The ASRT Foundation awarded $4,000 to Kerry Dunn, Ed.D., R.T.(R)(M), to conduct research on measuring burnout among radiologic science educators.
Burnout is described as a psychological syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and a decreased level of personal accomplishment. The study will explore to what degree radiologic science educators experience burnout and what are the perceived factors most linked to burnout. The research methodology that will be used in this study is the Maslach Burnout Toolkit for Educators. The survey instrument includes a 50-item quantitative survey that assesses workload, control, reward, community fairness and values.
“Radiologic science educators may be uniquely affected by burnout due to the unique responsibilities and workload associated with teaching in an allied health field and coordinating clinical experiences for students,” said Dr. Dunn. She hypothesizes that radiologic science educators experience a higher degree of burnout when compared to the national norms for higher education and that factors like the pandemic and clinical responsibilities may contribute to burnout.
Dr. Dunn is a senior lecturer and clinical coordinator for the radiography program at Georgia Southern University in Savannah. She has been an educator for more than a decade and held positions as clinical coordinator and program director during her teaching career. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Georgia State University and a master’s degree in adult education from the University of Georgia. Her research interests include clinical leadership, mentoring, reflective learning and burnout among educators.
The ASRT Foundation began offering the Emerging Researcher Grant in 2021 through donor-funded support. The grant provides early-stage researchers with up to $4,000 to expand scientific research capabilities focused on radiologic technology topics. The award is funded by ASRT members Rebecca Ludwig, Ph.D., R.T.(R)(QM), FAEIRS, FASRT, Marilyn Sackett, M.Ed., R.T.(R), FASRT, and other contributors.