Attitudes of and influences on residents in English Canadian radiology programs regarding interventional radiology: results of a national survey by the Canadian Interventional Radiology Association (CIRA).
Department of Interventional Radiology, University Health Network and Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. mark.baerlocher@utoronto.ca
There has been a North American trend toward reduced application to the subspecialty of Interventional Radiology (IR). Out of fear of a looming manpower shortage, this survey was conducted to better understand awareness and attitudes toward IR by radiology residents-in-training.
An anonymous online survey was emailed to the Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program Director/Department Chairperson of each of the 13 English medical schools in Canada, to be forwarded to each respective Radiology Residency Program's radiology residents. The survey was open for a period of 1 month. The survey consisted of 29 questions, which could be answered online using a web-based program. Responses to questions were tabulated and comments recorded.
A total of 84 survey responses were received of a possible 333 (25%), including responses from each of the 13 English Programs. Responses regarding demographics, training, careers aspirations and motivations, and influences were collected. Fifty-one percent of respondents reported being either "moderately" or "very" interested in the field of IR; however, only 13% reported intention to perform an IR fellowship. A number of issues were identified as dissuading current radiology residents from pursuing IR, including income, work hours and hours of on-call, and turf issues.
A number of issues were identified as factors which prevented residents with an interest in IR from applying to IR fellowships. These must be addressed to increase IR recruitment rates of radiology residents.
Awareness of interventional radiology among patients referred to the interventional radiology department: a survey of patients in a large Canadian community hospital.
To quantify the level of knowledge about interventional radiology (IR) among patients referred for an IR procedure and to develop recommendations on how to increase public awareness of IR.
Paper surveys were prospectively administered to consecutive patients scheduled to undergo an IR procedure at a community hospital. The study was terminated at the accrual of 100 completed surveys.
Totals of 28% and 6% knew generally the job of a diagnostic radiologist and interventional radiologist, respectively, and 6% had heard of the field of IR before their referral (despite 21% having undergone a procedure previously). Before their arrival in the IR department, 87% had not received any information about IR. Three percent, 0%, 4%, 82%, and 82% had heard about uterine artery embolization, radiofrequency ablation, vertebroplasty, biopsy (any type), and angioplasty, respectively. After the procedures, 84% had a clearer view of what interventional radiologists do, but 98% believed that most others did not know what IR was. When asked how best to educate the public about IR, the responses were: unsure (39%), other (19%), pamphlets (12%), information from physicians (9%), television (8%), and Internet (7%). Overall, the mean satisfaction rate was 8.8 (with 0 representing the minimum and 10 representing the maximum), and 97% would choose IR over surgery for future treatments.
These data quantify and strongly support the views that (1) even among patients specifically referred to IR for a procedure, the majority of people are unaware of what the field is or may offer; and (2) most patients were satisfied with their IR experience. Six results-based recommendations are made to increase public awareness about IR.
To compare Canadian medical graduates (CMGs) and international medical graduates (IMGs) who completed postgraduate medical education in Canada from 1989 to 2007 by age, gender, specialty, and practice characteristics.
Data on all CMGs and IMGs who completed residencies or fellowships in Canada from 1989 to 2007 were extracted from the Canadian Post-M.D. Education Registry. Data from 1989-1993 and 2003-2007 were pooled for analysis.
A total of 8,501 CMGs and 1,828 IMGs completed post-MD training at Canadian institutions between 1989 and 1993 inclusive; 7,734 CMGs and 1,879 IMGs completed such training between 2003 and 2007. From 1989-1993 to 2003-2007, the average age of CMGs increased from 29.8 to 31.1 years, and average age of IMGs increased from 36.1 to 37.0 years. From 1989-1993 to 2003-2007, the percentage of women increased from 41% (3,471/8,501) to 52% (4,016/7,734) and from 28% (509/1,828) to 42% (791/1,879) for CMGs and IMGs, respectively. The proportion of CMGs who trained in family medicine declined from 54% (4,568/8,501) to 38% (2,921/7,734) from 1989-1993 to 2003-2007. The percentage of IMGs who trained in family medicine increased from 19% (344/1,828) to 37% (699/1,879) during the same period.
IMGs tended to be older, more likely to be men, and more likely to pursue family medicine than their CMG counterparts. These differences have implications in designing future health care policy and recruiting physicians from abroad. Other countries could look at their own physician demographics using this study's methods.
To determine current issues facing the field of interventional radiology (IR) in Canada.
An anonymous online survey was emailed to all members of the Canadian Interventional Radiology Association. The survey was open for 1 month.
A total of 83 survey responses were received (of an estimated possible 233). Responses regarding demographics, aspects of practice, research, and IR trainee education were collected.
Several issues were identified as pertinent to Canadian interventional radiologists, including a current and future drought of interventional radiologists, a lack of women in the profession, inadequate protected research time for those in academic practice, a lack of protected clinical time, concern regarding turf issues with other specialties, division between interventional and diagnostic radiology, and the ideal profile of the future interventional radiologist. The field of interventional radiology (IR) continues to develop, expand, and mature at a rapid pace. As the field is still relatively young, several issues are bound to arise. It is important therefore to stay abreast of the current trends and opinions of practitioners within the field.
Data from the 2004 National Physician Survey were used to determine when current Canadian radiologists made their decision to pursue a radiology career and to determine which factors were most influential in their decision. Most respondents reported having made this decision during their clerkship years of medical school (32.7%) or after a period of time in practice (25.4%). The most influential factors involved in this decision were perceived intellectual stimulation and workload flexibility or predictability. These results provide insight into the trainee's decision to pursue radiology and may be useful to those recruiting for radiology as well to medical students considering the field.
The field of radiology has grown significantly over the past 25 years. This can in large part be attributed to advances in research and, indeed, the future of the field depends on this continued tradition. Although funding to radiology research has increased substantially in the past decade, much of the research is being carried out by researchers who are not radiologists, with research funding being distributed accordingly. There are clear indications that too few radiologists are performing research for a variety of reasons, including a shortage of time, training and manpower. At the same time, there are indications that radiologists-in-training (fellows, residents and medical students) are interested in a future dual clinical-research career. We review the issues pertinent to research in radiology, with a focus on interventional radiology, at a time when the fostering of research in radiology has become of paramount importance.
