ASRT and Consensus Committee Workgroups Spearhead Efforts to Address the Radiologic Technologist Workforce Shortage

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists is coleading two workgroups and leading one workgroup to create action plans to increase the medical imaging and radiation therapy workforce and promote the profession.

The ASRT-led consensus committee workgroups are focused on sustainable action to address workforce shortages by defining the levels and roles for each step in the career pathway for radiation therapy and medical dosimetry, and by creating intersocietal efforts that raise awareness of multiple roles within radiology and radiation oncology, including medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals, physicians and medical physicists.

The workgroups formed after the Consensus Committee on the Future of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy meeting, which was hosted by ASRT, the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists and the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology in February 2024. The committee's work resulted in the White Paper from the 2024 Consensus Committee on the Future of medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy, which outlines strategies to address the workforce shortage, strengthen the profession and build career pathways for professionals.

The ASRT-led consensus workgroups, include appointees from the ASRT, Advanced Practice Radiation Therapy Working Group, American Association of Medical Dosimetrists, American Association of Physicists in Medicine, American College of Radiology, ARRT, American Society for Radiation Oncology, Elekta, JRCERT, Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section, Society for Radiation Oncology Administrators and Varian.

"The level of buy-in from the supporting organizations has been truly inspiring," said ASRT CEO and Executive Director Melissa B. Pergola, Ed.D., R.T.(R)(M), FASRT, CAE.

The work is scheduled to occur in three phases with the first phase that addresses creating a project plan to tentatively be completed by June 1, 2025.