Comparison of the "3+1" and "2+2" medical technology educational approaches

Evaluation of allied health programs is an ongoing process whether externally imposed by accrediting agencies or internally motivated by the faculty's desire for assurance of program quality. Those in leadership positions in the medical technology field are greatly concerned regarding increases in medical knowledge and changes which challenge medical technologists to analyze, synthesize, and utilize science and technology for human gain. The dissemination of this knowledge growth presents medical technology educational programs with enormous responsibility to students and, ultimately, to the general population. Medical technology educators need to design their programs so that students may achieve the desired levels of learning in the most effective and efficient way. The purpose of this research was to determine if there were differences between the "3+1" and "2+2" medical technology educational approaches. The differences studied pertained to graduate performance on the ASCP medical technologist certification examination and student learning environment expressed in the dimensions of student-reported classroom and studying activities during the professional medical technology educational phases. Sixteen medical technology programs participated in the study, eight "3+1" educational programs and eight "2+2" educational programs. Copies of the investigator-developed learning environment questionnaire were mailed to each school for administration to medical technology students. Completed questionnaires and a list of scores obtained on the August 1981 ASCP Board of Registry's medical technologist certification examination by the school's graduates were returned to the investigator. [...]