Eric Postal

Savvy negotiating for a new radiology gig requires a deft blend of flexibility and problem solving, and a willingness to walk away if you’re not seeing the same attributes on the other side of the table.

Amid rapidly rising imaging volume and worklist juggling, time is the most precious commodity when navigating requests from referrers for more information.

While worklist demands and a reluctance to bruise the egos of colleagues may conspire against it, obtaining prior imaging often yields a treasure trove of information.

Positioning oneself to provide a seasoned alternative to the shortcomings of AI may help future proof more of a long game in the radiology field.

Whether there are technical or logistical issues one is trying to resolve, timely problem solving requires a mix of assertiveness, perspective and collegial respect.

Preventative tactics, measured responses and knowing when to defend yourself may all come into play when dealing with a colleague known for underhanded and deceptive behavior.

A go-getter spirit, positive energy and willingness to help and learn are keys to collegial respect and propelling your career in the field.

A combination of incentives and embrace of technology-enhanced efficiencies may facilitate underlying ‘autopilot’ motivations toward increased achievement in navigating radiology worklists.

In an amusing take on the subject, this author suggests that having a colleague with dedicated expertise in curtailing unnecessary imaging requests could have an impact in reducing burgeoning worklists.

Amid the variety of specialty areas in radiology, perhaps we’ve been overlooking the opportunity to interpret the scans of competitive eaters.