Month: March 2022

Posted on by

Why Was Radiology Significantly More Competitive in 2022?

More Competitive in 2022

So, my midstream 2022 radiology NRMP predictions have come true. I had noticed a significant uptick in the quality of the applications and the interview candidates. And, it looks like it matched what we have found in the national radiology match results. I base this assessment upon seeing all the slots in Radiology filled and the significant increase in American MD seniors filling spots. Radiology has become more competitive in 2022.

But, we have to ask what the real reasons behind this boost in radiology interest are? And, are these results sustainable over the long haul? Let me give you my take on the situation. And, you can decide if you agree. 

The Real First Post Covid Application

Out of all the reasons for the specialty becoming more competitive in 2022, I believe this reason is the most significant. It takes time to apply to ERAS for radiology. The interview process that terminated at the beginning of 2022 began in June of 2021 in ERAS. And the activities that decided the application process began up to a year before that (2020-2021). So, the issues with Covid and medicine had begun to sink in. And, I believe that some residents that would have initially thought about more “front-line” specialties such as Emergency Medicine may have seen the chaos and burnout of its physicians during the time of most intense crisis. This display likely led some applicants to choose a more sustainable and flexible lifestyle without the hassles and hazards of a pandemic. Hence, you can see the significant drop-off in specialties like Emergency Medicine. Where did these applicants go? Well, some of them probably entered the radiology fold!

Increasing Flexibility

Every year, our specialty becomes more flexible. The software and hardware for working at home continue to improve. And, we have more options to work from home and work. If you wish to stay home all the time, you can work in teleradiology. On the other hand, you can enter a partnership for those who want private practice. And then, of course, if you want a lifestyle of flexible hours, corporate radiology may be for you. Whatever the case may be, there is some working environment that can be right for almost anyone that enters the field.

Artificial Intelligence Hype Continues To Decline

I have noticed a steep decline in the optimism by the silicon valley folks that artificial intelligence will take over the radiologist’s job. On my end, very little has changed in the radiology field compared to the hype present 5-10 years ago. The tentacles of artificial intelligence have only slowly infiltrated our specialty. And, I don’t expect so much radical change on this front. This information is most likely trickling down to the applicants as well.

Job Market – A Necessary Ingredient To Be More Competitive In 2022

Of course, a hot job market for radiologists does not hurt. We have been going strong since after the initial phase of the pandemic. And, no one expects any change over the coming years. Nevertheless, the job market in radiology is somewhat cyclical. But, there is no hint that the cycle will end soon. Great job offers abound, and this is what the applicants hear!

The Zoom Effect

Interviewing via a screen is much less time-consuming and expensive than the old-fashioned interview. This process allows applicants to interview in other specialties than what they have considered if they did not have the zoom option. I am sure some of the applicants to radiology decided to interview with us because it is easier than ever before to do so in multiple specialties. Don’t dismiss the influence of zoom!

Radiology Residency- More Competitive In 2022!

So, what does this all mean for the next several years? Given the post-Covid effect, the excellent job market, and the increasing desirability of radiology due to the expanding flexibility, I believe this increase in applications to radiology is justifiable and sustainable for a while. I’m more bullish on radiology, which will most likely turn into the continued increasing numbers and quality of the applications. Of course, I am not a seer, so it is possible for a cyclical change, as we have seen during the Clinton presidency and the Great Recession. But, the boom in residency applications, I believe, will continue!

 

Posted on by

Losing A Radiology Partnership Track Midstream

radiology partnership track

Imagine this. You have been working hard coming in day after day at the crack of dawn before anyone else starts dictating for years while on the radiology partnership track. And, you leave last. The techs and nurses love you. You answer all their questions with enthusiasm. You are nice to all your colleagues, partners, and non-partners alike. And, you have a family that relies on you to bring home a salary to pay for the house and the kid’s school. Then, one day, suddenly, one of the senior partners enters the workroom and says they need to speak to you. OK. No problem

The senior partner tells you that you are off the radiology partnership track. Unbeknownst to you, a quirky primary referrer is angry about some of the reads you have made over the past year. He threatens to send patients elsewhere if you stay on as a partner. And, the senior partner says as much as the rest of the practice likes your work, your employer has no choice but to discontinue your partnership track. You protest that your work ethic and your dictations are second to none. It doesn’t even move the needle.

