Musculoskeletal imaging fellowship program directors: A study of educational paths, and scholarly engagement in the United States

Mili Rohilla ¹, Shruti Kumar ², Parv Mehta ³

⁰Saint Vincent Hospital, Worcester, MA, USA.

Current Problems in Diagnostic Radiology +

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October 12, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

The majority of Musculoskeletal (MSK) Imaging fellowship program directors in the US are male, with most completing diagnostic radiology residency followed by an MSK fellowship. This study analyzes their demographics, education, and scholarly activities.

Area Of Science

Radiology
Medical Education
Musculoskeletal Imaging

Background

Fellowship program directors (PDs) play a crucial role in shaping future radiologists.
Understanding the demographics and backgrounds of these leaders is essential for assessing the field's diversity and identifying potential biases.

Purpose Of The Study

To comprehensively analyze the demographics, educational backgrounds, and scholarly activities of Musculoskeletal (MSK) Imaging fellowship program directors in the United States.
To identify trends in training pathways and academic progression within MSK imaging leadership.

Main Methods

A list of Society of Skeletal Radiology members was used to identify MSK imaging fellowship PDs across the US.
Publicly available online sources (CVs, Health Grades, Doximity, Scopus) were utilized to gather demographic and educational data.
Data collected included age, gender, medical school, residency, fellowship, additional degrees, academic rank, leadership positions, and scholarly metrics. A t-test compared scholarly activity between genders.

Main Results

Data from 90 PDs across 92 programs revealed a predominantly male demographic (71 males vs. 17 females) with a mean age of 47.17 years.
Most PDs held MD degrees (80), with 7 from international medical schools (primarily India). Common academic ranks were Assistant Professor (35) and Associate Professor (32).
Scholarly activity showed a mean of 41.94 publications and an h-index of 10.62. Thirty-one directors held additional degrees (e.g., MBA, MS, PhD), and some had prior leadership roles.

Conclusions

Musculoskeletal imaging fellowship program directors in the US are predominantly male, with a notable percentage (approx. 8%) from international medical schools.
The most common training pathway involves a diagnostic radiology residency followed by a specialized musculoskeletal radiology fellowship.
The study highlights gender disparities and the diverse educational backgrounds contributing to leadership in musculoskeletal imaging.

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