Correlation of rheumatology subspecialty choice and identifiable strong motivations, including intellectual interest

Associations between hematology/oncology fellows' training and mentorship experiences and hematology-only career plans

As the adult hematology and oncology fellowship training pathways have merged in the United States and concerns have arisen about the aging of practicing hematologists, the American Society of Hematology and hematology education leaders are looking to improve their understanding of the factors that contribute to fellows' plans to enter hematology-only careers. With the support of the American Society of Hematology, we collected and analyzed data from a survey of hematology/oncology fellows (n = 626) to examine the relationship between training and mentorship experiences and fellows' plans to enter hematology-only careers. Fellows who planned to enter hematology-only careers were significantly more likely to report having clinical training and mentorship experiences in hematology throughout their training relative to fellows with oncology-only or combined hematology/oncology career plans. After controlling for prior interest in hematology and demographic characteristics, exposure to hematology patients in medical school and fellowship, hematology research experiences, and hematology mentorship (research collaboration and career coaching) were positively and significantly associated with hematology-only career plans. These findings suggest that increasing opportunities for exposure to hematology patients, research opportunities and mentors throughout training could be helpful in building a strong pipeline of potential hematologists.

How to Attract Trainees, a Pan-Canadian Perspective: Phase 1 of the “Training the Rheumatologists of Tomorrow” Project

Objective.

To identify what learners and professionals associated with rheumatology programs across Canada recommend as ways to attract future trainees.

Methods.

Data from online surveys and individual interviews with participants from 9 rheumatology programs were analyzed using the thematic framework analysis to identify messages and methods to interest potential trainees in rheumatology.

Results.

There were 103 participants (78 surveyed, 25 interviewed) who indicated that many practitioners were drawn to rheumatology because of the aspects of work life, and that educational events and hands-on experiences can interest students. Messages centered on working life, career opportunities, and the lifestyle of rheumatologists. Specific ways to increase awareness about rheumatology included information about practice type, intellectual and diagnostic challenges, diversity of diseases, and patient populations. Increased opportunity for early and continued exposure for both medical students and internal medicine residents was also important, as was highlighting job flexibility and availability and a good work-life balance. Although mentors were rarely mentioned, many participants indicated educational activities of role models. The relatively low pay scale of rheumatologists was rarely identified as a barrier to choosing a career in rheumatology.

Conclusion.

This is the first pan-Canadian initiative using local data to create a work plan for developing and evaluating tools to promote interest in rheumatology that could help increase the number of future practitioners.

Successes, challenges and developments in Australian rheumatology

Australia is a geographically vast but sparsely populated country with many unique factors affecting the practice of rheumatology. With a population comprising minority Indigenous peoples, a historically European-origin majority population, and recent large-scale migration from Asia, the effect of ethnic diversity on the phenotype of rheumatic diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a constant of Australian rheumatology practice. Australia has a strong system of universal healthcare and subsidized access to medications, and clinical and research rheumatology are well developed, but inequitable access to specialist care in urban and regional centres, and the complex disconnected structure of the Australian healthcare system, can hinder the management of chronic diseases.