Current status of residency programs: survey of program directors.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

This survey was compiled to provide current data on the structure and content of radiology residency programs and the role of the residency program director.

METHODS

A survey, created in electronic form and on paper, was distributed to all United States academic, private, and military radiology residency program directors.

RESULTS

Of the 202 survey forms distributed, 168 (83%) were completed and returned. Eighty percent of respondents support national curriculum guidelines, but most do not favor national curriculum requirements. About half (53%) of programs spend 6 months in "view box" nuclear medicine; others provide some experience by lectures and on-call time. Most programs (60%) relieve residents of some call during the senior year. Some programs (28%) allow seniors time away from clinical duties to study for the oral board exam, and 17% permit time away to study for the written boards. Seventy-eight percent of programs have had a "problem resident," and 47% have asked a resident to leave the program. Directors' most frequently expressed concern was threat of diminished residency numbers due to decreased funding.