"Where are They Now?": A Single Institution's 10-Years Experience with an Integrated Nuclear Radiology Fellowship

Rising demands for nuclear medicine (NM) physicians prompted creation of the 16-month integrated nuclear radiology (NR) pathway, but few studies have assessed whether this pathway contributes practicing NM-capable clinicians to the workforce. We assessed the career trajectories of graduates of a single institution's longstanding integrated NR program.

All 25 graduates of the 16-month integrated nuclear radiology fellowship at a single, urban, academic institution (graduating years 2014-2024) were invited to complete a voluntary, IRB-approved survey about their integrated NR training and current practice.

The survey had a 100% response rate. Of twenty-five graduates, 21 (84%) have or plan to obtain ABNM or ABR nuclear radiology subspecialty certification. Twenty-two graduates were currently practicing radiologists, of which 17 (77%) were active or previously active Nuclear Radiologists. Graduates reported reading positron emission tomography/computed tomography (16/22, 73%), general nuclear medicine (16; 73%), and cardiac nuclear medicine (6; 27%), and prescribing radiopharmaceutical therapy (12; 54%). Three graduates were triple-board-eligible in diagnostic, nuclear, and interventional radiology after a triple-specialty combination track, the first in the nation, and all three currently practice all three specialties. All survey respondents reported they would choose the pathway again, and fourteen graduates currently practicing Nuclear Radiology believed they would not be practicing NR without having had the opportunity to complete the 16-month integrated fellowship.

Our survey reveals a high rate of integrated NR graduates who practice nuclear medicine, and a high rate of "conversion" of trainees who would not otherwise expect themselves to be practicing NR, suggesting this pathway is a viable means to increasing the NR workforce.