Women In Radiology Research Articles

Women in Radiology Education (WIRED): An actionable step towards closing the gender gap in radiology

As the representation of women in medicine has grown and reached parity in some specialties over the past two decades, radiology has not only lagged behind, but has remained stagnant. To strengthen the pipeline, the field must institute policies and practices to retain women in radiology and must effectively recruit and mentor women in medical school to enter the field. Women in medical school who are pursuing radiology, however, often struggle to find women mentors, opportunities for research, leadership, and service, and critically, often struggle to find a community that speaks to their experience. WIRED (Women in Radiology Education) is a student-led group dedicated to community building and advancing radiology mentorship, research, and service opportunities for women in medical school. This step-by-step guide to founding a WIRED chapter with examples of successful chapter events can enable radiology programs to provide targeted mentorship to women in medical school, and ultimately, increase the representation of women in radiology.

Women in Radiology: Challenges and Opportunities.

Improving the status of women in radiology is crucial to better work environments. There is strong evidence in the business world that women leaders improve the workplace by making it more financially viable and by increasing collaboration, job satisfaction, and engagement. Diverse leadership fosters innovation, and women approach problem-solving with unique insights and collaborative styles. Gender diversity in leadership correlates with improved patient outcomes because women leaders prioritize patient-centered care and communication. Women create sustainable, productive work and improve radiology. Women serve as powerful role models, inspiring the next generation of women in radiology and addressing gender disparities. Increasing women leaders in radiology is essential to increase the number of women in radiology. This article summarizes many challenges women face when taking leadership roles: organizational biases prioritizing male viewpoints and marginalizing women's voices and contributions, a lack of role models, a lack of time ("second shift"), a lack of confidence, a lack of interest or perceived benefit, a lack of support, burnout, and previous poor experiences. While systemic issues are difficult to overcome, this article assists in the training and development of women radiologists by offering strategies to enhance job satisfaction and bring new and valuable perspectives to leadership.

Katherine P. Andriole – A trailblazer in medical informatics and radiology

In a traditionally male-dominated field, the journey of Dr. Andriole represents a pioneering path in the realms of radiology and medical imaging informatics. Her career has not only reshaped the landscape of radiology but also championed diversity, equity, and inclusion in healthcare technology. Through a comprehensive exploration of Dr. Andriole's career trajectory, we navigate her transition from analog to digital radiology, her influential role in pioneering picture archiving communication systems (PACS), and her dedication to mentorship and education in the field. Dr. Andriole's journey underscores the growing influence of women in radiology and informatics, exemplified by her Gold Medal accolades from esteemed organizations. Dr. Andriole's career serves as a beacon for aspiring radiologists and informaticians, emphasizing the significance of passion, mentorship, and collaborative teamwork in advancing the fields of radiology and informatics.

Gender distribution of North American professional radiology society award recipients

PurposeWomen remain underrepresented in radiology and there is a paucity of literature examining the recognition of their professional contributions to the discipline. The purpose of this study was to examine the gender distribution of award winners across all North American radiology societies. MethodsThe gender distribution of 1923 award recipients from 21 North American radiology societies between 1960 and 2021 was examined. Awards were divided into four categories: leadership, teaching, contribution to radiology, and promising new/young societal member. Primary outcome was the total proportion of awards received by gender. All data was compared to the gender distribution of working radiologists in North America. ResultsA total of 1923 award recipients were identified between 1960 and 2021. Seventy-nine percent of award recipients were men (n = 1527) and 21 % were women (n = 396). As of 1970, the proportion of women award recipients increased 0.55 % ± 0.07 % each year. The proportion of women receiving radiological awards after 2018 is equal to or surpassing the percentage of women radiologists. Women received 36.4 % of leadership, 33.6 % of promising new member, 30.1 % of teaching, and 14.4 % of lifetime contribution awards. ConclusionsIn the last five years, the proportion of women receiving awards was equal to or greater than the proportion of women radiologists. Women received more leadership awards and fewer lifetime contributor awards compared to men.

Leveraging Social Networks for Academic Career Support for Women in Radiology: A Case Study

Leveraging Social Networks for Academic Career Support for Women in Radiology: A Case Study

Beyond the Binary: Moving the Radiology Workforce Toward Gender Inclusion, From the AJR Special Series on DEI.

