How would Radiology become predominant once again?

[Justaman14]

I realize all careers in Medicine have taken their hits; however it seems Radiology has dipped below its original heyday standings more so than other 'hardy' careers (Cardiology, Derm, etc). Still a prominent and great field in its own regards, I must ask, what could be done, or may occur which would bring Radiology back to the predominance of its early 2000 standings.

Implementation of Virtual Colonoscopy?
New Imaging Modalities?
Political Turf Wins?

I realize the answer may be "NOTHING can"; that this is just the way medicine has moved, but for the sake of conversation, does anyone have ideas?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[witzelsucht]

anesthesiology is your idea of a "hardy" field?

 

[cowme]

Radiology is as predominant as ever.

But a perfect storm of some unique circumstances led to the field exploding like it did 10 years ago--The takeoff of ct and MRI occurring at the same time as computer advancements leading to computer based storage and reading of studies with PACS.

That's not gonna happen again.

But the field is still a centerpiece of every part of medicine--from the management of ER Patients, to surgical planning, to outpatient follow up, to tumor biopsy and management in IR. It's not going anywhere, even if the days of 600k and 16 weeks vacation are gone

 

[shark2000]

What is your definition of "predominant"?

 

[CorneliaSt]

Could be wrong here but I think the word you are looking for is "prominent" rather "predominant."

 

[GadRads]

Radiology is as predominant as ever.

But a perfect storm of some unique circumstances led to the field exploding like it did 10 years ago--The takeoff of ct and MRI occurring at the same time as computer advancements leading to computer based storage and reading of studies with PACS.

That's not gonna happen again.

But the field is still a centerpiece of every part of medicine--from the management of ER Patients, to surgical planning, to outpatient follow up, to tumor biopsy and management in IR. It's not going anywhere, even if the days of 600k and 16 weeks vacation are gone

Advances in the area of in vivo molecular imaging might change things. With radiology being a dynamic field, it might be pessimistic to think there won't be another boom.

 

[jazzman84]

I think cowme's post was addressing the common misconception among med students and those outside of rads that the field has always been great for lifestyle and compensation. More realistic outlook is that the boom-times for radiology in the early-mid 2000s was as transient as the current downtrend, which is now starting to get better.