ACRO Forecasts Radiologist Surplus

OAK BROOK, Ill--Young physicians seeking careers in radiationon-cology may have severely limited employment opportunities inthe foreseeable future, according to the American College of RadiationOncology (ACRO). The College forecasts that up to 1,000 radiationoncologists will be either underemployed or unemployed shortlyafter the year 2000.

The College's Personnel Needs Assessment Committee found thatapproximately 800 new radiation oncologists will enter the jobmarket in the next 5 years while fewer than 200 existing radiationoncologists will leave the workforce during the same period.

Quality of Training Affected

The Committee anticipates that the annual average caseload isexpected to remain between 210 and 216 patients through the year2004. A surplus of radiation oncologists may decrease patientcaseload at large medical centers and limit the number of patientsavailable for resident training, thereby adversely affecting thequality of training available to radiation oncology residents.

"The word needs to get out," said ACRO president WilliamD. Bloomer. "Unlike medical subspecialists who can fall backon general internal medicine if their specialty practice falters,radiation oncologists have no fall-back position without majorre-training."