“Only a few more months and life will be good!” It’s the rallying cry of radiology residents and fellows everywhere. The idea that if we can just hang in there, we’ll be rewarded on the other side with a successful career, caring for patients.
However, what comes after training often isn't any easier. Those early years of private practice frequently include the same long hours and strict schedules. Generally, with the same vague promise of stability someday.
I think this reality is often underappreciated among early-career radiologists. I know it was for me. I hope to cast some light on these issues by sharing my experience with a solution that is often overlooked—the alternative career path of teleradiology.
Practicing independently is daunting
Following training, the idea of signing final reports, without anyone else’s oversight, can be intimidating. As an early-career radiologist, I wanted the security of continuing to learn alongside more experienced colleagues. The breadth of anatomy and pathology that radiologists come across every single day is vast, making assistance from other doctors invaluable.
Sadly, the idea of mentoring in traditional radiology practices is disappearing. As imaging volume increases, there's simply less and less time to collaborate with colleagues. Those would-be mentors aren’t unwilling—they’re simply busy clearing their worklists so they can get home to their families too.
The new reality is that freshly minted radiologists often work after-hours shifts alone, without access to their veteran colleagues. I know radiologists who selected in-person positions specifically for the benefits of having a team and mentorship, then ended up isolated and exceedingly frustrated.
My experience at vRad has been exactly the opposite. Right from my first day, I received immense support for all the tasks that felt overwhelming in those early days. I was assigned an experienced radiologist as my personal mentor, to guide me through the platform, answer questions about procedures or pathologies, and to lean on even if I just needed to talk about concerns. That's only the beginning of the integrated peer support.
If I ever get a case that I haven’t seen before, or I just want the reassurance of reviewing it with a more experienced colleague, I simply reach out using the consult tool on our reading platform. No matter the time of day or night, dozens of subspecialty-trained radiologists are online and willing to assist. I’ve found that most radiologists love to help—especially since they aren't under pressure to get through their own worklists. In fact, each year our CMO presents a fun award for the radiologist who gives the most consults.
I also have incredible support with my platform and tech. vRad’s dedicated 24/7/365 in-house IT Support team is literally a click away, so I never am slowed down or left trying to trouble shoot an issue on my own (though honestly I rarely run into any thanks to the incredibly reliable platform.)
Even though we’re physically separated, we never work alone, and I certainly never feel alone.
Busy lives require more time than private practice can spare
Every new radiologist understands that the first several years of their career are going to be busy—but those years often collide with the busiest part of our personal lives as well. Many radiologists get a new job and perhaps move to a new location. Others might be buying homes, getting married, or starting families.
All these things require and deserve time and attention. A traditional radiology position doesn't allow for that. Early-career rads are paying their dues, so to speak. They have less seniority, with little control over their schedule, and especially their time off. And since many feel intense pressure to prove themselves, they don’t push back when they’re expected to take on more shifts or increase the volume of cases they read daily.
I’ve talked with so many colleagues about how they missed out on personal events in their previous positions: Birthdays, date nights, kid events, and all sorts of celebrations. Missing these special times adds stress and pressure to already overworked radiologists, compounding the problem.
vRad's flexibility, and its sheer size of 500 radiologists, allowed me to set a work schedule that fits with my life. My job doesn’t compete with my personal life, it complements it. This lifts a significant amount of pressure from me, and that means that when I read, I do so more efficiently.
Practicing medicine vs. the administrative duties of partnership
Many early career rads choose traditional career paths with the goal of partnership. We’re led to believe that making partner is the ultimate goal and we’re expected to sacrifice personal comforts to get there. Working at a private radiology practice, in pursuit of partnership, can absorb years of your life.
Teleradiology generally doesn't lead to a partner position, but for me that's more than okay, and here’s why. Becoming partner would mean shifting my focus away from radiology and toward business management. Most radiologists complete years of training to help others, not to make decisions about new hires or the annual budget. While vRad certainly offers opportunities for leadership and administrative roles, I can focus on what I was trained to do—read imaging studies. That is what I love.
Beware of mundane casework
Like most radiologists I know, I pursued this specialty because I love the work. However, what can put a damper on that passion is getting stuck in a routine of reading similar or otherwise unfulfilling cases, which is quite common in private practice settings. vRad, on the other hand, offers an intriguing mix of case types and modalities.
I routinely read images from a wide range of settings—from large well-known university medical centers in urban settings, to very small rural clinics, and everything in between. We receive diverse cases, covering a breadth of pathology, from Level 1 trauma to bread-and-butter emergency radiology cases.
I must say, it's quite gratifying to help small towns and rural communities that have limited resources or may not have a subspecialty radiologist after hours. The case diversity also makes the work anything but routine, so my passion for radiology and patient care still burns bright.
The facts you won’t hear in training
It’s rare that radiologists in training are encouraged to go into teleradiology as a career path. Post-pandemic we’re seeing this begin to change, but many still view teleradiology as best suited for those in the middle or tail of their career. As a result, people tend to ignore teleradiology entirely and push more traditional paths, which tend to be hospital or group based. Often with that partnership goal in mind, and nearly always in-person.
It’s unfortunate because teleradiology can be a much better choice for so many radiologists—especially those just beginning their careers—due to the flexibility, work-life balance, control over your income, and support services offered. I've experienced benefits I never thought possible so early in my career, and I firmly believe more radiologists should consider this career path.
A career in teleradiology
As you begin your radiology career, take the time to evaluate your priorities. Consider your professional and personal goals and how your current trajectory will impact them. Keep in mind that there's no reason to sacrifice your personal life for a fulfilling career in radiology.
If you’re a veteran radiologist, look at where your practicing choices have taken you, and ask yourself if it’s where you’d hoped to be. Or maybe after ten or twenty years, your priorities have changed.
The elusive work-life balance that so many physicians seek can be your reality with a career in teleradiology. I know because that’s the reality I get to live every single day. I hope you consider working with vRad. Here, each radiologist works at their own pace, with no worklist pressure, which helps you balance productivity and quality patient care. Working from home also removes the distractions and inefficiencies that are so often mired in a traditional workplace.
If you’d like to talk to me more about the teleradiology experience, you can request to be contacted here and mention my name. I never thought I could be where I am so early in my career, and I'd be more than happy to share my experience and answer your questions.
