Radiology is among the medical specialties with the highest rate of physicians intending to leave their current job in the next two years, according to new survey data published Friday.

Anesthesiology reported the highest rate at 46.8%, experts detailed in JAMA Network Open. Gastroenterology came in second (41.3%), followed by thoracic (40.2%) and neurological surgery (40%), radiology and critical care (both 38.8%). Meanwhile, nuclear medicine reported the lowest “intention to leave” rate at 13.6%, followed by physical medicine/rehab (17.3%) and neuroradiology (22.6%).

The survey of 18,719 academics also explored reasons why physicians might intend to leave a job. Burnout, lack of professional fulfillment, and other personal/organizational factors were the three most common reasons.

“These results underscore the importance of the connections between academic physicians and both institutional leadership and mission, as well as point to the need for developing initiatives with a comprehensive approach that considers burnout, professional fulfillment, and other organizational and individual level well-being factors to help prevent physician turnover,” lead author Jennifer A. Ligibel, MD, with the Department of Medical Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and colleagues concluded.

Researchers administered the survey to 37,511 attending-level medical specialists across 15 academic institutions participating in the Healthcare Professional Well-Being Academic Consortium. They conducted the survey from 2019 to 2021 and wrapped up the statistical analysis in March.

Across all respondents, 37.9% met the criteria for burnout and 39.3% for professional fulfillment. Another 37.9% reported moderate or greater intention to leave their current job. Each one-point increase in burnout was directly associated with intention to leave, after adjusting for demographics. Meanwhile, each one-point increase in professional fulfillment was inversely associated with intention to leave. And each one-point increase in supportive leadership behaviors, peer support, personal-organizational values alignment, perceived gratitude, COVID-19 organizational support and EHR helpfulness was inversely associated with intention to leave. On the other side, each one-point increase in depression, along with negative impact of work on personal relationships, was directly tied to intent to leave.

“These findings are relevant to predictions of substantial shortages in emergency medicine and other front-line medical specialties, as well as the growing proportion of unfilled residency slots in some areas,” the authors noted. “Focused efforts will be needed to help support physicians working in these specialties and to attract trainees to enter these fields.”

Read much more in JAMA Network Open at the link below.