This situation or something like it plays out every year at some practice in the country. The reasons for the termination of a partnership can vary widely. Anything from insubordination to malpractice, personality conflicts, or financial reasons can all cause the end. Once you lose partnership tract, you lose several years of your life to a place you have dedicated your time to a job that does not love you back. No matter how you slice it, it is a heart-wrenching situation for the employee. So, if this situation happens to you, what are your options? Which ones can work, and which ones can you avoid? Here are some of my thoughts.

Continue Working At The Practice As A Non-Partner

Usually, this is a short-term solution if at all possible. But, sometimes, you have to continue to work at the site for a bit. You may have a family where you cannot just take up and leave. And, many practices have non-compete clauses that can make it very difficult to pick up and move to another local employer. So, as painful as it may be, it can still be reasonable to work at the site for a while until you are ready to move on and start another job.

Quitting And Moving To Another Place

You will most likely still have loads of opportunities available in this market (as it stands today!). But, you will have to explain what happened at the previous practice to throw you off the partnership track. Many places will continue to allow you to work if you have a reasonable explanation. Most employers know that getting thrown off a partnership track can happen for many reasons, some nonsensical. In many cases, they may be willing to give you another chance.

However, starting another partnership track may not be feasible in certain situations. For instance, if you have one of many red flags, such as losing a partnership track for the fourth time. Or if you have a horrible reputation with poor recommendations from another site. You may need to opt for a nonpartnership job, work in teleradiology, or some corporate gigs in these situations.

Suing The Practice For Damages For Loss Of Radiology Partnership Track

Sometimes, your anger can get the best of you. And, you may not understand why the employer had to let you off the partnership track. Furthermore, all the time and money you put into the partnership track can seem wasted. However, unless egregious, this path does not usually work very well. For one, the contract laws favor the practice. A business can typically hire and fire an employee for multiple reasons. And, it will be tough to prove that not making you a partner has been illegal. Also, the practice will have deeper pockets to protect itself than you will have as a solitary employee. And finally, this pathway can establish you as a non-hirable radiologist because all this can go on the public record. Most practices will think twice about hiring someone who will sue them if they don’t get what they want.

It’s Tough To Lose A Radiology Partnership Track Midstream

Hands down, it is one of the most challenging experiences for radiologists when a practice throws them off of a partnership track. Losing out on time and the energy you put into a job can drain you professionally, emotionally, and physically. 

A partnership is subject to the whim and fancy of multiple factors. So, make sure not to establish roots before you make a partner. And, choose the best option for you and your family when and if the time arises that you don’t make the final cut. A partnership is rarely guaranteed. But, making the right choices afterward can help you move on in the best way possible.

 

 

 

 

Posted on by

How To Maintain Focus In Radiology While Armageddon Begins

armageddon

We are witnessing a sea change in the world order as hostilities brew between Russia and Ukraine. Additionally, for the first time in over 30 years, we are experiencing a new cold war with the possibility of triggering a nuclear catastrophe. One small wrong move from the NATO allies or Russia can cause Armageddon. It can be as simple as cyber hackers shutting the lights off in Ukraine that accidentally do the same in Poland. Or, perhaps, a rogue pilot can cross into the wrong territory. We have more to worry about in the world than ever before. To top that off, the news and social media constantly bombard us with images and updates. These pictures of desperation can make what we do seem insignificant, especially with news tweets and updates all the time.

Yet, regardless of the catastrophes brewing abroad and the frustrations we experience, what we do as a profession still has meaning to the patients we diagnose and treat and the referrers that order the studies. So how can we keep our cool and concentrate on what we do as a profession without losing focus from the nightmares happening abroad? Here is some essential advice to remember to maintain our focus while the world changes.

We Cannot Control Armageddon In Ukraine But We Can Control What We Do At Home

In Ukraine, Russia, and abroad, what’s going on are events in an ongoing Armageddon that we can’t stop. Elected and unelected politicians on both sides control the reigns. We can make our feelings known about these disasters. But, we can’t do much to stop the flow of these events.

On the other hand, we can control what we do at work to help patients using the tools we have learned in radiology. Regardless of what is happening in the world can continue to provide excellent patient care. And, we make all the findings and diagnoses so that patients are treated well and get better. So, we should continue to do so.

