Recruitment and Retention of Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Physicians: A Report from the ASTCT Talent Acquisition Task Force

Background A shortage of transplant and cellular therapy (TCT) physicians is expected given the expansion of TCT indications and the scope of practice of TCT programs in recent years. Objectives American Society of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) conducted a survey of early career transplant physicians and trainees to assess the factors that prompted them to pursue to career in TCT. Study Design This was a cross sectional survey conducted via emails sent to the ASTCT membership. Results Fifty-nine respondents completed the survey. The vast majority of respondents decided to pursue a career in TCT during their hematology/oncology fellowship (41%), followed by during residency (25%) or medical school (18%), and a majority of them had some exposure to TCT in their clinical training already. The most common reason for choosing to specialize in TCT was interest in the clinical practice of TCT (81%) closely followed by the scientific allure of the field (75%). Most respondents were extremely committed to remaining in this field of practice. We found that those in the field report high levels of satisfaction despite factors that would otherwise predispose to burnout. Conclusions A systematic and sustained effort to promote trainee engagement that could result in improved recruitment and retention to the field of TCT is needed. Professional societies in partnership with educational institutions could conduct outreach and help attract trainees from diverse backgrounds.