In Plain Sight, a Radiology Workforce Crisis in the Making – Gap Between Job Growth and the Radiology Training Pipeline

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study aims to analyze the gap between the number of radiologist jobs listed in a single major US job posting center and the number of anticipated graduating general diagnostic radiology and neuroradiology trainees through the National Resident Matching Program as a primary source of radiologists to fulfill radiologist workforce needs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Job listings between 2014-2023 from a single large US radiology job listing source were collected for the total number of unique annual job listings, divided between neuroradiology-only, some component of neuroradiology, and no component of neuroradiology. National Resident Matching Program data were collected for PGY-2 Diagnostic Radiology Residency and Neuroradiology Fellowship Match to estimate the number of general radiologists and neuroradiologists in the training pipeline graduating in the corresponding job listing year. The difference between the number of job listings and anticipated graduating trainees was calculated and extrapolated for the future.

RESULTS: Between 2014-2023, 31,825 jobs were listed in the ACR Career Center with 10,180 anticipated diagnostic radiology residency graduates during the same time period, for a ten-year cumulative deficit of 21,645 anticipated diagnostic radiology graduates. For neuroradiology-only jobs, the mismatch between job listings and anticipated fellowship trained neuroradiologists was 2,748 jobs to 1,933 graduates. For all jobs, the mismatch between anticipated radiology training graduates and job listings grew over this time-period.

CONCLUSIONS: There is a growing mismatch between diagnostic radiology job listings on a major job listing board compared to the anticipated pipeline of general radiologists and neuroradiologists entering training through the NRMP Matching Program. This mismatch between the current growing need for radiologists and the training pipeline may help inform practice and training leaders seeking to mitigate the radiologist shortage.

ABBREVIATIONS: NRMP = National Resident Matching Program; PGY-2 = Post-Graduate Year-2; ACR = American College of Radiology; PACS = Picture Archival and Communications System; ABR = American Board of Radiology; ACGME = Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education