title: Situation of young radiation oncologists, medical physicists and radiation biologists in German-speaking countries : Results from a web-based survey of the Young DEGRO working group.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The working group "Young DEGRO" (yDEGRO) was established in 2014 by the German Society of Radiation Oncology (DEGRO). We aimed to assess the current situation of young radiation oncologists, medical physicists and radiation biologists.
  
  
  METHODS
  An online survey that included 52 questions or statements was designed to evaluate topics related to training, clinical duties and research opportunities. Using the electronic mailing list of the DEGRO and contact persons at university hospitals in Germany as well as at four hospitals in Switzerland and Austria, young professionals employed in the field of radiation oncology were invited to participate in the survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 260 responses were eligible for analysis. Of the respondents 69 % had a professional background in medicine, 23 % in medical physics and 9 % in radiation biology. Median age was 33 years. There was a strong interest in research among the participants; however a clear separation between research, teaching and routine clinical duties was rarely present for radiation oncologists and medical physicists. Likewise, allocated time for research and teaching during regular working hours was often not available. For radiation biologists, a lack of training in clinical and translational research was stated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey details the current state of education and research opportunities in young radiation oncologists, medical physicists and radiation biologists. These results will form the basis for the future working program of the yDEGRO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. david.krug@med.uni-heidelberg.de.|National Center for Radiation Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany. david.krug@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krug
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Radiobiology and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rieckmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.|Department of Oncology, CRUK/MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fokas
authors.affiliation: Department for Radiotherapy and Radio-Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Maximilian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niyazi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001317:Austria; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006283:Health Physics; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007587:Job Description; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D000072378:Radiation Oncologists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011853:Radiobiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Education; Research; Residency; Survey; yDEGRO