• Mark O Baerlocher, Murray R Asch, Hayeems Eran, and Canadian Interventional Radiology Association (CIRA).
• Department of Interventional Radiology, University Health Network and Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. mark.baerlocher@utoronto.ca
• J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2005 Oct 1; 16 (10): 1349-54.

PurposeThere has been a North American trend toward reduced application to the subspecialty of Interventional Radiology (IR). Out of fear of a looming manpower shortage, this survey was conducted to better understand awareness and attitudes toward IR by radiology residents-in-training.Materials And MethodsAn anonymous online survey was emailed to the Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program Director/Department Chairperson of each of the 13 English medical schools in Canada, to be forwarded to each respective Radiology Residency Program's radiology residents. The survey was open for a period of 1 month. The survey consisted of 29 questions, which could be answered online using a web-based program. Responses to questions were tabulated and comments recorded.ResultsA total of 84 survey responses were received of a possible 333 (25%), including responses from each of the 13 English Programs. Responses regarding demographics, training, careers aspirations and motivations, and influences were collected. Fifty-one percent of respondents reported being either "moderately" or "very" interested in the field of IR; however, only 13% reported intention to perform an IR fellowship. A number of issues were identified as dissuading current radiology residents from pursuing IR, including income, work hours and hours of on-call, and turf issues.ConclusionA number of issues were identified as factors which prevented residents with an interest in IR from applying to IR fellowships. These must be addressed to increase IR recruitment rates of radiology residents.

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