Gender representation in radiology has traditionally been evaluated and reported through binary models, accompanied by advocacy efforts focused on increasing the number of women in radiology. A paucity of data exists to understand the entire gender composition of the radiology workforce, including representation of people who are transgender and gender diverse. Further, little information exists on how to provide a supportive work environment for radiologists and support staff who identify as belonging to an underrepresented gender minority group. Intentional efforts to comprehensively understand the gender representation of the radiology workforce can help to establish a diverse workforce that is more representative of the patient populations that we serve, while promoting high-quality inclusive health care. Moving beyond gender binary thought and practices can help foster a culture of inclusion and belonging in radiology. This article provides practical steps that radiology practices can take to understand and support gender diversity beyond the binary in the radiology workforce, including providing definitions and inclusive language, understanding limitations of historical methods of gender data collection in radiology and relevant published literature, establishing best practices for future data collection, and developing a strategic vision with action items to create a more inclusive work environment.

Disparities in Radiologist Fee-For-Service Payments by Gender in Canada.

Objective: To examine differences in fee-for-service (FFS) payments to men and women radiologists in Canada and evaluate potential contributors. Methods: Publicly available FFS radiology billing data was analyzed from British Columbia (BC), Ontario (ON), Prince-Edward Island (PEI) and Nova Scotia (NS) between 2017 and 2021. Data was analyzed by gender on a per-province and national level. Variables evaluated included year, province, procedure billings, and days worked (BC and ON only). The gender pay gap was expressed as the difference in mean billing payments between men and women divided by mean payments to men. Results: Data points from 8478 radiologist years were included (2474 [29%] women and 6004 [71%] men). The unadjusted difference in annual FFS billings between men and women was $126,657. Overall, payments to women were 81% of payments to men with a 19% gender pay gap. The difference in billings between men and women did not change significantly between 2017 and 2021 (range in gender pay gap, 17-21%) but did vary by province (highest gap NS). Compared to men, women worked fewer days per year (weighted mean 218 ± 29 vs 236 ± 25days/year, P < .001, 8% difference). Conclusion: In an analysis of fee-for-service payments to radiologists in 4 Canadian provinces between 2017 and 2021, payments to women were 81% of payments to men with a 19% gender pay gap. Payments were lower to women across all years evaluated. Women worked 8% fewer days per year on average than men, which did not fully account for the difference in FFS billing payments between men and women. Summary Statement: In an analysis of fee-for-service payments to Canadian radiologists between 2017 and 2021, payments to women were 81% of payments to men with a 19% gender pay gap which is not fully accounted for by time spent working.

Hidden Curriculum and the Demographic Stoicism That Keeps Women and Minorities Away From Radiology: A Mixed-Methods Study ofMedical Students.

To understand how women and historically underrepresented minority medical students perceive radiology as a potential career choice. Medical students representing a broad spectrum of radiology exposure from a single institution were invited to participate in a mixed-methods study. Participants completed a 16-item survey about demographics and perceptions of radiology. Ten focus groups were administered to probe decision making regarding career selection. The themes influencing women and historically underrepresented minority students are presented. Forty-nine medical students, including 29 (59%) women and 17 (35%) underrepresented minorities, participated. Most participants (28 of 48, 58%) reported men outnumbered women in radiology. Female participants reported a lack of mentorship and role models as major concerns. Outreach efforts focused on the family-friendly nature of radiology were viewed as patronizing. Demographic improvements in the field were viewed as very slow. Forty-six percent (22 of 48) of participants indicated that radiology had a less underrepresented racial or ethnic workforce than other medical specialties. Minority participants especially noted a lack of radiology presence in mainstream media, so students have few preconceived biases. A failure to organically connect with the mostly White male radiologists because of a lack of shared background was a major barrier. Finally, participants described a hidden curriculum that pushes minority medical students away from specialty fields like radiology and toward primary care fields to address underserved communities and health care disparities. Women and historically underrepresented minority medical students perceive major barriers to choosing a career in radiology. Radiology departments must develop sophisticated multilevel approaches to improve diversity.

Flexible work arrangements and their impact on women in radiology: RSNA 2021 panel discussion summary sponsored by AAWR and more

There is an ongoing trend in the direction of flexible work arrangements in which employees can decide where and when to work. Multiple studies have demonstrated a significant decrease in associated job-related stress, improved job satisfaction, job autonomy, and collaboration when flexible work arrangements exist. However, some have reported increased workload and home spillover to work.1 The American Association for Women in Radiology (AAWR) convened a panel of radiologist presenters with diverse backgrounds who shared their own experiences with flexible work arrangements at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2021 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting. This manuscript summarizes the discussion and reviews various aspects of workplace flexibility.The RSNA 2021 AAWR-sponsored panel on workplace flexibility reviewed the current state of different work arrangements available for radiologists and addressed future strategies for implementing workplace flexibility. The panelists addressed the imperatives and key factors for the availability of diverse opportunities and ways to foster future opportunities. Matters discussed included differences in the availability of flexible work arrangements in the healthcare system compared to other industries, normalizing flexible work arrangements at the organization level, underutilization of currently available flexible work arrangements, part-time positions and stigma associated with them, thriving in a part-time capacity, workplace flexibility options for radiology residents and fellows and successfully implementing workplace flexibility at institutions. The panel ended with a call to action to develop toolkits with effective resources to support implementing flexible workplace opportunities.

