From clinician to educator: The experiences of medical imaging educators after pursuing teaching qualifications.

INTRODUCTION: Medical imaging requires educators who are not only expert clinicians but also pedagogically skilled to train competent radiographers. This study aimed to understand the experiences of medical imaging educators in Rwanda after pursuing formal teaching qualifications and to explore the transformative potential of this process using Mezirow's Transformative Learning Theory (TLT). METHODS: A qualitative, exploratory design was employed utilizing Mezirow's TLT as its theoretical lens. Using purposive sampling, six academics from Rwanda's sole medical imaging department who held postgraduate teaching qualifications were recruited. Data from in-depth interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke's six-step framework. Trustworthiness was ensured through independent coding and member validation checking. RESULTS: Analysis revealed a four-phase transformative journey. It began with a disorienting dilemma catalysed by pedagogical insufficiency and systemic pressures. Engagement in formal study then enabled a process of critical self-reflection, acquisition of new perspectives, and vital peer dialogue. This led to the reintegration of a confident, reflective educator identity, evidenced by changed practices. However, this transformation was constrained by contextual barriers like infrastructural deficits and employment precarity. CONCLUSION: The study confirms that acquiring teaching qualifications is a transformative process, effectively framed by TLT, which reshapes professional identity and practice. It may contribute to the theory by highlighting the cumulative nature of the disorienting dilemma and the central role of social dialogue in a resource-constrained context. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Medical imaging educators need strong teaching skills as well as clinical expertise to prepare future radiographers. This study interviewed medical imaging educators in Rwanda who had completed formal teaching qualifications to understand how this experience influenced their work. This study found that gaining teaching qualifications helped educators develop new teaching approaches, greater confidence, and a stronger professional identity, although challenges such as limited resources remained. This matters because supporting educator development may improve the quality of radiography education and help prepare skilled healthcare professionals.