Potential oversupply?

[Entgegen]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Are there any concerns of a future oversupply of radiologists/market saturation? I ask because I've been reading a lot on the pathology forum about the current lack of good path jobs available, which is primarily due to oversupply of pathologists. I'm not sure of the retirement rate of radiologists, but with residency programs pumping out >1,000 new radiologists every year, one would think the supply would catch up with the demand eventually (particularly when viewed from the perspective of the pathologist, who's market is already saturated with only >500 new pathologists graduating every year).

But perhaps the two fields can't really be compared with each other in this way. Any thoughts?

 

[gluon999]

I don't think oversupply is a big concern, considering imaging studies being ordered are growing at such a rapid pace. CYA medicine runs the show in many hospitals and with NPs and PAs gaining more authority, the number of unnecessary studies being ordered is only increasing. That means, more studies for the radiologists to read (irrelevant whether they were necessary or not)...hence more job openings.

 

[Taurus]

Are there any concerns of a future oversupply of radiologists/market saturation? I ask because I've been reading a lot on the pathology forum about the current lack of good path jobs available, which is primarily due to oversupply of pathologists. I'm not sure of the retirement rate of radiologists, but with residency programs pumping out >1,000 new radiologists every year, one would think the supply would catch up with the demand eventually (particularly when viewed from the perspective of the pathologist, who's market is already saturated with only >500 new pathologists graduating every year).

But perhaps the two fields can't really be compared with each other in this way. Any thoughts?

The big differences between path and rads are volume and technology. You don't see an explosive growth in slides and hence the need for more paths. Most path slides are still using H&E technology from 100 years ago. However, nearly everyone who goes to the hospital or clinic gets imaged one way or another. Second, rads read plain films, CT, MR, ultrasound, nuclear studies and whatever new technologies are around the corner.

 

[colbgw02]

I wouldn't be too worried. Despite attempts to ramp up the number of residents, the utilization of imaging has continued to outpace the training of new radiologists. What is happening is that - in the current economic climate - radiologists who would have otherwised retired by now are working longer or part-time. That has caused the job market to tighten up a bit, but it has more to do with people's portfolios than it does with the saturation of the market. My suspicion is that once the economy turns around we'll see radiologists retire in droves and the market will open back up.

 

[salamander8]

It's a complicated issue. If only radiologists read images, then there'd be a worse shortage, however increasingly nonradiologists, like cardiologists and even ob's have been coming into the mix.

 

[dropout]

I don't think oversupply is a big concern, considering imaging studies being ordered are growing at such a rapid pace. CYA medicine runs the show in many hospitals and with NPs and PAs gaining more authority, the number of unnecessary studies being ordered is only increasing. That means, more studies for the radiologists to read (irrelevant whether they were necessary or not)...hence more job openings.

like everything else in medicine, it depends on which part of the country you're thinking about.

on one extreme, try getting a job as an msk guy in los angeles or san francisco. it's practically impossible. hopefully that's the exception for quite awhile and not the beginning of a trend. the big problem isn't just a drop in reimbursement for the reading fee (so people will work longer into their careers than before), but the drop in technical fee is also a major problem. there's now less incentive to open free-standing imaging centers and joint-venture facilities with hospitals. and unfortunately, in this country, supply creates demand when it comes to medical utilization.