Academic Future of Interventional Radiology Subspecialty: Are We Giving Enough Space to Radiology Trainees?

Bayarbaatar Bold; Anudari Mishig; Tuvshinjargal Dashjamts; Susan Shelmerdine; Joanna Marie Choa-Go; Maria Mercedes Serra; Ashlesha Udare; Monika Radikė; Federica Vernuccio

doi:10.1007/s40670-023-01733-y

Academic Future of Interventional Radiology Subspecialty: Are We Giving Enough Space to Radiology Trainees?

Med Sci Educ. 2023 Jan 27;33(1):173-183. doi: 10.1007/s40670-023-01733-y. eCollection 2023 Feb.

Authors

Bayarbaatar Bold^#^{1

2}, Anudari Mishig^#³, Tuvshinjargal Dashjamts⁴, Susan Shelmerdine⁵, Joanna Marie Choa-Go⁶, Maria Mercedes Serra⁷, Ashlesha Udare^{8

9}, Monika Radikė^#^{10

11}, Federica Vernuccio^#¹²

Affiliations

¹ Radiology Department, Intermed Hospital, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
² Medical School, Etugen University, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
³ Radiology Department, Fourth Hospital, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
⁴ Radiology Department, Mongolia-Japan Teaching Hospital, MNUMS, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
⁵ Department of Clinical Radiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, WC1N 3JH UK.
⁶ Department of Radiology, The Doctors' Hospital, Inc., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental Philippines.
⁷ MSc Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya & Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
⁸ MRI Department, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, India.
⁹ Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, USA.
¹⁰ Radiology Department, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Liverpool, UK.
¹¹ Cardiovascular Research Center, ICCC, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, IIB-Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
¹² Section of Radiology, University Hospital of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate willingness and barriers to academic activities of radiology trainees interested in interventional radiology subspecialty.

Materials and methods: Radiology trainees and fellows were called to participate a 35-question survey via online platforms and radiological societies. The research survey investigated on involvement in academic activities, willingness of a future academic career, and challenges for pursuing an academic career. Research participants interested in interventional radiology were selected for analysis. Analyses were performed by using either Fisher's exact or chi-square tests.

Results: Of 892 respondents to the survey, 155 (17.4%) (112/155, 72.3% men and 43/155, 27.7% women) declared interest in interventional radiology. Active involvement in research and teaching was reported by 53.5% (83/155) and 30.3% (47/155) of the participants, respectively. The majority is willing to work in an academic setting in the future (66.8%, 103/155) and to perform a research fellowship abroad (83.9%, 130/155). Insufficient time was the greatest perceived barrier for both research and teaching activities (49.0% [76/155] and 48.4% [75/155], respectively), followed by lack of mentorship (49.0% [75/155] and 35.5% [55/155], respectively) and lack of support from faculty (40.3% [62/155] and 37.4% [58/155], respectively).

Conclusion: Our international study shows that most trainees interested in interventional radiology subspecialty actively participate in research activities and plan to work in an academic setting. However, insufficient time for academia, mentorship, and support from seniors are considered challenges in pursuing an academic career.

Keywords: Academic; Interventional radiology; Radiology; Research; Training.

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