Radiology trainees strongly support hybrid and work-from-home practice models
Radiology trainees strongly support hybrid and work-from-home practice models, with low appetite for fully in-person alternatives, according to new survey data.
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated adoption of these new ways of working, fundamentally changing the experience for academic radiologists and trainees. Understanding these evolving experiences is essential to preparing rads for contemporary practice and supporting recruitment in an increasingly competitive market, experts write in JACR.
To help with these considerations, researcher recently surveyed musculoskeletal attending rads and trainees, hoping to better understand their perceptions.
“Our findings suggest that [hybrid and work from home practice models have] become an established part of radiology practice, but radiology education has not fully adapted to prepare trainees for these evolving work environments,” lead author Tina Shiang, MD, with the Department of Radiology at Massachusetts General, and colleagues wrote Oct. 5. “Trainees, who represent the future radiology workforce, overwhelmingly supported HYB-WFH practice models, reflecting expectations that flexible work arrangements will remain an integral part of their future careers. Notably, no trainee preferred a fully in-person practice model.”
Shiang et al. administered the volunteer, 38-question survey anonymously to members of the Society of Skeletal Radiology in 2024. It received a total 274 attending rad responses and 40 trainees (25% response rate). Other non-members of the SSR also were recruited to help improve trainee representation.
About 93% of trainees supported hybrid and WFH practice models, citing benefits such as improved work-life balance. However, most readouts remained in-person, though nearly all trainees reported experiencing virtual readouts, with mixed results. Trainees were more likely than attendings to report receiving formal preparation regarding hybrid and WFH practice during training (68% vs. 37%). But trainees were significantly less likely to report feeling prepared for these settings outside of the office (61% vs. 83%).
About 23% of trainees indicated they would benefit from additional education, specifically relating to remote workflows and practical aspects of the hybrid/WFH experience. Further analysis showed that successful remote teaching requires intentional educational design for virtual readout and active engagement from faculty and trainees. This while preserving opportunities for in-person mentorship, professional relationship building and learning to function as consultant physicians.
“Preparation for HYB-WFH practice is becoming increasingly relevant as workforce expectations change,” the authors wrote. “Radiologists and trainees alike place greater emphasis on flexibility and work-life integration, and HYB-WFH practice has become an expectation in the radiology job market. Consequently, familiarity with remote workflows, virtual communication, remote collaboration, and effective participation in hybrid and remote educational environments are changing from desirable skills to practical competencies for contemporary practice. Residency and fellowship programs therefore have an opportunity to intentionally incorporate these competencies into existing curricula to prepare graduates for both onsite and remote practice environments.”
Read more, including potential study limitations, in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.