COVID-19 Impact on Radiology Students’ Distance Learning

Author: Mary Lee, Jason Chan, Cherylann Jackson-Holmes, Renzo Marmolejo

Mentor: Zoya Vinokur

Institution:  NYCCT

Abstract: Radiological Technology students are well into a full year of distance learning. The Juniors are utilizing a hybrid mode, where they continue to have laboratory classes on campus at half capacity and every other week. The Senior students are completely learning through distance learning and focusing their efforts on reviewing for their licensing exams. Both cohorts are in clinical rotation with COVID-19, a smaller threat to their schooling, but still a hazard that can impact their personal and educational lives. With the use of surveys that are distributed during online classes, we hope to evaluate how a full semester of distance learning impacted students. We also hope to evaluate Juniors on their clinical rotation experience and the Seniors that had to resume after a break from cancelled clinical rotations. Other factors we will measure include whether access to the COVID-19 vaccine will lessen the student’s fear of becoming infected or does the continued threat change their minds about entering a health care field. We will continue to compare the emotional, mental, and physical well-being of the students over the course of the current school year. Changes in motivation, engagement and perceptions of success are critical changes with online instructional learning (Daniels, 2021). With the distribution of online surveys, we are continuing to evaluate the effects that distance learning has on both the first- and second-year students and compare how they are coping with distance learning, in addition to domestic and familial responsibilities of the students outside the classroom walls.