Remember What We Do Helps People

We still provide a valuable service that helps physicians and their patients regardless of the suffering abroad. It can be easy to forget that since some of us provide indirect patient care sitting at a computer and reading films. But, ask almost any one of our clinical friends, and they will tell you that what we do is not insignificant. We diagnose appendicitis and aortic ruptures, potentially saving lives and complications. We should never forget that.

Appreciate Your Situation

We, outside of Ukraine, are fortunate not to be refugees. We are not running away from bombardment and have a job always to return. Sure, the information age connects us to everything in the world. But, it is not on our doorstep right now. And fortunately, we can continue to perform our daily rituals and lives. We need to appreciate how lucky we are.

Donate/Charity

It is still possible to do something about the situation for all the badness happening in Ukraine. If we cannot be there, you can at least support your favorite charities to ensure that you are helping out the victims. Donating can help alleviate some of those feelings of helplessness for the folks in Ukraine.

Maintaining Our Focus While There Is Armageddon In Ukraine

Listening to the horrible stories of millions of people leaving their country under the threat of Armageddon can be difficult. But, if we recognize that we can’t control external factors, realize what we do is essential, and at least donate to the cause, these are some ways to allow us to continue to focus on the critical roles that we serve for the community. Although the situation abroad does not look promising in the short term, let’s hope that our democratic ideals will win out in the end. Time will tell.

Posted on by

Coping With The Disruptive Study

disruptive study

Ever notice how one or two studies can become the focal point of any night?. Hordes of surgeons, medical specialists, and more come down every fifteen minutes to look at or discuss the case with the radiologist. And, you become the “most popular physician in town.” Sure, it can feel good to be so popular. But, you will find many costs to the disruptive study. On a busy night, you cannot get to the next case. And, the tick-tock of the clock becomes more ominous as the weight of an ungodly list of additional studies piles up. Most critically, you become unable to read everything else. So, how do you prevent a disastrous outcome with unread studies, unhappy doctors, and a nightmarishly long shift? Here are some tips for decreasing the suffering that a disruptive study can cause.

Make Preemptive Phonecalls!

If you know that a case will be “interestingly” positive, make sure to call all the relevant parties beforehand. Although not a guarantee, this polite maneuver will often prevent a group of surgeons or ob/gynecologists from asking you about the case while you are in the middle of dictating something entirely different and complex. Plus, it will make it seem like you are on top of everything.

Don’t Be Ambiguous

Sometimes cases are like magnets to the clinicians because your dictation or what you tell them is not clear. It could be a nodule that you measured as 2 cm in the body of the report, but you stated it was 2 mm in the impression. Or, perhaps, you were not straightforward with your differential diagnosis. Ambiguous reports lead clinicians to find out what is going on by searching for you, especially while dictating something else!

Dictate The Disruptive Study As Quickly As Possible

Cases have a shelf life. If you don’t dictate them on time, the shelf life will end, and you will have a clinician coming down to review the case before you know it, interrupting the workflow for your day. So, as a rule, I try to dictate the “interesting: report as soon as possible. You significantly decrease your colleagues’ chances of stopping you in your tracks.

Tell Your Junior Resident About The Case

Sometimes you are on buddy call or have another radiologist help you out. This opportunity is perfect for teaching your junior resident and then having them go over the case with everyone else! Firstly, this will prepare the resident to learn about a radiological finding or a disease entity. But, it will also teach your junior resident how to go over cases. And the fringe benefit is that you can get the rest of your work done!

Worst Case Scenario- Batten Down The Hatches!

Sometimes the night can get extremely busy. And, you have no time to beat around the bush. As a last resort, sometimes you have to tell the doctors that you are in the middle of doing something else. And that you don’t have the time to go over the study. If you don’t have the time, it’s not cruel to delay a third interpretation of the same case. You do have other cases to read!

The Disruptive Study- Not The End Of The World!

The disruptive study is simply part of our job. Bizarre and challenging cases spark the interest of our colleagues, and they will want to address the issues with you. Nevertheless, we can mitigate the interruptions that it will cause by calling clinicians, increasing clarity, reading cases efficiently, or telling other junior radiologists about them. And worst-case scenario, you can ask them to come back when you are ready. The disruptive study can be painful. But, at least, you have some ways to decrease the potential for it to ruin your whole day!