"What program directors think IV": Results of the 2017 Annual Survey of the Association of Program Directors in Radiology

Decreasing Workflow and Educational Interruptions in the Reading Room: Working Smarter, Not Harder

OBJECTIVE

Disruptions in image interpretation lead to interrupted education and inefficiency, and ultimately delay patient care. In the academic reading room, time can often be spent rerouting phone calls. The objective of this study was to evaluate resident perception of current workflow, decrease interruptions, and improve patient care and resident education by implementing a cost-effective automated centralized phone tree.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Phone call records were obtained between January 25 and February 23, 2021 and May 3 and June 30, 2021 prior to implementation of an automated centralized phone tree within the Emergency Radiology reading room. Calls during weekday business hours were evaluated. Postimplementation phone records were obtained over 4 weeks (August 20-September 16, 2021). Residents on rotation were surveyed prior to and after phone tree implementation regarding the qualitative impact.

RESULTS

The total number of phone calls decreased after phone tree implementation to 8 calls over a 19-day period from 100-200 phone calls over a 20-22 day period. There is a statistically significant difference (p-value < 0.017) in the median number of phone calls postimplementation for all compared preimplementation time points. Resident surveys also demonstrate a statistically significant improvement (p-value < 0.05) in the evaluated metrics.

CONCLUSIONS

Data demonstrate a quantitative decrease in the number of calls arriving at the Emergency Radiology reading room as well as qualitative improvements in resident workplace satisfaction, feelings of burnout, and burden of interruptions. These data suggest that a self-directed triage system (eg, phone tree) could provide a cost-effective and simple means of decreasing interruptions.

The Evolving Status of Fellowships and Mini-Fellowships in Diagnostic Radiology: A Survey of Program Directors and Chief Residents

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Recent changes in radiology fellowships include musculoskeletal radiology adopting a match system, interventional radiology transitioning away from diagnostic radiology to offer direct-entry programs, and a common fellowship application timeline created by the Society for Chairs of Academic Radiology Departments (SCARD). The concept of mini-fellowships has also emerged with the elimination of the oral American Board of Radiology examinations that had been administered in the final year of residency training prior to 2014. This paper seeks to assess the opinions of fellowship program directors, residency program directors, and chief residents regarding these recent changes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study using a web-based survey posed to fellowship program directors, residency program directors, and chief residents in 2020. Questions sought to explore current attitudes toward the following topics: (1) a common fellowship application timeline; (2) a common fellowship match; and (3) the status of mini-fellowships in diagnostic radiology. In addition, the number of fellowship positions for each subspecialty was estimated using subspecialty society directories, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) data, and individual program websites.

RESULTS

Deidentified responses were collected electronically and aggregated. The three respondent groups preferred a common fellowship application timeline at rates of 67% among fellowship program directors, 80% residency program directors, and 74% residents. A common match system across all subspecialties was preferred at rates of 50% fellowship program directors, 74% residency program directors, and 26% chief residents. There was widespread reported compliance with the SCARD fellowship timeline policy. Subspecialty programs using the match system reported interviewing greater numbers of applicants per position. Fellowship directors and chief residents reported that the most common duration of mini-fellowship experiences was 2 to 3 months.

CONCLUSION

There is a division between chief residents and program directors regarding the preference for a common radiology match. Adopting a radiology-wide fellowship match would increase the number of interviews required. The SCARD fellowship timeline policy has been successful, and there is support across stakeholders regarding the common timeline. Mini-fellowships are highly variable in length and structure.

Characteristics of musculoskeletal radiology job postings to guide radiology trainees

OBJECTIVE

To review current musculoskeletal (MSK) job market postings to define the listed requirements for practice in order to provide insight to guide residents pursuing fellowship training in MSK radiology to best meet the needs of potential future employers.

METHODS

Utilizing the ACR (American College of Radiology) Career Center, a review of the ACR job postings began 6/1/2018 focusing on jobs labeled as musculoskeletal (MSK) subspecialty. E-mail notifications from the career center were reviewed, and jobs were tracked prospectively for 1 year. Data was collected regarding the number of positions, the location, the practice type, and required skills both within musculoskeletal radiology and within the remainder of the radiology subspecialties.

RESULTS

456 postings met the inclusion criteria. Approximately 19% were for a dedicated MSK radiologist, 25% sought a combination of MSK and a general skill set, and 56% were specifically for a general radiologist position. Approximately 29% of jobs require some combination of mammography and/or light interventional radiology (IR).

DISCUSSION

Our results indicate that majority of job postings for musculoskeletal radiology require a practice that is not specifically limited to MSK, mirroring trends in other radiology subspecialties. Radiology trainees and program directors should be aware of the needs being demanded by the job market to help guide trainees to individualize their training to best meet the needs of their future employment.