It has become increasingly important for today’s radiology residents to pursue fellowships, because it raises their marketability in the workplace and can lead to more personal satisfaction.

Examining this trend, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education and Pennsylvania Hospital at UPenn Health System studied current residents’ interest in pursuing a fellowship. A 14-question survey was issued to Association of Program Coordinators in Radiology members for distribution to their residents.

More than 300 residents responded to the survey, with results including:

• More than 98 percent of residents plan to pursue a fellowship program.
• 76 percent of residents believe fellowship directors were the most reliable people to deliver information about fellowships. 
• Half of residents felt “somewhat strongly” they were correctly preparing for their fellowship application.
• 44 and 36 percent of residents replied “extremely likely” or “somewhat likely,” respectively, when asked if they would attend a lecture series given by fellowship directors.

“The desire to pursue fellowship training is almost a given in our current environment,” wrote lead author Junjian Huang, MD, of Pennsylvania Hospital, and colleagues. “There is a plethora of information out there but not all is perceived equal. Our survey reveals that fellowship directors in the field of interest are irrevocably more trusted resource and that there is high interest in a lecture series that would bring together fellowship directors and residents that are interested in that particular fellowship. A pilot study is currently underway to test the feasibility of introducing such a lecture series into the curriculum at our institution.”