undergraduate Courses B.Sc ( Honours) delivered
part time and full time

• Level 1 studied during year 1
• 8, 15 credit modules
• yield 120 Level 1 credits
• if exit here entitled to a Certificate in HE
• Level 2 studied during year 2
• a further 8, 15 credit modules
• yield 120 Level 2 credits
• if exit here entitled to a Certificate in HE

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• Level 3 studied during year 3
• a further 8, 15 credit modules
• yields 120 Level 3 credits
• if exit here entitled to a Bsc (Hons) degree and
  professional registration
• 1 credit is 20 hours study
• Each year has 16 19 weeks clinical a year and
  24 weeks in University

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VALIDATION

• The course is conjointly validated
• The University
• The College of Radiographers
• The Health Professions Council

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ECTS v CATS

• Two Credit Accumulation and Transfer CAT)
  credits are ( roughly ) equivalent to
• One European Credit Transfer and Accumulation
  credit (ECTs)

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Post Graduate study - Master of Science- Level 4

• 3 exit points
• Post Graduate Certificate (PgC)
• 12 months PT 60 credits
• 3, 20 credit modules
• delivered in 3 one week blocks
• 1 credit is 20 hours study
• 30 hours plus 170 hours associated self directed
  study per module
• Part time

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Post Graduate Diploma (PgD)

• 18 months PT
• 120 credits
• 6, 20 credit modules
• delivered in one week blocks
• 1 credit is 20 hours study
• 30 hours plus 170 hours associated self directed
  study per module
• Part time

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Master of Science (M.Sc)

• 180 credits
• 9, 20 credit modules
• 1 credit is 20 hours study
• 3 of these modules are by thesis 20,000 words
• self directed study guided by appointed
  supervisor
• Part time

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Masters courses offered Medical diagnostic
imaging
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Medical ultrasound
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Medical image interpretation
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Magnetic resonance imaging
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• All courses except Medical Diagnostic Imaging
  assess clinical competence as well as academic
  performance
• All courses conjointly validated by the
  university and the relevant professional body
• For the future CT and MRI reporting

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Doctoral level PhD

• 3 years full time
• 5 years part time
• Level D credit
• 80,000 word thesis (variable between
  universities)
• Have to pass a progression viva during your study
  to move from MPhil to be allowed to proceed to
  PhD.

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FOUR TIER STRUCTURE Assistant Practitioners
qualification sub degree level not
radiographers, only X ray certain body parts,
supervised
Practitioners Radiographers with a
undergraduate degree BSc (Hons)
Advanced Practitioners It is expected that
radiographers at this level will hold a
postgraduate degree PgC/ PgD/ MSc
Consultant Practitioners It is expected that
radiographers at this level will hold a doctoral
degree PhD
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Entry to a post graduate course (Level 4 ) in the
UK

• One years clinical experience and an Honours
  degree Level 3 (at 2nd or 1st class level) is
  the standard entry qualification
• Students who have educational qualifications
  equivalent to level 2 ( 2nd year of an honours
  degree) e.g. a student with a professional
  diploma who has studied for only 2 years (240
  credits) not necessarily in a university, may be
  admissible under certain circumstances

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Process of admitting non standard entrants

• Such students are deemed by the university to be
  non standard entrants
• They may be admitted via
• 1) APL Accreditation of Prior Learning
• 2) APEL -Accreditation of Prior Experiential
  Learning

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Admission of standard/ non standard students

• Standard entrant interviewed accepted subject
  to the course leaders recommendation
• Non standard entrant interviewed on course
  leaders recommendation (that they have the
  ability to study at level 4) considered by the
  AP(E)L/ APL subcommittee

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Evidence to prove a non standard entrant is
capable of level 4 study

• Via the CPD they have undertaken
• can be proved by documented courses/ study etc
  APL - Accreditation of Prior Learning
• or by proof of how a student has learned from the
  experiences they have had whilst working e.g.
  conference presentations, study days,
  publications, professional activities APEL -
  Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning

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• The proof of sufficient prior learning can be
  achieved by interview or via the submission of a
  portfolio
• If committee agrees student is admitted to 1st
  module of the course as an associate student
• Must pass that module to be allowed to proceed

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Standard/Non standard entrants to post graduate
courses

• Comparative study of students admitted
• via a traditional background e.g. B.Sc Honours
  degree
• Via APL/APEL
• was performed to assess comparative achievement

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Data was collected for all students studying on
post graduate courses in the School

• N 176 Non standard 120 Standard 56
• Standard deviation on the mean mark per module
  calculated
• Mark range for each programme calculated
• t test was undertaken for independent samples
  (non standard and standard students) on all
  programmes collectively and by programme

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Data from all 4 programmes collectively
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Discussion

• No significant difference in marks achieved by
  standard and non standard entrants
• 2 possible explanations for this both of which
  may contribute to the findings
• Professional qualification and subsequent
  experience may develop similar skills to an
  undergraduate degree
• Study skills support and formative assignments
  built into the courses may address the needs of
  students with dissimilar educational backgrounds

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Conclusion

• Developments should align with the challenges of
  Bologna via Tuning
• Further Education and Higher Education have been
  distinguished between
• The various levels of courses available to
  radiographers in the UK studying in HE have been
  discussed

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• The interface between the courses and the UK 4
  tier career structure has been explained
• It has been demonstrated that some students
  without an undergraduate degree can access
  postgraduate degrees
• Evidence has been presented to demonstrate these
  students perform as well as graduate students at
  Masters level

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• Any questions?