Diversity in Interventional Radiology Residency Programs.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess diversity within integrated interventional radiology (IR) residency programs.

Methods: The annual Association of American Medical Colleges Report on Residents, an observational cross-sectional study, was accessed from 2018 through 2023 to extract demographic information (gender, race, and type of medical school) on the various residency programs, including integrated IR. Demographic data were compared among different specialties using the χ² test, with a significance level of P < .05.

Results: In 2023, integrated IR ranked 20th, 21st, and 19th out of the 21 specialties assessed for the representation of women, black, and Hispanic residents, respectively. The proportion of women increased from 20% in academic year (AY) 2018-2019 to 22.3% in AY 2022-2023. The percentage of black residents increased from 2.2% in AY 2019-2020 to 3.8% in AY 2022-2023, whereas that of Hispanics decreased from 7.1% to 6.6%. Additionally, the percentage of American Indians and Alaska Natives decreased from 0.8% to 0.7%, whereas that of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders increased from 0% to 0.1%.

Conclusions: Diversity in integrated IR residency is one of the lowest among the medical specialties and has progressed minimally. A concerted effort to increase awareness and inclusion in the specialty would broaden its appeal and may eventually improve its availability.