Are there plans to decrease Rads residency slots?

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WilliamofOckham

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There's a lot of talk about a glut of radiologists, although the market does seem to be picking up. Not sure whether this is under the ABR's purview, but are there any plans to cut some slots to help the broader problem?

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There's a lot of talk about a glut of radiologists, although the market does seem to be picking up. Not sure whether this is under the ABR's purview, but are there any plans to cut some slots to help the broader problem?
No plans. There is no central planning for this type of thing. It would require the RRC to beef up the requirements such that bad programs would have to close. The minimum case numbers are a joke.
 
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Well, DR numbers will decrease soon but be more than compensated for by IR/DR!

Hmmm... do you think the integrated IR trend will place DRs at a relative disadvantage?

Currently, IRs are really busy procedurally, but if enough people go into integrated IR, it's theoretically possible for their responsibilities to overflow into part-time DR, squeezing DRs out of the market. Thoughts?
 
My thoughts are that if the ABR and ACGME consider IR/DR folks able to practice diagnostics independently after three years, then why is DR still a four year residency? What is the point of the fourth year for DRs beyond call? Particularly with the CORE at the end of third year.

It will be interesting to see how diagnostic call responsibilities get handled when the split happens. I see it being a big headache and a source of tension.
 
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My thoughts are that if the ABR and ACGME consider IR/DR folks able to practice diagnostics independently after three years, then why is DR still a four year residency? What is the point of the fourth year for DRs beyond call? Particularly with the CORE at the end of third year.

It will be interesting to see how diagnostic call responsibilities get handled when the split happens. I see it being a big headache and a source of tension.
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Hmmm... do you think the integrated IR trend will place DRs at a relative disadvantage?

Currently, IRs are really busy procedurally, but if enough people go into integrated IR, it's theoretically possible for their responsibilities to overflow into part-time DR, squeezing DRs out of the market. Thoughts?

Definitely will squeeze DR out. Then, to keep up with advancing techniques, and increasing complexity, IR-DR people will sub specialize further into IR-DR-body, IR-DR-MSK, IR-DR-neuro, etc. then maybe the IR-DR-folks will try to separate themselves into just doing DR, and create their own special match where you can just focus on diagnostic radiology
 
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Definitely will squeeze DR out. Then, to keep up with advancing techniques, and increasing complexity, IR-DR people will sub specialize further into IR-DR-body, IR-DR-MSK, IR-DR-neuro, etc. then maybe the IR-DR-folks will try to separate themselves into just doing DR, and create their own special match where you can just focus on diagnostic radiology

DR-IR: A branch of interventional that's predominantly diagnostic but with minor procedures like biopsies and joint injections.
 
My thoughts are that if the ABR and ACGME consider IR/DR folks able to practice diagnostics independently after three years, then why is DR still a four year residency? What is the point of the fourth year for DRs beyond call? Particularly with the CORE at the end of third year.

It will be interesting to see how diagnostic call responsibilities get handled when the split happens. I see it being a big headache and a source of tension.

Even right now people can practice with only 4 years of DR but almost all practices need a fellowship.

This is what is planned:

You need 3 years of DR which is similar in DR and IR. IR spend 2 years for their fellowship. DR will spend their fourth year doing mini-fellowshiop and then another year of fellowship.

In private practice these days and for the foreseeable future everybody does most parts of radiology. Sports medicine MSK or high end IR or Complex neuro studies may be done by subspecialists only. In the future, probably DR practice model will be similar. DR-IR will do majority IR and probably studies related to IR like vascular US and plain films. I doubt IR-DR will read brain MRI or PET-CTs.
 
Is the joke about everything coming full circle? Ie, DR being turned into DR-IR, only to then "specialize" into DR again?
 
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