Landing a job can be tough, even for a highly trained young professional. An article published online April 4 by the Journal of the American College of Radiology offered five important insights about the job application process for graduating radiation oncology residents.

Because the multiplicity of practice options for radiologists makes understanding each practice environment difficult, radiology residents should consider trade-offs among job security, individual physician autonomy, compensation, productivity, and opportunity for subspecialty practice, according to an article published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology. 

A bill that will delay the implementation of ICD until at least Oct. 1, 2015, and suspend Medicare’s sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula was passed by the Senate on March 31 with a vote of 64 to 35. The temporary solution also contains a provision to spur evidence-based medicine and improve appropriateness of medical imaging.

What may be first of their kind requirements included in the newly passed “Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014,” (H.R. 4302) would make health care more efficient, raise medical imaging quality, improve utilization accuracy and make physician payment policy more transparent.

Communication skills training proves effective for radiology trainees and is desired by many, according to an article published online March 28 in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. 

The Ontario government implemented interventions that significantly increased the appropriateness of lumbar MRI referrals, according to a study published online March 28 by the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

At 64-detector row spiral CT, the low-tube-voltage/high-tube-current with low-dose contrast medium protocol was found to be superior to the conventional protocol for CT angiography of the neck regarding radiation dose, venous streak artifacts, and image quality, according to a study published in the April issue of Clinical Radiology. 

It seemed like there was a lot of optimism in the air this time regarding finding a permanent fix to the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. After passing another temporary patch to avoid a payment cliff late last year, Congressional leaders seemed motivated to push for a long-term solution, and it felt like it might actually happen early in 2014.