Fellowship Training Programs in Radiation Oncology: A Snapshot From 2005 to 2017
- PMID: 30885774
- DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.03.013
Fellowship Training Programs in Radiation Oncology: A Snapshot From 2005 to 2017
Abstract
Purpose: Despite the proliferation of radiation oncology fellowship training programs over the last decade, limited data exist on their actual details. We present findings from a focused survey aiming to evaluate the experiences of fellowship-trained physicians.
Methods and materials: A customized 23-item questionnaire was systematically distributed to 127 board-certified or eligible physicians who had completed a radiation oncology fellowship in the United States between 2005 and 2017 and whose contact information was available. The survey queried motivations for pursuing fellowship and aspects of training pertaining to expertise, mentorship, salary, employment outcome, satisfaction, and regret.
Results: A total of 92 subjects responded. Five were still in fellowship and 3 failed to complete the survey in its entirety, leaving 84 (56 male; 28 female) eligible for analysis. Graduates of US residencies comprised 62% of respondents. The desire to build a career in a particular treatment modality was most commonly cited as the primary motivation for pursuing fellowship (58%), followed by the desire to secure an academic faculty position (16%) and the desire to secure a job in a specific geographic location (14%). Subspecialty fellowships were most often done in proton therapy (27%) and brachytherapy (24%). Among the 26 people who completed proton fellowships, only 10 were currently practicing using protons (38%). The majority of fellows (52%) were compensated between $50,000 and $75,000 annually. Seventy-eight (93%) and 72 (86%) physicians were satisfied with fellowship training and their job after fellowship, respectively. Six of the 52 US graduates (12%) and 0 of the 32 international graduates (0%) reported that they would not recommend fellowship to others.
Conclusions: The motivations for pursuing radiation oncology fellowships appear to be complex, and variability exists with respect to multiple aspects of training, including those related to satisfaction and employment outcomes.
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Comment in
-
Caveat Emptor: Fellowship Training in Radiation Oncology; What, But More Importantly, Why?Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2020 Jan 1;106(1):47-49. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.10.003. Epub 2019 Oct 21. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2020. PMID: 31647970 No abstract available.
Similar articles
-
The Employment Experience of Recent Graduates From US Radiation Oncology Training Programs: The Practice Entry Survey Results From 2012 to 2017.J Am Coll Radiol. 2019 Jun;16(6):878-885. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2018.11.021. Epub 2019 Jan 2. J Am Coll Radiol. 2019. PMID: 30611681
-
Employment and satisfaction trends among general surgery residents from a community hospital.J Surg Educ. 2008 Jan-Feb;65(1):43-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2007.07.004. J Surg Educ. 2008. PMID: 18308280
-
The employment status of 1995 graduates from radiation oncology training programs in the United States.Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1999 Mar 15;43(5):1075-81. doi: 10.1016/s0360-3016(98)00476-3. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1999. PMID: 10192359
-
Surgical fellowship training in Canada: what is its current status and is improvement required?Can J Surg. 2012 Feb;55(1):58-65. doi: 10.1503/cjs.043809. Can J Surg. 2012. PMID: 22269304 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Quantifying the Educational History of the Endourological Society Fellowship Programs in the United States.J Endourol. 2024 Feb;38(2):205-209. doi: 10.1089/end.2023.0350. J Endourol. 2024. PMID: 38185839 Review.
Cited by
-
Resident training in brachytherapy in France: A 10-year update after the first survey of SFJRO members.J Contemp Brachytherapy. 2022 Dec;14(6):501-511. doi: 10.5114/jcb.2022.123969. Epub 2022 Dec 30. J Contemp Brachytherapy. 2022. PMID: 36819467 Free PMC article.
-
An Analysis of the Residents' Research, Education, and Wellness Resources in Radiation Oncology Residency Programs in the United States.Adv Radiat Oncol. 2020 Aug 15;6(1):100548. doi: 10.1016/j.adro.2020.08.005. eCollection 2021 Jan-Feb. Adv Radiat Oncol. 2020. PMID: 33490723 Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources