The radiology class of 2005: postresidency plans

To examine the postresidency plans of the radiology residency class of 2005, including influences on and trends in the decision to pursue subspecialty fellowship training after residency.

An electronic survey composed by the ACR Resident and Fellow Section was completed by 416 senior residents (a 46.9% response rate) enrolled in allopathic radiology residency programs from across the United States, representing approximately 41.2% of the entire residency class.

Eighty-seven percent (95% confidence interval 83.8% to 90.2%) of respondents plan to do fellowships immediately after residency, representing an increasing number, compared with published figures from the 1990s. Increasing age at the completion of residency was independently and significantly correlated with the decision not to pursue a fellowship. There has been a shift in the most popular fellowships, with an increased interest in musculoskeletal radiology fellowships and decreased interest in interventional radiology. Among residents not pursuing immediate fellowship training, the most common plans were private practice positions (48.1%), military obligations (22.2%), and nighthawk positions (9.3%).

An increasing number of residents are electing to pursue subspecialty training after the completion of residency. Close monitoring of the postresidency plans of current residents may portend important trends in education, residency training, and changes in the radiology workforce.