Empirical Study of the Association Between Radiography Programme Accreditation Status and Graduate Practice Readiness in Nigerian Universities

Radiography programme accreditation by the Nigerian Universities Commission and the Nigerian Radiographers Registration Board is intended to ensure minimum quality standards that translate into graduate practice readiness, yet the empirical relationship between programme accreditation status and measurable graduate competency outcomes has not been studied in the Nigerian context. This study empirically examines the association between radiography programme accreditation status and practice readiness outcomes among recent graduates in Nigeria. A comparative cross-sectional design recruits 300 radiography graduates who completed their programmes between 2019 and 2023 from fully accredited, provisionally accredited, and non-accredited programmes. Practice readiness is measured using a validated Radiography Graduate Practice Readiness Inventory assessing technical competency, clinical communication, patient safety knowledge, professional ethics, and digital imaging proficiency. ANOVA and post-hoc Bonferroni tests comparing readiness scores across accreditation status groups are computed in SPSS, controlling for years since graduation and employment setting. Available radiography education quality literature from Nigeria identifies inadequate clinical placement facilities as the primary discriminating factor between fully accredited and provisionally accredited programmes. The Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model and educational outcomes theory provide the analytical framework. Findings are expected to demonstrate significantly higher overall readiness scores in graduates from fully accredited programmes, with the largest differences in technical competency and digital imaging domains. Recommendations address accreditation enforcement, provisional programme improvement pathways, and NRBN graduate readiness minimum standards. Keywords: radiography accreditation, graduate practice readiness, Nigerian universities, programme quality, NRBN.