Radiology Trainee Advocacy is Essential for Radiology’s Future

Purpose: Despite advances in technology, radiologists continue to face increasing workloads with decreasing Medicare reimbursements. Recent challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted the importance of preserving patient access to high-quality equitable healthcare. By playing an active role in shaping the policies that affect the training of residents, reimbursement for services, utilization of medical imaging, and regulation of quality, trainees can advocate to ensure the continued success of radiology and the role it plays in medicine. This review underscores the reasons early radiologist advocacy is essential and the ways trainees can become involved.

Methods/Materials: We conducted a literature search to investigate ways trainees and radiology organizations can work together to advocate for health care access and equity.

Results: Early involvement in organized radiology promotes development of leadership skills and interest in advocacy. Developing these competencies early increases the likelihood of ongoing participation, helping to preserve the future of our specialty. Trainees can build advocacy skills by joining the ACR, its state chapters, and other radiology organizations and participating in lobbying activities, professional development events, leadership training programs, networking opportunities, and sharing their unique perspectives with fellow radiologists, lawmakers, and the public. Radiology organizations, in turn, can engage trainees by including them in all aspects of their organizations, providing scholarships and reduced costs of participation, supplying mentorship, and granting access to established networks.

Conclusions: Recruitment of trainees to organized radiology is important to establish strong future leadership and to preserve our patients’ access to high-quality equitable radiological care. A push for further engagement and enlistment of medical students, residents, and fellows will not only increase advocacy, but ultimately positively influence the entire landscape of radiology.