Navigating the glass labyrinth: Addressing gender diversity in Australian and New Zealand representative radiology leadership.

Gender inequity among representative leadership in Clinical Radiology is a global issue, with the lack of gender diversity in leadership even more marked when compared to workforce representation. Women leaders face a disproportionate magnitude of seen and unseen challenges to leadership engagement and progression when compared to men (a 'glass labyrinth'), which is likely contributing to this discrepancy. The aim of the study was to examine and reflect on the state of gender diversity in representative leadership within the RANZCR Faculty of Clinical Radiology. Review of the 2021 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) Board, Clinical Radiology Faculty Council and local Branch Committees with regard to the numbers of women and men in representative roles. In 2021, the RANZCR Board had no women representatives from Clinical Radiology (one woman representative from Radiation Oncology). 1/5 Clinical Radiology Faculty Council office Bearers were women. Local Branch Committees had 16.3% (13/80) women representatives. Three branches (the NSW, ACT and Victorian branches) had no women representatives. There were no women Committee Chairs, Branch Secretaries or Treasurers, with 2/7 Branch Education Officers women. The issues underpinning gender inequality in representative leadership are complex and diverse, resulting in disproportionate losses of women radiologists along the leadership pathway compared to men. Unconscious biases, including assumptions of inferior capability, capacity and credibility among women radiologist leaders, create unique challenges at organisational, institutional and personal levels. Change cannot be achieved by passive momentum alone: concrete initiatives and active engagement are required. To improve leadership diversity, strategies must be multifaceted and supported at an organisational level.

New England Women in Radiology (NEWR) Invited Lectureship Series: A Novel Program to Advance the Careers of Junior Female Faculty in Academic Radiology

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of the New England Women in Radiology (NEWR) program, a new program aimed to generate speaking and networking opportunities for junior women radiologists in New England, by providing opportunities to speak at other academic institutions in the region. A total of 12 academic radiology departments and 20 faculty members at various New England institutions participated in the program during its first year. An institutional survey was sent to all participating institutions and a faculty survey was sent to all participating faculty to assess their experience with the program. Experience was measured using a Likert scale. A word cloud was used to visualize common themes in free response survey questions. Hundred percent of participating institutions and 67% of participating faculty responded to the corresponding surveys. Hundred percent of responding faculty indicated that they would participate in the program again. Ninety-two percent of faculty said that they would recommend the program to a colleague. Fifty-eight percent found the networking opportunity valuable; while 83% believed that participation in the NEWR program would help them achieve a promotion. Hundred percent of the participating institutions who completed the survey strongly agreed that 1) the program was easy to administer, 2) participating in the program was valuable to their educational mission, and 3) participating in the program benefited the promotion of junior women faculty in their department. Initial experience with the NEWR program in its first year was positive amongst both faculty and institutional participants. To further help female junior faculty advance their careers in academia, the NEWR program could be adapted to other geographical locations to incorporate a greater number of institutions and faculty.

Re-defining gender diversity through an equitable and inclusive lens.

Gender diversity in radiology has centered on the societal construct of the gender binary, with significant work focused on increasing the number of women in radiology. Along with this critically important goal, it is imperative that we acknowledge gender is more expansive than a binary category because it represents a spectrum of gender identities. The discussion of this spectrum is lacking in our conversations around gender diversity and equity in radiology. Addressing equity for people of all gender identities is beneficial for us all. We define three key areas of focus: (1) improving fundamental knowledge about gender diversity and application of this knowledge in education, (2) recruiting and retaining gender-diverse physicians and (3) specific diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policy to support gender-affirming environments. Improved understanding and inclusion of the full spectrum of gender in these areas will improve diversity and equity, and, in turn, enhance creativity and innovation in radiology.

Five Years Later: Impact of a Focused Women in Radiology Program.

