Hiring of diagnostic radiologists in 1997

We sought to determine the hiring activities of physician groups with respect to diagnostic radiologists.

A survey was mailed to a stratified, random sample of 589 groups of physicians in the autumn of 1997; 76% responded. Responses were weighted to represent all practices in the United States that have more than one radiologist. Findings were compared with results of similar, previous surveys.

In the 12 months before the survey, groups sought to hire 1909 (+/-111[SE]) diagnostic radiologists; 888 (+/-77) of these jobs were new positions, the rest were replacements for radiologists who left groups. Groups did not seek to refill another 366 (+/-57) positions that had been vacated during these 12 months. Groups succeeded in hiring 1488 (+/-92) diagnostic radiologists. Generally, the percentage of available positions that groups succeeded in filling did not differ among subspecialty fields. A greater perceived effect of managed care on a group was associated with fewer expansion positions and less likelihood that positions were offered on a partnership-track basis but otherwise was unrelated to hiring activity. Eighty-one percent of available positions were in groups that preferred recently trained radiologists to those with 10-20 years' experience; 28% of full-time positions in private nonacademic groups were not partnership-track.

The decline in hiring evident during 1991-1995 has reversed. In the year ending in the autumn of 1997, for the first time in recent years, positions available exceeded radiologists to fill them; the excess was approximately 278 positions.