The educational and career impact of using medical students for triaging off-hour diagnostic imaging requests at a major academic medical center.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to evaluate the educational and career impact of using medical students for triaging off-hour diagnostic imaging requests at a major academic medical center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A survey of former and current medical students who participated in the Emergency Department Radiology Triage Program at the Yale University School of Medicine was conducted via e-mail. Results were reported using averages or percentages or both. RESULTS: Twenty-six (61.9%) of the 42 participants responded. Seventeen (65.4%) of the 26 respondents pursued an additional degree while in the program. The most important factor for joining was financial, with a mean importance of 4.0 on a scale of 1 (no importance) to 5 (most important). Eleven (42.3%) of the 26 respondents stated that their participation encouraged them to pursue a career in diagnostic radiology. Nine (34.6%) of the 26 respondents stated that the program had major or moderate importance on their specialty choice, whereas 20 of the 26 (76.9%) described the program as being of at least moderate help to their medical career. The most satisfying aspect of the program, on a scale of 1 (extremely dissatisfying) to 5 (extremely satisfying), was interacting with the junior radiology resident (mean rating, 4.5), whereas the least satisfying aspect was the Veterans Affairs triage component (mean rating, 2.9). CONCLUSION: The use of medical students for triaging off-hour diagnostic imaging requests has proven successful from an operational standpoint; it also appears to be favorably viewed concurrently and retrospectively by the growing cohort of students who have participated.