Rationale and Objectives
Diagnostic radiology remains one of the least diverse medical specialties. Recent
reports have found that the number of female and under-represented in medicine (URiM)
residents have not increased despite efforts to increase representation over the last
decade. Given the critical role of residency program directors in selecting diverse
applicants, this study was performed to identify which strategies were most preferred
to increase the number of female and/or URiM residents by directors of diagnostic
radiology residency training programs.
Materials and Methods
This was an anonymous, cross-sectional study of diagnostic radiology residency program
directors that included a survey about program characteristics, demographics, and
strategies to increase the number of female and/or URiM residents.
Results
The questionnaire was submitted to 181 potential participants with a 19.9% response
rate. The most preferred strategies to increase diversity involved directly recruiting
medical students, promoting mentorship, increasing the number of diverse teaching
faculty, and unconscious bias training. The least supported strategies included deemphasizing
exam scores, accepting more international graduates, accepting a minimum number of
female and/or URiM applicants, and de-identifying applications. Female and/or URiM
program directors indicated a statistically significant preference for medical student
recruitment and providing an opportunity to discuss workplace issues for female and/or
URiM trainees (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
Diagnostic radiology residency program directors endorsed a wide variety of strategies
to increase diversity. Recruitment of female and/or URiM medical students and promoting
the number of diverse faculty members and mentorship of trainees by these faculty
appear to be the most preferred strategies to increase female and/or URiM residents.
Female and/or URiM program directors placed a greater importance on recruiting diverse
applicants and supporting safe discussion of workplace issues faced by female and/or
URiM radiology residents.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 15, 2022
Accepted:
March 24,
2022
Received in revised form:
March 22,
2022
Received:
February 17,
2022
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
