Transitioning from Classroom to Clinical: Lived Experiences of Radiologic Technology Interns during Clinical Internship

This transcendental phenomenological study aimed to investigate the lived experiences of Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology interns during their clinical internship, with particular emphasis on their transition from the classroom to clinical practice. The five participants for this study were chosen by purposive sampling from the Calamba Doctors' College and interviewed via a semi-structured interview design to collect information on their experiences, challenges, and development during the process of internship. Thematic data analysis was applied in accordance with Clark Moustakas' phenomenology method in order to discover the core elements of the lived experiences of radiologic technology interns. This study established the importance of knowledge from classroom-based lessons regarding patient positioning, anatomy and physiology, radiation protection, and patient care, which were vital aspects that played a critical role in enhancing confidence and competence in the execution of clinical tasks in a safe and accurate manner. Furthermore, it was found that clinical internship was very important because it provided practical learning experiences to radiologic technology interns, making them skilled and knowledgeable about actual healthcare practices. The findings also revealed that this research underscored the significance of patient handling, proper communication, empathy, and professionalism in providing safe, ethical, and high-quality healthcare service to patients. Other qualities such as professional competence, ethical awareness, confidence, accountability, adaptability, and interpersonal skills were also developed through the course of clinical internship, thus playing a huge role in the personal and professional development of radiologic technology interns.