While people see doctors and nurses when they experience health problems, they are actually encountering countless other professionals that work behind the scenes. Diagnostic radiology professionals are available to conduct tests and scans that will provide insight into patients' conditions that physicians may not see simply with their eyes. Without them, it would be slightly more difficult to diagnose diseases. However, students going to school for medicine are not seeing that benefit, and many are leaning in other directions.
Misconceptions of radiology deter medical students
According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, new job openings for radiologic and MRI technologists are expected to increase by 21 percent by 2020. This means that the medical field will require more specialists to fill those positions. However, that may be difficult to do, as many residents are looking to go into other fields. Despite the number of positions growing, the total applicants for these openings is on the decline. The fill rate for advanced diagnostic imaging positions fell 7.9 percent from 2014 to 2015, the National Resident Matching Program reported.
Aside from a long-standing belief that jobs in radiology are disappearing, there are various reasons why medical students are turning away from the specialty, Diagnostic Imaging explained. There is a misunderstanding of what radiologists actually do, and the prominence of technology in the field and the thought that there is little communication with patients send residents to other departments.
"There is uncertainty about the job situation," David DiSantis, M.D., associate director of the residency program at University of Kentucky HealthCare, told the source. "What students are saying is, 'We are not sure there are going to be enough jobs for those of us who train in radiology. But, perceptions lag behind reality. Things are changing slowly, and I hope we are seeing the bottom of the hiring curve and that things are starting to turn around."
Residency programs encourage interest in radiology
To alter those perceptions, change needs to start at the beginning of the medical program. While job openings from the retirement of current radiologists may attract some residents to the field, they may not bring enough in to make much of a difference, Diagnostic Imaging explained. Earlier introduction to the specialty may be able to persuade others.
"Getting radiology into the curriculum as soon as possible is key," DiSantis said. "People need to know what radiologists do to develop an interest, and medical students need to know, overall, how to use radiology to help patients."
Along with getting students involved in radiology earlier in the residency program, schools and teaching hospitals can also offer special interest groups, the source suggested. These activities allow people to gain experience in the various divisions of medical imaging and help to bolster interest in the field.
For the positions to be filled in the upcoming years, hospitals and schools will need to encourage participation in diagnostic radiology and work to correct the current views of the specialty.
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Ronny Bachrach
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