There are benefits to a diverse workforce that are not being realized in the field of radiology.
Spalluto
Macura
"Women and minority groups remain grossly underrepresented in the field of radiology. Improving diversity and inclusion in radiology represents an opportunity to enhance innovation, enrich the learning environment, and improve patient outcomes," said Lucy B. Spalluto, MD, MPH, associate professor of radiology and radiological sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and president of the American Association for Women in Radiology (AAWR). Dr. Spalluto moderated a panel discussion on the topic during RSNA 2020.
In contrast, the business sector uses diversity as a driver of equity and excellence, explained panelist Katarzyna J. Macura, MD, PHD, professor of radiology, urology and oncology at Johns Hopkins University.
"Large global enterprises believe diversity is crucial for fostering innovation, increased creativity, making recruitment of talent easier, avoiding high turnover and capturing more market share," said Dr. Macura, past president of the AAWR.
She shared a study reported by Forbes that concluded diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time compared to homogenous, all-male teams.
"The health sector can achieve the same gains," she said. "Studies show that students trained at diverse medical schools are more comfortable treating patients from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. Patients must see themselves in the health care workforce and our workforce needs to resemble the patients they serve."
Of the 2019 class of medical school graduates, 47.9% were female. Despite the available pipeline, women remain underrepresented in both diagnostic radiology and radiation oncology.
"There's an untapped opportunity to attract more women into our specialty of radiology," Dr. Macura said.
Diversity in Radiology Lags Behind Other Specialties
Data from the American Association of Medical Colleges shows that one out of every two medical school graduates are women and one out of 10 are from racial and ethnic populations that are under-represented in medicine. Recent studies looking at specific subspecialties, noted that specific to radiology and radiation oncology, these estimates are one out of four graduates are female and one out of 14 to 15 graduates are from under-represented groups.
"When we compare these numbers, it speaks to a loss of diversity and a loss of talent in our field," said Pari Pandharipande, MD, MPH, director of the Institute for Technology Assessment at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Meltzer
Pandharipande
Results of an American College of Radiology (ACR) membership survey designed to identify potential barriers to building a diverse physician workforce illustrate the issue. The national ACR survey conducted in 2018 queried members about their attitudes toward their work environment, relationships and culture. About half of 461 respondents were women and 9.5% identified as being from racial and ethnic populations that are under-represented in medicine. Both groups were much more likely to report unfair and disrespectful treatment in the workplace and fewer available career advancement opportunities.
"These findings speak to a need for a change in culture," Dr. Pandharipande said.
And change begins with leadership, according to Carolyn C. Meltzer MD, chair of radiology and imaging sciences at Emory University School of Medicine and a member of the RSNA Board of Directors.
"We know from business literature how important diversity and inclusion is to getting the best talent, having the most innovative ideas and being recognized as a best place to work," Dr. Meltzer said.
She challenged radiologists to think about what their departments look like in terms of representation and the messages reflected in our workplace.
"What do we revere? What is our language like? Do we have gender neutral restrooms? Lactation spaces? Culture is very important," she said.
Dr. Meltzer stressed the need to consider the full professional life cycle of a radiologist, recruiting broadly and supporting radiologists throughout their careers. She advocated for valuing candidates who offer a different perspective and cultural lens during recruitment and investing in leadership development, mentorship and sponsorship to improve staff retention.
"We need to advocate and amplify women and unrepresented colleagues to ensure increased exposure of counter-stereotype exemplars, like women chairs, as role models," Dr. Meltzer said.
For More Information:
View the RSNA 2020 session Building a Diverse Radiology Workforce (Sponsored by the American Association for Women in Radiology — SPSI22 at RSNA2020.RSNA.org.
Watch Lucy Spalluto, MD, MPH, discuss the steps to take and the challenges to be faced when radiology departments and practices build diverse workforces.
