MARCH 2015 • Vol. 4, Issue 1

HT TOPIC

The Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) wants to share “Competency-Based Education: A Brief Overview” with the SMRT for publication. This article is based on content previously published by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) and is used with permission of the ASRT. Link to read below article. 

Competency-Based Education: A Brief Overview

Tricia Leggett, DHEd, RT (R)(QM)
JRCERT Board of Directors

How would you describe a competent, entry-level radiographer, magnetic resonance technologist, or radiation therapist? Depending upon your clinical environment and communities of interest, there may be a myriad of descriptors and not necessarily one standardized response. The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary defines competency as “marked or sufficient aptitude, skill, strength, or knowledge and being legally qualified or capable”1. How is this term then applied to the profession of radiologic technology and more specifically, the educational process for becoming a competent, entry-level practitioner?

Various professional organizations have validated the importance of competency-based education and incorporated it into their respective roles in the profession, from the onset in the learning process through the progression to the clinical environment and workplace. For example, radiologic sciences programs accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) are required to provide competency-based education and are monitored via various objectives in the relevant Standards for accreditation.  A competency-based curriculum allows for effective student learning by providing a knowledge foundation prior to performance of procedures.  Continual refinement of the competencies achieved is necessary so that students can demonstrate enhanced performance in a variety of situations and patient conditions.  In essence, competency-based education is an ongoing process, not an end product.  The American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) provides the approved curricula as well as the practice standards and scopes of practice that address competency in the clinical environment for radiographers, magnetic resonance technologists, and radiation therapists.  Finally, the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) states in its Competency Requirements,  that clinical competence is affirmed when “the program director or designee has observed the candidate performing the procedure and that the candidate performed the procedure independently, consistently, and effectively”2.  The ARRT requires graduates to have completed didactic and clinical competencies for eligibility to take the certification examination.

Competency-based education has been in place in allied health programs for several years, but has begun to gain wider acceptance due to the renewed focus by the Obama Administration and the 2013 policy agenda, “Making College Affordable: A Better Agenda for the Middle Class”3.  Competency-based education has two major attributes that increase student success. The first is that it aligns the educational process toward demonstrated mastery with the application of knowledge and skills in the clinical environment. Students are not only memorizing rote facts for a single term or course, but must build upon the cognitive knowledge and apply it to the laboratory setting and ultimately, the clinical environment. This in turn, decreases the gap between academics and employers, resulting in a better understanding of the knowledge and skills that students will need to succeed as entry-level practitioners. The importance of advisory groups and communities of interest cannot be overemphasized since these individuals are most knowledgeable in current and future clinical skills requirements. The second attribute of competency-based education is that it provides a means for helping quality and affordability to co-exist in higher education, which is critical in this time of federal oversight of resources3.

There are specific guidelines that determine success for a competency-based education program and these can be readily applied in the education of students in the radiologic sciences 3. A brief overview of these guidelines follows:

  • The program has valid competencies.

    • The ARRT completes a practice analysis every three years to determine what clinical requirements are necessary in the current workplace. The minimum ARRT clinical competencies are based on this nationwide data analysis and provide validity that the required clinical competencies are reflective of current clinical practice.

  • Students are able to progress at their own pace and are supported in their learning.

    • Most educational programs are not prescriptive in mandating exactly WHEN students complete each of the clinical competencies, but may require them to complete a certain number of competencies at various checkpoints to demonstrate that the student is indeed progressing at a reasonable pace. In addition, programs implement an orientation to the competency-based system and have imbedded tools, such as scheduled advising sessions, for student support.

  • Effective learning resources are available anytime and are reusable.

    • The Internet, e-books, and Learning Management Systems (LMS) provide students the opportunity to have immediate access to learning resources. In the radiologic sciences, many programs use the same textbook for several courses and do not require purchase of new textbooks each term.

  • There is an obvious “map” of competencies to student learning outcomes and the curriculum.

    • Alignment of the curriculum, competencies, and student learning outcomes will demonstrate transparency and clarity to the students, faculty, and accreditors. Additionally, when revisions are indicated for the curriculum, it is easier for the faculty to determine where to adjust the student learning outcome and respective assessment or competency. This is a part of the rationale for the requirement by the JRCERT that the program’s curriculum grid and assessment plan be correlated.

  • Assessments are valid and reliable.

    • Assessments can take many forms, from objective tests to research papers to probably the most commonly used tool for clinical education, simulations or actual competency examinations performed on actual patients. Regardless of the tool used to assess student learning, it is imperative that the assessment method actually measure the intended result each time it is employed.

Competency-based education has proven to be an effective instructional methodology for radiologic sciences programs. It assures the didactic arena of higher education is intimately aligned with the clinical environment, thus producing graduates who are adequately prepared for the workforce and the important task of maintaining patient safety.

 

Table: JRCERT Standards and Objectives That Address Competency4, 5, 6

Radiography (R), Magnetic Resonance (MR), Radiation Therapy (RT)

Standard /Objective

 

 

Explanation

Standard One - Objective 1.3

 

(R, MR, RT)

 

Provides timely, appropriate, and educationally valid clinical experiences for each admitted student.

Students must have sufficient access to clinical settings that provide a wide range of procedures for competency achievement.

Standard Three-Objective 3.2

 

(R, MR, RT)

 

Provides a well-structured, competency-based curriculum that prepares students to practice in the professional discipline.

A competency-based curriculum allows for effective student learning by providing a knowledge foundation prior to performance of procedures. Continual refinement of the competencies achieved is necessary so that students can demonstrate enhanced performance in a variety of situations and patient conditions. In essence, competency-based education is an ongoing process, not an end product.

Standard Four - Objective 4.4

 

(R, MR, RT)

 

 

(R/MR) Assures that medical imaging/magnetic resonance procedures are performed under the direct supervision of a qualified radiographer/magnetic resonance technologist until a student achieves competency.

(RT) Assures that all radiation therapy procedures are performed under the direct supervision of a qualified practitioner.

Direct supervision assures patient safety and proper educational practices.  An appropriately qualified practitioner who is physically present during the conduct of the procedure provides direct supervision.  

Standard Four –Objective 4.5

 

(R, MR)

 

Note:  N/A for Rad. Therapy)

(R/MR) Assures that medical imaging/magnetic resonance procedures are performed under the indirect supervision of a qualified radiographer/magnetic resonance technologist after a student achieves competency.

Indirect supervision is provided by an appropriately qualified practitioner who is IMMEDIATELY available to assist students regardless of the level of student achievement.

Standard Five – Objective 5.1

 

(R, MR, RT)

 

 

Develops an assessment plan that, at a minimum, measures the program’s student learning outcomes in relation to the following goals: clinical competence, critical thinking, professionalism, and communication skills.

Assessment is the systematic collection, review, and use of information to improve student learning and educational quality. This provides program faculty the opportunity to evaluate students’ level of competence and make revisions to the program’s curriculum, as needed.

 

 

 

 

References

1. Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary. Definition of competency. http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/competency. Accessed December 26, 2014.

2. American Registry of Radiologic Technologists Radiography didactic and clinical competency requirements. https://www.arrt.org/pdfs/Disciplines/Competency-Requirements/RAD-Competency-Requirements.pdf. Accessed December 26, 2014. 

3. Johnstone, S. and Soares, L. Principles for developing competency-based education programs. http://www.changemag.org/Archives/Back%20Issues/2014/March-April%202014/Principles_full.html. Accessed December 26, 2014.

4. Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. Standards for an Accredited Educational Program in Radiography. http://www.jrcert.org/programs-faculty/jrcert-standards/. Accessed December 26, 2014.

5. Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. Standards for an Accredited Educational Program in Radiation Therapy. http://www.jrcert.org/programs-faculty/jrcert-standards/. Accessed December 26, 2014.

6. Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. Standards for an Accredited Educational Program in Magnetic Resonance. http://www.jrcert.org/programs-faculty/jrcert-standards/. Accessed December 26, 2014.
 

E-Signals is a publication by the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine for the benefit of the SMRT membership and those individuals and organizations that support the educational programs and professional advancement of the SMRT and its members. This publication is the compilation of the leadership of the SMRT and the contributions of the staff in the ISMRM Central Office.