Women are underrepresented in radiology and experience barriers to professional growth that can affect job satisfaction and career advancement. The authors hypothesized that a structured, intentional Women in Radiology (WiR) program would increase women faculty members' perceptions of workplace gender equity, satisfaction with pace of professional advancement, interest in research and teaching, and perceptions of work-life balance and mentorship opportunities. Components and structure of a sustainable WiR program are described in detail. Baseline and summative 5-year surveys of women faculty members in the department were distributed. The primary outcome measure was perception of equitable access to professional development opportunities for women. The authors also assessed the impact of the WiR program on creating a departmental culture shift to improve career advancement for women. Secondary outcomes included WiR's impact on women's satisfaction with pace of professional advancement, mentorship opportunities, work-life balance, and interest in research and teaching. Compared with 5 years prior, more women faculty members now believe that there is equitable access to career advancement opportunities and that the formal WiR program has contributed to a positive culture shift in the department. Significant gains in women faculty members' satisfaction with pace of their professional advancement were demonstrated. During the study period, more women developed interest in teaching and research, served as mentors, and perceived improvements in work-life balance compared with baseline. A structured, intentional WiR program can contribute to improved workplace gender equity, career satisfaction for women, and a positive departmental culture shift to support the needs of women in radiology.

Diversity and Inclusion in Breast Imaging and Radiology at Large: What Can We Do to Improve?

Purpose of ReviewA racially and ethnically diverse healthcare workforce leads to increased access to care and better health outcomes. Radiology and specifically the patient-centered subspecialty of breast imaging have a growing mismatch between the demographics of the physician workforce and the patient population served. Identifying and addressing the barriers for diversity is imperative in order to decrease disparities in breast cancer morbidity and mortality and achieve excellence in patient care.Recent FindingsThree major barriers to promoting diversity and inclusion in the field of breast imaging and in the specialty of radiology more generally are unconscious bias, lack of mentorship for underrepresented minority (URM) students, and career development challenges facing women in radiology. We focus on these three issues and provide suggestions for addressing each of them.SummaryTackling unconscious bias through encouraging individual accountability and establishing implicit bias programs at the institutional level, supporting both formal and informal mentorship opportunities for URMs, and creating an environment to support women in leadership will bring us one step closer to fostering a diverse and inclusive breast imaging workforce and meeting the healthcare needs of the diverse US population.

Establishing a Women-in-Radiology Group: A Toolkit From the American Association for Women in Radiology

Despite increasing representation in medical schools and surgical specialties, recruitment of women into radiology has failed to exhibit commensurate growth. Furthermore, women are less likely than men to advance to leadership roles in radiology. A women-in-radiology (WIR) group provides a robust support system that has been shown to produce numerous benefits to the group's individual participants as well as the group's institution or practice. These benefits include development of mentor-ship relationships, guidance of career trajectories, improved camaraderie, increased participation in scholarly projects, and increased awareness of gender-specific issues. This article describes a recommended pathway to establishing a WIR group, with the goal of fostering sponsorship and promoting leadership, recruitment, and advancement of women in radiology. We consider barriers to implementation and review resources to facilitate success, including a range of resources provided by the American Association for Women in Radiology. By implementing the provided framework, radiologists at any career stage can start a WIR group, to promote the advancement of their female colleagues.

Celebrating 40 years of the achievements of the American Association for Women Radiologists

For the past 40 years the American Association for Women in Radiology (AAWR) has continued to support efforts to achieve its founding goals of improving the visibility of women in radiology, advancing the professional and academic standing of women in radiology, and identifying and addressing issues faced by women in radiology. In the past 5 years, the AAWR has made great strides to support women in radiology through amplifying the voices of women heard at the American College of Radiology (ACR) Annual Meeting, initiating the AAWR Research & Education Capital Campaign, establishing the fellows of the AAWR, and advocating for practicing radiologists and trainee parental leave. The many accomplishments of the AAWR over the past 40 years and the committed future work of the AAWR ensure the voices of women in radiology are heard and the needs of women in radiology are recognized.

Is Empowerment of Female Radiologists Still Needed? Findings of a Systematic Review.

Considering that radiology is still a male-dominated specialty in which men make up more than two thirds of the workforce, this systematic review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the current role of women in radiological imaging, focusing on the main aspects such as career progression, leadership, academic practice, and perceived discrimination. Three electronic databases were searched up to 21 October 2020. To identify additional records, weekly automatic email alerts were set up on PubMed until December 2020 and reference lists of key studies and included papers were screened. Two reviewers independently performed the search, study selection, quality appraisal, data extraction, and formal narrative synthesis. In case of disagreement, a third reviewer was involved. Across the 61 included articles, women worked more often part-time and held fewer positions of power in hospitals, on editorial boards, and at the academic level (associate and full professors). Women were less often in relevant positions in scientific articles, had fewer publications, and had a lower H-index. Discrimination and sexual harassment were experienced by up to 40% and 47% of female radiologists, respectively. Our study highlights that women in radiology are still underrepresented and play a marginal role in the field, struggling to reach top and leading positions.

