Profile of U.S. radiologists at middecade: overview of findings from the 1995 survey of radiologists.

Abstract

Despite the spread of managed care and other trends that affect radiologists, surprisingly, few changes were evident in the demographic or professional characteristics of U.S. radiologists in 1995 compared with 1990.

Satisfaction at work among radiologists

“…With the first criterion, the rates of satisfaction ranged from 42% in the first survey of 1988, to 65% in 1990 and to 51% in 1995. With the second criterion, satisfaction rates went from 97% in the earlier surveys to 93% in 2003 [19][20][21][22][23]. Using both criteria, the level of satisfaction of North American radiologists appears to be declining.…”

“…This difficulty in correctly interpreting results because of methodological differences is present in the series of North American papers by Sunshine's team [19][20][21][22][23] who interpreted the data provided by the periodical stratified sample surveys conducted by the American College of Radiology (ACR) on a large number of specialists. These surveys, in fact, do not investigate professional satisfaction explicitly, so the authors have to estimate "current satisfaction" in two ways: (a) as a positive reply as to a question on whether sull'esaurimento emozionale [7].…”

“…La difficoltà di prescindere da vincoli metodologici che spesso limitano la possibilità di interpretare correttamente i risultati è presente nella serie di pubblicazioni statunitensi del gruppo di Sunshine [19][20][21][22][23] che interpretano i dati forniti dalle periodiche indagini a campione multi-strato condotte dall'American College of Radiology (ACR) su un consistente numero di specialisti. In tali inchieste, difatti, la soddisfazione professionale non è indagata esplicitamente, e gli autori sono costretti a ricavare la "soddisfazione attuale" (current satisfaction) in due diversi modi: a) come risposta positiva alla domanda se il radiologo intervistato consiglierebbe a un giovane di studiare medicina e contemporanea risposta positiva alla domanda se raccomanderebbe la specializzazione in radiologia; b) come risposta positiva alla domanda "tenendo presenti tutti gli aspetti del tuo lavoro, cosa pensi del lavoro del radiologo?".…”

Initial employment experience of 1996 graduates of diagnostic radiology and radiation oncology training programs.

“…As well, most graduates said they had some other geographic constraint regarding what positions they would consider (Table 6). These additional con straints ranged from seeking to remain in a particular section of one state to be close to family and friends (thereby ruling out over 98% of possible job opportunities) to ruling out a region of the United States, or small towns and rural areas, or large cities (thereby eliminating from consideration perhaps one fourth of all job opportunities) [9].…”

“…Second, with about one third of Americans living outside metropolitan areas and 15% of all radiologists (both experienced and new) practicing in nonmetropolitan areas [9], it is not surprisingto find 15â€"28% of newly gradu ated radiologists in geographic locations that many people regardas seriously undesirable.…”