We're Spanish interventional radiologists passionate about our field, but we're facing challenges. From training and collaboration to our very identity within medicine, we're questioning the status quo.
Join us as we explore the future of IR, where we're gaining confidence, embracing new procedures, and becoming the primary specialists for our patients.
Jose Maria Abadal MD, PhD, EBIR
Radiología Vascular Intervencionista
Jefe de Sección de Radiología
Hospital Universitario Severo Ochoa, Madrid
President of SERVEI
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Hey bloggIRs!
We're SERVEI, a group of 420 Spanish interventional radiologists (IR) working hard within a well-established society. We're passionate about our patients and our specialty, and we're here to give
you an unvarnished look at how we think IR should be done. So, buckle up and get ready for some straight talk!
A Society with Vision
A society needs a clear mission, vision, and values, along with a strategic plan to guide it over time. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of interchangeable colleagues coasting along.
We think societies should operate like businesses, with clear objectives, measurable goals, and timelines. Years ago, our predecessors set this up for SERVEI. When Dr. Garcia gets assigned a
project, it's both an honor and a responsibility. The society supports him fully, but he's expected to deliver results. “No one shirks their duties here!” This approach makes us
more efficient, effective, and helps us move SERVEI forward.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
"All for one, and one for all" is our motto. Our Society Committee works for every SERVEI member, and every member works for the society when needed. We're all connected, and we need to
progress together.
Collaboration and Trust
CIRSE is our parent organization, and we want them to succeed and stay in touch with the realities of European IR. We learn and grow with them. We also need to make sure our spanish voice is
heard within CIRSE, and that's starting to happen.
Collaboration and trust are crucial among healthcare professionals. We have good friends and “best friends” in the IR world. LATAM and Portugal are definitely our “best friends”, thanks to shared
culture and language. We know we can achieve great things together!
We also work closely with nephrologists, vascular surgeons, oncologists, and others. We want to strengthen the idea of multidisciplinary and patient-centered care.
(And how about our relationship with Radiology? Coming soon)
Training and Medical Education
We're a bit envious of those countries that achieved the IR subspecialty!
We're open to the idea, but it might come at the cost of letting other specialists into our field. Our politicians set a route and called it "transversality." We're cautious about this path –
would you train a surgeon for two years in IR to become one? Should personal interest and a clear path be the main factors in becoming an IR?
Clinical radiology is a must-have, obviously.
“Without an IR clinic, you're not a true IR.”
It's about clinical history, physical exams, patient relationships, hospital visits, discharge, and follow-up. The problem is that "clinic" doesn't seem to be an integral part of radiology training. We constantly hear, "You have no idea about clinics because you're a radiologist." That stings!
But if you embrace your inner doctor, you'll gain respect. This is a major goal for both CIRSE and us. We have our own off-label fellowship system and industry support to achieve
it. CIRSE European Board of Interventional Radiology
(EBIR) certification is also important, and we encourage our members to pursue it.
Weaning Off from Radiology?
Here's where things get controversial! Do we need to separate from Radiology?
Think about it – do you have more in common with your vascular surgeon than your radiologist?
We have distinct skills, training, professional identities, and resources. Some of us are proud to be radiologists, but we're finding more and more differences over time.
Are we fishing in the right pond for future IRs?
Radiology is often chosen to avoid dealing with patients. As a result, only about 1 in 10 radiology residents become IRs. This is concerning, as we have a shortage of IRs in
Spain, and we have so much potential! Other specialists might come in and take over (starting with the vacancies of our angiosuites).
We hope CIRSE can handle this topic with diplomacy.
Looking to the Future
We're very optimistic! We may lose some procedures, but we gain new ones. We're becoming more confident and shedding our old insecurities.
Patients are coming directly to us! We have a big task ahead of us to make ourselves visible and accessible. Social Media is one of the key factors.
More and more, we're becoming the primary specialist (and doctor) for patients, even referring cases to our colleagues.
“We love our work and know we're in the most amazing field of minimally invasive surgery guided by advanced imaging.”
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