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Female Representation in Radiology: Where Things Stand
Women comprise nearly 80 percent of breast imaging departments and 45 percent of pediatric radiology departments at academic institutions, but burnout, the COVID-19 pandemic and discrimination have impeded further progress in radiology, according to a recently published literature review.
In a new literature review, researchers examined the representation of women in academic radiology and key factors that may affect the pursuit of a career in radiology for women.
Here are a few takeaways from the analysis, which was recently published in Clinical Imaging.
1. One study found that Canadian female medical students not considering a career in radiology were 17 more likely to prefer direct patient interaction (87 percent) in contrast to women who were interested in the radiology field (70 percent).
2. In a 2022 analysis of academic departments in radiology within the United States, researchers found that women comprised 79.1 percent of breast imaging departments. Women account for 45.1 percent of pediatric radiology departments and 35.4 percent of abdominal imaging staff, according to the study. The percentage of women in other specialty imaging departments were as follows: musculoskeletal imaging (27.5 percent); neuroradiology (22.8 percent; nuclear medicine (19.5 percent); and interventional radiology (12.1 percent).
In a recent analysis of academic departments in radiology within the United States, researchers found that women comprised 79.1 percent of breast imaging departments and 45.1 percent of pediatric radiology departments, but noted lower percentages in other specialty departments including nuclear medicine (19.5 percent) and interventional radiology (12.1 percent).
3. Women were listed as the lead author on radiology publications 17 to 30 percent of the time and as last author nine to 25 percent of the times, according to a 2021 systematic review. However, two separate analyses from 2017 and 2015 showed a nearly threefold increase in female lead authors in radiology between 1984-2014 (12 percent to 34 percent) and over a 20 percent increase between 1993-2013 (14 percent to 34.4 percent).
4. According to a 2022 survey of 375 female radiologists, 60.3 noted sexual harassment incidents and 84.8 percent said they had dealt with gender discrimination.
5. In a survey of radiology program directors, nearly double the number of female program directors cited mentorship as playing a key role in their career development (68 percent) in comparison to male program directors (35 percent).
6. In a 2021 survey looking at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon breast radiologists (with women comprising 79 percent of those surveyed), 68 percent noted anxiety, 37 percent said increased childcare needs impacted their jobs and 23 percent reported depression. In a separate 2021 study, women radiologists reported burnout at a 13 percent higher rate than men (44 percent vs. 31 percent).
7. Due to concerns about the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) upon radiology, researchers found that female medical students at one university were 1.9 times more likely than men to shift away from radiology as a preferred specialty.
The Reading Room Podcast: Emerging Trends in the Radiology Workforce
February 11th 2022Richard Duszak, MD, and Mina Makary, MD, discuss a number of issues, ranging from demographic trends and NPRPs to physician burnout and medical student recruitment, that figure to impact the radiology workforce now and in the near future.
