Awareness of Interventional Radiology Among Medical Students at a Saudi Medical School: Clerkship versus Pre-clerkship Years

OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess the awareness of interventional radiology (IR) as a specialty among medical students and determine any difference between the clerkship and pre-clerkship years. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, survey-based study in February 2018 at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Five hundred and forty-two medical students were enrolled. The survey consisted of 17 items canvassing student awareness of and interest in IR. The data were compared using the chi-square test. RESULTS: A large proportion of the respondents (n = 199, 36.7%) rated their knowledge of IR as poor, and 85 (15.7%) reported that they knew nothing about IR. Only 87 students (16.1%) responded that they would consider a career in radiology. The most common reason for not considering IR was lack of knowledge (42.9%). Students in their clerkship years had more interest and exposure to IR than pre-clerkship students (73.0%, p < 0.001 and 55.7%, p = 0.030, respectively). Awareness of IR was significantly more common among those interested in diagnostic radiology and IR (65.5%, p < 0.001 and 61.5%, p = 0.010, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of and exposure to IR is poor among medical students, and can only be increased by a direct contribution from IR physicians to the undergraduate curriculum. Lack of a unified radiology curriculum in medical schools across the country should be addressed by the Council of Deans of Saudi Medical Schools. Involvement of the Saudi Interventional Radiology Society and Radiological Society of Saudi Arabia is essential.