Predictors of an Academic Career on Radiology Residency Applications

Rationale and Objectives: To evaluate radiology residency applications to determine if any variables are predictive of a future academic radiology career. Materials and Methods: Application materials from 336 radiology residency graduates between 1993 and 2010 from the Department of Radiology, Duke University and between 1990 and 2010 from the Department of Radiology, Stanford University were retrospectively reviewed. The institutional review boards approved this Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant study with a waiver of informed consent. Biographical (gender, age at application, advanced degrees, prior career), undergraduate school (school, degree, research experience, publications), and medical school (School, research experience, manuscript publications, Alpha Omega Alpha membership, clerkship grades, United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 and 2 scores, personal statement and letter of recommendation reference to academics, couples match status) data were recorded. Listing in the Association of American Medical Colleges Faculty Online Directory and postgraduation publications were used to determine academic status. Results: There were 72 (21%) radiologists in an academic career and 264 (79%) in a nonacademic career. Variables associated with an academic career were elite undergraduate school (P = .003), undergraduate school publications.(P = .018), additional advanced degrees (P = .027), elite medical school (P = .006), a research year in medical school (P < .001), and medical school publications (P < .001). A multi-variate cross-validation analysis showed that these variables are jointly predictive of an academic career (P < .001). Conclusions: Undergraduate and medical school rankings and publications, as well as a medical school research year and an additional advanced degree, are associated with an academic career. Radiology residency selection committees should consider these factors in the context of the residency application if they wish to recruit future academic radiologists.