Abstract
Objectives:The UK has a shortage of Radiologists to meet the increasing demand for radiologic examinations. To encourage more medical students to consider Radiology as a career, increased exposure at undergraduate level has been advocated. The aim of this study was to evaluate if formal Radiology teaching hours at medical school had any association with the number of qualified Radiologists joining the General Medical Council Specialist Register.Methods:Total number of doctors joining the GMC Specialist Register as Clinical Radiologists, and those with a primary medical qualifications awarded in Scotland, was obtained from the GMC (2010–2020). Graduate numbers from all four Scottish Medical Schools (2000–2011) were also obtained. Hours of Radiology teaching for medical schools in Scotland were obtained from validated AToMS study.Results:Two hundred and twenty three (6.6%) of 3347 Radiologists added to the GMC Specialist Register between 2010 and 2020 received their primary medical qualification (PMQ) from Scottish Universities. The number of Radiologists from Scottish Universities joining the GMC specialist register was 2.6% of the total number of Scottish Medical Graduates. There was no association between the number of hours (Range 1–30) Radiology was taught to medical students and the number that joined the specialist register as Radiologists (p = 0.54 chi square trend).Conclusion:Increased exposure to Radiology teaching does not influence medical students’ decision to take up Radiology as a career. While continued Radiology exposure remains important, other strategies are required in both the short and long term to ensure radiology services are maintained without detriment to patients.Advances in knowledge:Increased hours of Radiology teaching in medical school was not associated with increased radiologists joining the profession.
Highlights
There is ever increasing demand for radiologic examinations juxtaposed against a shortage of radiologists
The aim of this study is to evaluate if formal dedicated radiology teaching hours at medical school had any association with longitudinal data on qualified Radiologists joining the General Medical Council’s (GMC) specialist medical register at a national level
Radiologists joining GMC specialist register (2010– 2020) Two hundred and twenty three (6.6%) of 3347 Radiologists added to the GMC Specialist Register between 2010 and 2020 received their primary medical qualification (PMQ) from Scottish Universities (Table 1)
Summary
There is ever increasing demand for radiologic examinations juxtaposed against a shortage of radiologists. At. February 2021, 138,385 patients in England were waiting over six weeks for a CT, MRI or ultrasound scan – 12 times higher than in February 2020.1 in Wales, 20,548 patients were waiting over eight weeks – 33 times more than 2020.2 In Scotland, the number of patients waiting over 6 weeks for radiological examinations are 6491 and 21,338 in the same periods.[3] The Royal College of Radiologists estimates that if current trends continue, there will be. 44% shortfall in UK’s radiologists by 2025 or 3,613 consultants in real terms demand.[4] This finding is reflected worldwide.[5] A large increase in newly qualified doctors entering. One way to encourage this may be to increase medical student exposure to radiology in both the preclinical and clinical years with formal teaching hours dedicated to the subject – by radiologists
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