Feature
The need for IR mentorship
By Hope Racine A
ccess to mentorship is crucial, not just for emerging IRs, but for practicing physicians at every level.
Mentorship provides community, guidance, education and support, and the right mentors can help their fellow physicians overcome barriers, enact culture shifts and encourage future research. But as IR grows and the IR residency becomes more and more competitive, finding mentors has become increasingly difficult.
Recent surveys of medical students, residents and fellows showcase the impact of the mentor desert. One survey showed that 98.6% of surveyed students who have an IR mentor indicated they would pursue a career in IR, while 41% without a mentor said they wouldn’t.
Those with a mentor were also more likely to do research in IR—though another survey showed that 31% of respondents couldn’t find an IR research mentor at their institution.
“This tells us lack of mentorship is an obstacle to research,” said Dania Daye, MD, PhD, assistant professor of interventional radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital and co-author of multiple surveys on mentorship and research. “Accessible mentorship increases the number of students we can recruit into the specialty, especially those interested in doing research, which is key to the future of IR.”
Other factors make mentorship difficult as well, according to Dr. Daye.
The surveys highlighted disparities faced by women and members of underrepresented minority groups, with one survey reporting that 74% of men said they had an IR mentor—while only 58% of women did. Female trainees reported feeling less encouraged to pursue research, and women reported having less frequent access to mentors, with only 29% of respondents saying they met with their mentors more than twice a year.
Part of this discrepancy can be due to both attitudes and culture; it can be daunting to approach a senior IR to ask for help, especially if a student or resident doesn’t exist in the same social circles. “I’ve seen situations where publications and opportunities are discussed between male attendings and fellows while out at a golf course,” Dr. Daye said. “Women aren’t often in this setting, and so they’re never even hearing about the opportunities.”
Another factor Dr. Daye points to is the limited number of women and URM physicians in the specialty. “People
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