Published on the Aug. 25, 2016, Diagnostic Imaging website
By Whitney L. Jackson
Throughout the radiology community, there’s one thing every provider has in common. At one point in time, you all completed a residency as part of your training.
Some radiologists never left academia. Instead of opting for private practice or choosing a career in teleradiology, they’ve chosen to remain in the “Ivory Tower.” They’re providing care to your patients like every other provider, but being a radiologist in an academic setting carries its own habits, benefits, and challenges.
And, according to Vijay Rao, MD, chair of the Board of Directors for the Radiological Society of North American and radiology chair at Jefferson Medical School at Thomas Jefferson University, as well as Tejas Mehta, MD, MPH, chief of breast imaging at Harvard Medical School, it’s a job selection that they are frequently thankful for.
“I love what I do, and if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing,” Mehta said. “You need to be passionate about what you do, and academic radiology provides a great work-life balance at the same time.”
Still, there is much to consider if you’re contemplating an academic radiology career – or much to learn if you’ve never experienced radiology practice from this perspective.
Benefits of Academic Radiology
Alongside being able to, potentially, work side-by-side with some of radiology’s thought leaders, being an academic radiology has some upshots.
1. Subspecialty Reads: The same way your residency gives you the opportunity to concentrate on a subspecialty, opting for an academic career allows you to focus your efforts in one specific area, said Rao, who has spent her career as in head and neck imaging.
“Only academic radiology allows you the luxury of practicing only in your field rather than having to do reads of all types,” she said. “This is very meaningful in contributing to providing the highest levels of care.”
2. Staying Young: Yes, you’ll age in your career, but choosing to remain in an educational institution ensures you’ll be surrounded by the next generation of radiologists at all times. Not only are they likely to be forward-thinking as individuals, but it’s also a requirement that they keep up with the most up-to-date data and technology in providing radiological care. If you’re constantly training aspiring radiologists, your skill set won’t have time to get rusty or dated.
To read the remainder of the article at its original location: http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/practice-management/imaging-ivory-tower-academic-radiology
