IR is a great field if you want to work with your hands. However, the hours are quite long and there is significant call responsibility. My IR rotation hours were 5:30 AM - 7 or 8 pm on weekdays with overnight and weekend call responsibilities. We were called into the hospital approximately 50% of the time overnight and the weekends were long (even longer than normal weekdays). We started at 5:30 AM on my lone Saturday IR call this year and did not finish until 10:30 pm. Did cases at 5 hospitals in one day. Had a TIPS and 3 bleeds to embolize on that day while doing nephrostomy tubes, PICC lines, etc. in between.
That said, IR is still the most competitive radiology subspecialty as the job market is better than for other radiology subspecialties. But, by the time you apply, the direct pathway will be in full swing and you will no longer be doing a diagnostic radiology residency to get to IR.