Medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals' perceptions of conducting research

Purpose To evaluate medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals' perceptions of conducting research. Methods Using a descriptive survey approach, a random sample of 10 000 American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) members was invited to share their experiences with conducting research, including challenges, reasons for not engaging in research, potential motivators, and support measures that would enhance their ability to conduct research in the medical imaging and radiation therapy profession. Three hundred ninety completed responses were analyzed for this study. Results The majority (284, 72.8%) of the participants had no knowledge of or were slightly knowledgeable of the research process, and more than 75% of the participants did not feel prepared or felt they were only slightly prepared to conduct research. However, 257 (65.9%) of the participants believed it was very important to conduct research to advance the medical imaging and radiation therapy profession. Eighty-eight participants who indicated that they had conducted research named collecting data (34, 38.6%) and analyzing the results (20, 22.7%) as their greatest barriers. Participants who had not conducted research (302, 77.4%) said that the main reason was because it was not required in their current position (193, 63.9%). More than half of participants indicated that having time allocated to conduct research, conducting research with an experienced individual, collaborating with a research mentor, and attending continuing education were support measures that might enable them to conduct research. Discussion It is essential that medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals be aware of the importance of conducting research and participating in scholarly activities so that the profession can advance as a distinct allied health discipline. Opportunities to increase or improve research endeavors in the profession include encouraging professionals to publish and present their research results, allocating time and resources to conduct research, and providing research mentorships. Conclusion Increasing or improving the research being conducted among medical imaging technologists and radiation therapists and making such endeavors a priority can advance the profession and lead to better service to patients.