New residency program

[RickyScott]

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Minesh Mehta is apparently starting a new residency programs with 3 residents a year, because Florida does not have enough radiation oncologists.

 

[medgator]

MCI? Honestly probably more money and better tech than UM right? Maybe they open and UM shuts down?

 

[Neuronix]

MCI? Honestly probably more money and better tech than UM right? Maybe they open and UM shuts down?

Unlikely. UM expanded this year.

 

[allseasons]

Is there news on the total residency count for rad onc this year? Is it going up or down?

 

[BobbyHeenan]

There are so few leaders in charge that even give one second of thought or care to the job market as a whole/ US radiation oncology dynamics, or to current residents. It is so rare, that those that exhibit it publicly can be counted on one hand (looking at you, Chirag Shah).

The largest calculus is (?and has always been?) almost entirely: "How will this decision help our department and my career?"

It is absolutely insane and shameful that if you have the volume and technology that in 2025 you think it's appropriate to start a new residency program.

I know they don't have the power to do anything about it, but if anyone at ASTRO had any stones they would publicly shame this sort of thing.

 

[allseasons]

There are so few leaders in charge that even give one second of thought or care to the job market as a whole/ US radiation oncology dynamics, or to current residents. It is so rare, that those that exhibit it publicly can be counted on one hand (looking at you, Chirag Shah).

The largest calculus is (?and has always been?) almost entirely: "How will this decision help our department and my career?"

It is absolutely insane and shameful that if you have the volume and technology that in 2025 you think it's appropriate to start a new residency program.

I know they don't have the power to do anything about it, but if anyone at ASTRO had any stones they would publicly shame this sort of thing.

There recently was a rule set that you need 1.5x faculty as your have residents or something. Is there really no org that oversees rad onc and can shut down residencies and decrease slots? You say they don't have the power to do anything.

 

[BobbyHeenan]

There recently was a rule set that you need 1.5x faculty as your have residents or something. Is there really no org that oversees rad onc and can shut down residencies and decrease slots? You say they don't have the power to do anything.

That org is not ASTRO.

ACGME can determine if you meet baseline requirements. It's a ping-pong of acronyms about who is in charge of all this...but ASTRO has no bearing on shutting down spots.

But publicly talking about this or "shaming" I believe would have an impact...or at least win back some trust in the rad onc community.

 

[allseasons]

That org is not ASTRO.

ACGME can determine if you meet baseline requirements. It's a ping-pong of acronyms about who is in charge of all this...but ASTRO has no bearing on shutting down spots.

But publicly talking about this or "shaming" I believe would have an impact...or at least win back some trust in the rad onc community.

So when rad onc rapidly expanded a decade ago, who organized and permit that? Just ACGME?

 

[BobbyHeenan]

So when rad onc rapidly expanded a decade ago, who organized and permit that? Just ACGME?

Others on here will know better than I...but pretty much yes.

If you met the requirements you got a program.

The phenomenon is not limited to rad onc. See EM residency fiasco.

 

[fiji128]

Astro has no say over the ACGME in theory. However, the people sitting on the ACGME rad onc committee are basically the same people that are very active in Astro. Its a group think type of thing.

 

[fiji128]

Is there news on the total residency count for rad onc this year? Is it going up or down?

Its takes a lot of time to go through all the programs by hand via the ACGME website. Its on my to due list.

 

[TheWallnerus]

So when rad onc rapidly expanded a decade ago, who organized and permit that? Just ACGME?

Supposedly, ASTRO having a public opinion about residency expansion would cause a violation of federal law. Supposedly. Almost like if a crack dealer could say "Look, if I don't buy and sell this crack, I'd be breaking federal law."

 

[BobbyHeenan]

Supposedly, ASTRO having a public opinion about residency expansion would cause a violation of federal law. Supposedly. Almost like if a crack dealer could say "Look, if I don't buy and sell this crack, I'd be breaking federal law."

LOL. I forgot about that.

It's anti-trust to limit expansion....but colluding to expand and talking about how it would drive down salaries down which would a good thing then publishing about that in the red journal is completely appropriate.

 

[ramsesthenice]

There recently was a rule set that you need 1.5x faculty as your have residents or something. Is there really no org that oversees rad onc and can shut down residencies and decrease slots? You say they don't have the power to do anything.

It’s a good idea on paper but since it includes all faculty and not just main campus (or even relevant) faculty, this will have little effect on residency numbers. As in, places where residents do no community rotations and only learn from the 8 main campus doctors may technically have 14 faculty because of satellites and be just fine for 7-8 residents.

 

[RO28]

Maybe the alligators will get them. Aren't they supposedly bringing more in or some nonsense like that?

 

[RickyScott]

Scarop is effectively part of Astro.

 

[Neuronix]

Scarop is part of Astro.

It's anti-trust to limit expansion....but colluding to expand and talking about how it would drive down salaries down which would a good thing then publishing about that in the red journal is completely appropriate.

ASTRO cannot seriously claim that limiting residency expansion would violate anti-trust laws when they probably already violate anti-trust laws.

To explain further:

SCAROP has a private salary survey only shared among SCAROP members. This raises serious anti-trust concerns, see: Fisher Phillips Use Caution When Conducting Wage Surveys

That link recommends:

"1. Have salary surveys managed or conducted by a third party. This is a key precaution to help your organization avoid allegations of price-fixing."

The SCAROP survey is not managed or conducted by a third party.

"5. Make the data available to those outside the group of participants."

The data is not available to those outside the group of participants.

The SCAROP salary survey was leaked to SDN and a legal threat was made by the president of ASTRO to have it removed.

 

[fiji128]

In the parlance of our times, yes Astro has no problem "gaslighting"

 

[thesauce]

This is disgusting

 

[Gfunk6]

This is disgusting