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

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.

Appendix. Complete form of the 35-questions survey

Survey questionnaire
1	Age
	< 24
	25–29 years
	30–34 years
	35–39 years
	> 40
2	How long is the standard (core) radiology training in your country?
	< 4 years
	4 years
	5 years
	> 5 years
3	Year of radiology training
	First
	Second
	Third
	Fourth
	Fifth
	In subspecialty fellowship or PhD program
	Completed training < 2 years ago
4	Continent of core training
	Africa
	Asia
	Europe
	America
5	Your current country of residency
	Open question
6	Country where you did or where you are doing your core radiology training
	Open question
7	Have you had any science/teaching/research background in your family environment? (i.e., parents holding an academic position)
	Yes
	No
8	Are you currently doing research?
	Yes
	No
9	Do/did you have allocated time for research during your core training (radiology residency)?
	Yes
	No
10	Did you publish your thesis as a medical student in a journal?
	Yes
	No
11	Do you have/have you had allocated time for teaching during your core training (residency)?
	Yes
	No
12	Are you currently doing any teaching?
	Yes
	No
13	Have you ever published an article as a first author during your training?
	Yes
	No
14	Would you be willing to perform a 6-month or 1-year Research Fellowship abroad?
	No
	Yes, if not funded I would apply for possible grants
	Yes, only if funded
	Yes, even if not funded and no grants available
15	Challenges in radiology research training: Please choose the top three most important barriers for you personally
	Lack of research mentorship
	Lack of research experience
	Lack of access to libraries for research literature
	Lack of funding
	Frustration about complexity and slow progress
	Lack of personal interest
	Lack of research ideas
	Lack of support from faculty/senior radiologist (i.e., encouragement and administrative support from senior colleagues)
	Lack of skill to perform statistical analyses
	Lack of time
	Lack of opportunity to present research work
	Lack of reward/incentive
16	Challenges in teaching training: please choose the top three most important barriers
	Frustration about being on stage/spotlight
	Lack of funding
	Lack of recognition at the institution
	Lack of recognition at conferences
	Lack of teaching experience
	Lack of access to libraries for literature
	Lack of ideas
	Lack of support from faculty/senior radiologist (i.e. encouragement and administrative support from senior colleagues)
	Lack of personal interest
	Lack of teaching mentorship
	Frustration about complexity and slow progress
	Lack of reward/incentive
	Lack of time
17	Do you consider your gender as a challenge in research / teaching opportunities?
	Yes
	No
18	After completion of core training, in which setting are you planning to work?
	Private practice
	Combine academic public hospital and private practice
	Public hospital—academic
	Public hospital—not academic
	Private hospital—academic
19	Which is your attitude towards research? (check all that apply)
	Research practice is important only to pursue an academic career
	Research practice should be mandatory in any residency training program
	Research practice may compromise clinical competency, Research practice improves clinical competency
	Research practice improves clinical competency
20	Attitude towards teaching (check all that apply)
	Teaching practice may compromise clinical competency
	Teaching practice improves clinical competency
	Teaching practice is important only to pursue an academic career
	Teaching practice should be mandatory in any residency training program
21	During your radiology residency/core training, have you ever…? (check all that apply)
	Published a scientific article in a journal; none of the above
	Presented an educational poster at a national conference; published a scientific article in a journal
	Presented a scientific poster at an international conference, Presented a scientific paper at an international conference
22	Age when you started radiology training
	20–24
	25–29
	30–34
	35–39
	40–44
23	Your current country of residency
	Africa
	Asia
	Europe
	North America
	South America
	Oceania
24	How would you define the institution where you do/did your radiology training?
	Large academic hospital moderately active in research
	Large academic hospital not active in research
	Large academic hospital very active in research
	Medium academic hospital moderately active in research
	Medium academic hospital not active in research
	Medium academic hospital very active in research
	Small academic hospital moderately active in research
	Small academic hospital not active in research
	Small academic hospital very active in research
25	How many hours of formal teaching (lessons) per month are usually performed during the radiology residency/training program in your university/school?
	Less than 10 h per month
	10 to 20 h per month
	20 to 40 h per month
	More than 40 h per month
26	Regarding your core training (radiology residency): If you have/had allocated time for research, how many hours a week?
	N/A
	< 2 h
	2–3 h
	4–5 h
	6–7 h
	8 h or more
27	Regarding your core training (radiology residency): if you do/did not have allocated time for research, would you be willing to have it?
	I already have/had time for research
	No
	Yes
28	If you have/had allocated time for teaching, how many hours per week?
	< 2 h
	2–3 h
	4–5 h
	6–7 h
	8 h or more
	N/A
29	Regarding your core training: If you do not have/did not have allocated time for teaching, would you be willing to have it?
	I have/had time for teaching
	No
	Yes
30	Does the institution of your core training/training program provide diversity and equality or bias training?
	Yes
	No
31	Does your institution of core training/training program provide flexible work opportunities?
	Yes
	No
32	Does your institution of your core training/training program provide less than full time work opportunities?
	Yes
	No
33	Which is your area of interest? (check up to 3 that apply)
	Interventional radiology
34	If you published your work a journal during your radiology training/residency, which type of article was it? (check all that apply)
	Original article, case report or case series, review article
	Images in radiology/clinical medicine or similar
	I did not publish any article during my core training
	Case report or case series
35	If you would not pursue a research fellowship after your core training, what would be the top 3 reasons?
	I would do a research fellowship/I currently am doing a research fellowship
	Lack of personal interest
	Lack of funding
	Already did my research training as part of my core curriculum and it's sufficient
	Family circumstances/commitments
	I do not see future possibilities after doing research