Transitioning from radiology training into private practice can be an “exhilarating yet challenging” phase of a physician’s professional career. But five members of the specialty have some simple advice for peers approaching this task.
Amy Patel, MD, and colleagues believe the first year is crucial for young docs as they make this transition. She and co-authors urged others to establish their geographic preferences and begin conversations with employment targets in late residency or early fellowship.
She believes this advice can also apply to academia, as lines continue to blur between types of workplace settings in the profession.
“Trainees and young career radiologists should consider the numerous features that make today’s radiology jobs different from one another, such as group governance and independence, average daily clinical volume, call, vacation structuring, opportunities for teaching, and time allotted to pursue academic interests,” Patel, who is medical director of Liberty Hospital Women’s Imaging in Missouri, and colleagues wrote April 3 in JACR. “Despite such granular differences among groups, a near-universal rise in imaging volumes and the high level of subspecialization required by both academic and private practice groups has made radiology jobs more alike in these vital areas than ever before.”
Patel and co-authors from AdventHealth Medical Group, Quantum Radiology, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center offered four “essential pro tips” to their peers. They warn that the learning curve will be “steep with many variables.” Here’s a quick look:
1) Culture: It’s “imperative” that early career radiologists understand the culture and key players within their practice or institution.
2) Impression: In those early months, new hires must be sure to make a first impression. “Positivity, humility, and a can-do attitude can go a long way when adapting to a new culture and practice,” the authors noted.
3) Listen: New radiologists are better off avoidihng trying to change their new employer right away. Rather, they should strive to listen and observe, actions that can serve as “powerful agents for eventual positive change” down the line.
4) Expectations: Docs should anticipate working long hours as they hone their clinical skills. Staying late is the norm early on, as new radiologists work to master picture archiving and communication systems, dictation templates and the practice’s workflow.
“This extra time will speed the acclimation process and allow for most new radiologists to substantially improve their efficiency over the first year,” Patel and colleagues advised.
Read more of their advice in the Journal of the American College of Radiology here.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.