Ep. 670 Understanding IR Attrition: Causes & Solutions with Dr. David R. Mittelstein

Why do nearly half of IR residents consider leaving the specialty, and what can be done to change that? On this episode of the BackTable Podcast, Dr. Neil Jain interviews Dr. David Mittelstein, an integrated IR resident at UC San Diego and co-chair of the SIR RFS Recruitment Committee, about the findings of a national SIR survey on interventional radiology resident attrition. They discuss what drives uncertainty, from lifestyle and call burden to job market fears, and highlight the program features that encourage retention, such as structured training, high case volume, and a culture of camaraderie. --- Get the BackTable app https://www.backtable.com/app --- This podcast is supported by RADPAD® Radiation Protection https://www.radpad.com/ --- Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction 04:31 - From Biomedical Engineering to IR 07:41 - Recruitment Committee Mission 12:37 - Match Trends Warning Sign 15:12 - Survey Design Demographics 20:21 - What Factors Matter 25:04 - Why Residents Consider Switching 30:23 - Recommendation 1 IR Curriculum 32:32 - Recommendation 2 More IR Rotation 34:10 - Recommendation 3 Build Camaraderie 38:30 - Advice for Residents Who Are Doubting 41:00 - What’s Next for RFS Recruitment 43:20 - Wrap Up --- More about this episode The conversation explores free-response themes from the survey, where 78 percent of residents cited lifestyle concerns, 31 percent pointed to job market uncertainty, and 22 percent mentioned call experience as reasons for questioning IR. Retention was linked to structured training (38 percent), high case volume and procedural experience (35 percent), and program camaraderie (18 percent). Dr. Mittelstein and Dr. Jain review three concrete recommendations to improve retention, examine early changes at programs like Georgetown, and offer practical advice to residents who may be quietly doubting their path in IR. --- Resources Episode # 554 Optimizing the IR/DR Curriculum & Experience https://www.backtable.com/shows/vi/podcasts/554/optimizing-the-ir-dr-curriculum-experience --- BackTable Vascular & Interventional (VI) is the go-to podcast for interventional radiologists, vascular surgeons, and interventional cardiologists. Download the free BackTable app to get early access to new episodes, cases, and courses curated by physicians in your specialty. ► https://www.backtable.com/app