Founder of the British Society of Interventional Radiology (BSIR) Industry Scholarship and radiology registrar, Fahad Mohammad (Oxford, UK) shares details of the recently launched initiative bridging the healthcare-industry gap for clinicians seeking commercial insight.
Interventional radiology (IR) was born out of technology and innovation. From embolic agents to thrombectomy systems and complex imaging platforms, our specialty’s progress depends on an effective partnership between clinicians and industry. Yet, meaningful industry engagement remains concentrated amongst a small proportion of senior interventionalists, leaving out highly motivated trainees with diverse technical skillsets.
From our survey of over 150 UK radiology trainees, fewer than one in five reported prior industry experience but over 90% said they would apply for a structured programme if it existed. More than 40% reported technical skills such as programming, product management and clinical engineering, however these skills risk being underutilised without a supported route into industry collaboration. Exposure through a structured industry programme would help accelerate innovation across the field and connect trainees directly to cutting-edge research.
Trainees also consistently described the same barriers: limited opportunities, lack of social capital, geographical distance from industry hubs and time constraints within rigid training programmes. Traditional internships are often impractical and time out of training can disrupt progression and workforce planning. The proposed scholarship is designed to be flexible and offer mutual benefit for both trainees and corporate sponsors. This would include:
- A structured curriculum delivered online to tackle inherent barriers and cover the various core functions of industry, from research and development and market access to regulatory compliance and sustainable practice.
- Corporate sponsor visits would provide practical insights into areas such as manufacturing and logistics as well as offer networking opportunities to build life-long professional relationships.
- Projects and assessments such as a mock Dragon’s Den style project or reflective essay would consolidate learning and generate shareable insights for the wider community.
The value is clear for trainees: commercial awareness, mentorship and access to industry without affecting clinical training. For sponsors, it offers early relationship-building, a pipeline of commercially aware clinicians and a multidisciplinary talent pool. However, if IR is to retain its position at the forefront of medical innovation, professional bodies must take a more deliberate role in engaging with such efforts. The proposed Industry Scholarship model is a low-cost, scalable solution which can be adopted internationally to build a pipeline of commercially literate, innovation-ready interventionalists leading us towards the next phase of growth within the field.
The first iteration of this programme will be delivered via the BSIR and candidates are expected to begin the programme in Spring 2026. Further details can be found here: https://www.bsir.org/society/ careers-in-ir/bsir-industry-scholarship/
