Ep. 417 IR Training: Perspectives and Expectations with Dr. Thomas P. Sullivan

In this episode of the BackTable Podcast, host Dr. Aaron Fritts interviews guest Dr. Thomas Sullivan about the findings from a recent survey exploring the reasons behind professional job changes among interventional radiologists. Dr. Sullivan is the Assistant Program Director of Diagnostic and Integrated Interventional Radiology Residency programs at Wake Forest University.

Dr. Sullivan highlights the importance of mentorship during residency and notes the huge impact of geography and financial compensation in determining job satisfaction and longevity in a role. He also discusses some surprising insights about trainee expectations of future practice settings, the need for a variety in practice caseload, and the desire for about 80% of clinical time to be spent on dedicated IR activities. The conversation also delves into the challenges of equipping residents for rural practice and the potential value of developing a procedural radiology curriculum. Dr. Sullivan anticipates that the survey results will help improve and adapt training paradigms to better align with the evolving landscape of interventional radiology practice.

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SHOW NOTES

00:00 - Introduction

02:50 - Discussion on IR Training and Practice

04:51 - Survey Discussion and Key Findings

16:47 - Importance of Diagnostic Skills in IR

19:01 - Deciding Factors for First Job After Training

21:04 - Need for Medical Services in Rural Settings

25:23 - Role of Mentorship in Job Seeking

28:21 - Importance of Networking in Career Development

32:37 - Future of IR Training and Practice

38:23 - Role of BackTable in IR Training

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RESOURCES

SIR 2024 Monday Session (3:27 PM - 3:36 PM MT): Trainee perceptions of current IR workforce: Are we setting our residents up for failure? With Dr. Thomas Sullivan:

https://www.sirmeeting.org/fsPopup.asp?PresentationID=1348792&mode=presInfo