Fewer than 1 in 6 radiologists said they were highly likely to seek new employment in the near future, with the greatest turnover seen in academic practice.

That’s according to data from the latest Radiology Business Management Association/American College of Radiology Workforce Survey, highlighted Monday in JACR [1]. Most practices surveyed said they hired radiologists in 2021 with similar plans in 2022, focused on breast imaging as the No. 1 need followed by body imaging.

“Our study found that the majority of radiologists plan to stay in their current positions for the next five years. This was especially true in private practice, compared to other practices,” lead author Elizabeth H. Dibble, MD, with the Department of Diagnostic Imaging at Brown University, and co-authors wrote Oct. 9, speculating that autonomy could be one reason for the difference. “In the context of the current wide-open job market, radiology practice leaders can look at this data with some optimism in a challenging time of recruitment,” they added later.

The survey was conducted in fall of 2021, receiving more than 1,700 responses from individuals in the two associations’ member databases. Respondents included more than 400 decision-makers, nearly 1,000 “rank and file” radiologists and 300-plus retired ACR members, altogether representing 376 practices. Dibble and colleagues also wrote a different piece about the survey in August, focusing on diversity in radiology, with the latest article zeroing in on employment trends.

About 62% of practices surveyed said they hired radiologists in 2021, with the average adding two, and academic centers hiring the most (3.5). The vast majority of radiologists (87%) were hired for full-time positions while most working part-time were hired by independent practices. Body and breast specialists represented the largest number of hires, both at 17%, the survey found. And practices planned to continue focusing on those two areas of expertise at 35% and 37%, respectively. General radiology was of least interest to academic setting, the authors added.

Of those surveyed, 82% said they permit remote work, which was more common among academia. Among employed radiologists, 16% said they plan to seek a new job in the next five years, with higher percentages among early career physicians (92%) and a lower tally for academics (66%). Retirement levels also remain low, according to the survey. About 80% of practices said they did not experience such departures in 2021. For those who did, the average age at retirement was 75, with 66% working full-time up until then.

“Radiologist recruiting remains robust, and current information on practice characteristics may help inform radiology practice leaders seeking to right-size their groups,” the authors advised.

Read much more in JACR at the link below.