Abstract
Background: The recent reported increased risks of radiation exposure in association with chronic illnesses have raised the issue of radiation safety. The present study aimed to assess the knowledge and alertness of Medical students at the clinical phase towards the hazards of ionizing rations in Northern Saudi Arabia. Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study, included 443 medical students at clinical phases of the study (4th, 5th, and 6th years). The study subjects were randomly selected from three medical colleges in 3 universities (Hail, Jouf, and Tabuk). Results: Regarding the prior knowledge of radiation doses, 85/433(19.6%), and 153/433(35.3%), have "No idea", and "Not confidence", in this order. On asking "Is it important to know radiation doses" 97/433(22%) answered "Not important", and 139/433(32%) answered, "May be important". The application of medical radiology as both diagnostic and therapeutic was indicated by 238/433(55%). Conclusion: Medical students in late clinical years have relatively low knowledge and awareness towards ionizing radiation exposure, organ dependent doses, and radiation associated hazards.