Accelerated Fellowships Applicable Across all Subspecialty Areas of Diagnostic Radiology as a Catalyst for Academic Recruitment

Abstract

To build a sustainable faculty development program based on potential acceleration of all subspecialty fellowships types into the PGY 5 year. Single center experience in programmatic change to enhance faculty recruitment. Diagnostic Radiology (DR) residents apply to subspecialty fellowships per SCARD Fellowship Embargo Guidelines. Based on projected faculty hiring needs, internal candidates are vetted and agree to enter an accelerated fellowship. The commitment is two years: the PGY5 senior year schedule prioritizes rotations in the subspecialty area while fulfilling requirements of all DR graduates, including call. Accelerated fellows (AF) participate in junior faculty development and concentrated mentoring. A subsequent instructor faculty year within our department is required to ensure professional maturity and provides financial remuneration greater than PGY 6 fellowships. From July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2022, 34 trainees have graduated from our DR program, and 32 have gone through the process of securing fellowships. Over this interval, our DR program has matched 7-9 residents per year. Up to four early specialization positions consisting of 2 Early Specialization in Interventional Radiology (ESIR), and 2 Early Specialization in Nuclear Medicine (ESNM), per year, are available. Over four years of the program, 8 residents participated in standard early specialization opportunities: 5 ESIR, and 3 ESNM. These 8 residents were excluded from consideration for AFs. Two additional residents declined fellowships, leaving 22 seeking standard fellowships for PGY 6 year. Six (26%) of those were approached as potential AFs; 3 (50%) agreed to and completed the 24-month process. 2 of 3 (67%) continue to serve on faculty after the required instructor year. The novel concept of early specialization outside of ESIR and ESNM presents an opportunity to tailor the PGY 5 DR year to increase recruitment to academic faculty positions.