Prenatal radiation exposure in diagnostic and interventional radiology.

The exposure of a pregnant woman to X-rays is an event that can cause uncertainty for all concerned. This review provides guidance on how to assess such a situation and how to determine the dose to the unborn child. In general, the use of X-rays in pregnant women in radiology should be avoided. If possible, alternatives should be used, or examinations postponed to a time after the pregnancy. This review gives a summary of the procedure for determining the radiation exposure of a pregnant woman. Based on the previous report of 2002 and the literature on prenatal radiation exposure published thereafter, the DGMP/DRG report on the procedure for the assessment of prenatal radiation exposure was adapted to the current state of science and technology. Typically, only relatively low radiation exposures of less than 20 mSv occur for the unborn child in X-ray diagnostics in the vast majority of cases. At these dose level the additional risk of damage to the embryo or fetus caused by the radiation is low and therefore only a rough conservative estimate using tabulated values are made. Only in a few types of examination (CT and interventional radiology) higher doses values might occur in the uterus. Instead of dose estimates (step 1 in the two-step model) in these cases the calculation of dose (step 2) are required and further action by the physician may be necessary. During the assessment, it is useful to initially use simple conservative estimation procedures to quickly determine whether a case falls into this large group less than 20 mSv, where there is a very low risk to the unborn child. If this is the case, the pregnant woman should be informed immediately by the doctor who performed the examination/treatment. This avoids a psychological burden on the patient. The DGMP/DRG report suggests a relatively simple, clearly structured procedure with advantages for all parties involved (physician, medical physics experts, MTRA and patient). · The DGMP/DRG report on prenatal radiation exposure describes the procedure for calculating radiation exposures and the associated risks for the unborn child.. · Using the two-step model, only a simple assessment based on the first step is necessary for most prenatal radiation exposures.. · With the given tables it is possible to estimate individual risks for the unborn child taking into account the radiation exposure.. · Only in the rare case that the first estimate results in a uterine dose larger 20 mSv a more accurate calculation is necessary.. · Fiebich M, Block A, Borowski M et al. Prenatal radiation exposure in diagnostic and interventional radiology. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2021; 193: 778 - 786.

Promoting Lactation Support: Challenges and Solutions to Supporting Breastfeeding Radiologists

Although the evidence for the benefits of breastfeeding is strong, parents are often unable to continue breastfeeding upon returning from maternity leave for a variety of reasons. Breastfeeding parents in medicine face unique challenges upon returning to the workforce after maternity leave. Current research on breastfeeding radiologists is limited. The objective of this research is to evaluate breastfeeding barriers and identify potential solutions to help radiologists reach their breastfeeding goals. A 17-question survey was developed from validated surveys and pilot tested using focus groups. The survey was emailed to members of the American Association for Women in Radiology and promoted through social media. Bivariate analyses were performed using chi-square tests. p values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Institutional review board deemed that this anonymous voluntary survey met criteria for exemption. 50 respondents met criteria for study inclusion (estimated response rate 42%). Of the respondents, 60% were trainees, 80% practiced in academic institutions and 92% were full-time. 100% intended to breastfeed, of whom 56% met personal breastfeeding goals (12-month median duration). Available lactation facilities included: Dedicated lactation room (38%), private space (58%), hospital grade pump (30%), refrigerator (46%), dedicated PACS (8%). Cited workplace challenges included lack of time (82%), lack of space (34%), and unsupportive work culture (42%). Having adequate time was associated with meeting breastfeeding goals (p = 0.028). No other factors were statistically significant (p > 0.05). Almost half of breastfeeding radiologists (44%) did not meet breastfeeding goals, citing a variety of facility-based and institutional barriers. Among these, having sufficient time to pump/breastfeed was associated with achieving breastfeeding goals. Given the barriers faced by breastfeeding radiologists, there is an opportunity to make structural and cultural changes to provide lactation support at work.

Getting Down With Interviewing Up

For the past 6 years, the Department of Radiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center has included medical students as interviewers for fellow and faculty candidates. Interviewers are selected by the department chair from medical students who might be interested in pursuing residency in diagnostic or interventional radiology. To ensure diversity and inclusion, selected students include members of underrepresented minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning; and members of student organizations, such as Women in Radiology.