Mentorship programs for interventional radiology (IR) trainees could prove “crucial” for the future of IR research. That’s according to survey results published this week in Academic Radiology that highlight the multitude of obstacles young providers face.
Of the 151 survey respondents, 100% agreed that research is vital to the future of interventional radiology. However, they also reported a slew of roadblocks they must overcome in order to achieve their goals.
“High clinical demands” were cited by 67.9% of participants as the greatest barrier between them and the pursuit of IR research, followed closely by a lack of time, lack of institutional support and no previous research experience.
Despite the requirement that programs offer scholarly activity to their students and that those residents are obligated to participate in said academic undertakings, 41.5% of participants were unaware that their institution had these opportunities available.
Research is what helped to advance IR to where it is today and is imperative to its future, the authors noted. So, what is the solution? The group pointed to mentorship.
The respondents who reported having a mentor were much more likely to pursue a career in IR and also had an increased likelihood of engaging in future research compared to those without a mentor.
“This highlights the importance of mentorship in IR, as having strong, supportive mentors available for guidance can not only address the structural and institutional barriers but also seek to change the individual mindset of the feasibility of conducting IR research,” Dania Daye, MD, PhD, with the Department of Radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and co-authors wrote.
The authors added that mentors can assist trainees with time management skills by planning schedules that offer a better work/life balance and supportive advice on how to cope with the stress that accompanies clinical demands and research. They also suggest that mentors are a constant source of information that a student might have easy access to within their institution.
While some progress in mentorship programs has been made, the authors say that more needs to be done to support these trainees and the future of their research careers.
You can view the full survey results in Academic Radiology.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She joined Innovate Healthcare in 2021 and has since put her unique expertise to use in her editorial role with Health Imaging.