Why has rads become less competitive?

[piip]

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I know people like to claim that the perception of a bad job market and fear of outsourcing turn people off from applying. However, I have to imagine that isn't the driving factor for most people's decisions.

So why has a highly paid specialty with lots of vacation and decent hours during residency become less competitive?

 

[IllDefined]

Your Mom is less competitive.

 

[choweee]

I know people like to claim that the perception of a bad job market and fear of outsourcing turn people off from applying. However, I have to imagine that isn't the driving factor for most people's decisions.

So why has a highly paid specialty with lots of vacation and decent hours during residency become less competitive?

Because everything you mentioned is a false assumption: pay is decreasing, vacation time is decreasing, and hours are increasing. This makes radiology less competitive.

 

[IR4thewin]

Fwiw, competition has increased this year. Been on 10 interviews and PDs have consistently said the last two years dipped way down but this year has picked back up to where rads used to be. Will be interesting to see NRMP stats when they come out. Also, haven't met a fellow yet who doesn't have a job already lined up. Those seem to be occurring faster than in recent years.


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[GadRads]

The average Step 1 in 2016 is still 240, although applicants are self-selecting.

 

[Meccamputechture]

Your Mom is less competitive.

Got em.


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[vm26]

In addition to what @choweee said:

1) I've heard it's becoming increasingly common to work at least some weekends, nights, holidays.

2) The "pace" when you're at work (PP) can be pretty crazy. Constantly reading, dictating, intermixed with other things like some procedures, etc. It can be very mentally taxing to do this.

3) Fellowship is all but required now, so it extends the already long training by another year, which some people don't like.

All that said, as far as I can tell, the core things about the specialty haven't really changed. If you like solving puzzles, diagnosing, the tremendous diversity of pathology, the very cool technology, etc., then I wouldn't necessarily rule out radiology just yet.

1). Really not all that new, also true with most private practices in any speciality and academics as well (though buffered by resident/fellow labor)
2). PP pace is challenging but doable, have to be productive/efficient dictating despite the interruptions and procedures. Also in pp, you are a small business owner, have to keep a pleasant attitude and keep patients, referrers, and administrators happy which can be challenging
3). Training is long, not sure how to stream-line it but many private practices require rads to do everything from doing all types of mr, light IR, breast etc. We have to be able to speak the language of ER docs, orthopods, oncologists, OB/GYNs, NP/PAs, neurologist etc

if one wants a 8-5 M-F gig look into pathology...even pp derm works longer than that to accommodate patients schedules