Maximizing Your Pediatric Radiology Recruitment

Trying to hire a pediatric radiologist? You are not alone. A recent review of jobs indicated there are over 125 open positions for pediatric radiologists in the United States. These jobs vary from full-time pediatric focus to partial pediatric focus in a general radiology practice.

One of the reasons for the increased demand is the increased construction of pediatric hospitals as well as the growth of existing children's hospitals (over 160) in the United States. Another reason is that referring physicians want to ensure that their pediatric patients receive quality care from experts trained in the unique pediatric conditions – their disease progression and treatment options. Parents and physicians also prefer that children be cared for in a pediatric environment, which has resulted in the growth of free-standing and academic children's hospitals.

The American Medical Association (AMA) tracks all U.S. physicians, and while they show over 34,000 radiologists, only 623 are pediatric radiologists (those who declare it as their primary specialty). Of those, only 494 are in office-based or hospital practices and are age 60 or younger, meaning the rest are in a stage of life where they may be considering a part-time schedule or even retirement.

To compound the problem, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) reports that for the 2009–2010 fellowship year, only 76 of the 113 pediatric radiology training slots were filled (67.2%). Of 46 approved programs, 14 did not fill any of their slots (30.4%). So, in addition to an aging workforce, there is a very small group of graduating fellows each year.

As you can see, there are few pediatric radiologists available to fill the 125 current open positions! So, if you are recruiting a pediatric radiologist, is your financial package competitive? We work with most of the graduating fellows in the specialty each year, and in the past three years, we have seen more pediatric radiology fellows join private radiology groups because they can earn a first year salary of up to $400,000, which goes a long way towards paying back their educational loans. Some of these practices offer partnership at low or no cost, plus productivity incentives, even in the first year of practice.

Unless your practice offers a competitive financial package, unfortunately, the chances of your opportunity standing out are slim. (Exceptions would be if a pediatric radiologist has a tie to your community or you provide a specific academic or research component of interest to a candidate.) Even then, if you are going to compete for some of the finest graduating fellows, your minimum salary needs to be in the $350,000+ range.

Since the competition for pediatric radiologists is so fierce, here are several tips on how you can successfully recruit a pediatric radiologist to your institution:

Become invested in the recruitment effort.
In order to successfully recruit, enthusiasm must come from the top on down. Be proactive with your team and ask them for referrals of physicians they know.
Make the practice as attractive as possible.
An overworked pediatric radiologist will not only be unhappy, but can become a liability. If needed, invest in an overnight teleradiology service or other call sharing arrangements, or even locum tenens, so your physicians will remain fresh and vital.
Consider the benefits of retaining a professional search firm with experience in the subspecialty of pediatric radiology.
The right firm will be able to provide a solid track record of placements in a variety of practice settings. They will save you time and expense because the candidates they present to you will possess the criteria you have defined and will already be well-acquainted with your practice before you speak with them.

Make the interview visit the most important agenda item on your calendar.
Your professional search consultant will be able to guide you through the proper interview itinerary that will result in a successful visit. If there is a spouse or significant other, it is vital that you invite him or her as well. A recent survey we did indicates the practice location and family/lifestyle issues influence 90% of the physician's decision-making.

Be prepared to make a competitive offer shortly after the candidate visits.
Remember, pediatric radiologists are in high demand so you cannot delay if you decide you want a particular candidate. These physicians have countless job options, including lucrative teleradiology contracts and locum tenens work. If you are concerned about the finances, take the time to consider what a radiologist with pediatric radiology expertise can bring to your patient care services and also consider what the loss of income may be due to decreased referrals. If you are a hospital, consider the loss of revenue from surgery, pathology, lab, and inpatient care that will result, as well as the loss of confidence by referring physicians or community members.

In short, recruiting in pediatric radiology is a highly competitive and challenging undertaking. Do not leave anything to chance or luck. Take whatever actions are necessary to maximize your likelihood for success.

To learn more about how to successfully recruit a pediatric radiologist, please contact us.

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