Curriculum

Program Curriculum

The four years of our residency are spent in the traditional radiology curriculum, which offers a wide variety of instructional opportunities with extensive pathologic variation. Interactive case and didactic conferences are held daily. We bring in nationally known guest lecturers from other universities and hospitals. The clinical training program is designed for progressive, supervised responsibility for patient care in diagnostic radiology, radiation biology, radiation protection and safety, and pathology.

The diagnostic radiology clinical teaching service is divided into subspecialty areas taught by full-time faculty instructors:

• Neuroradiology
• Musculoskeletal
• Vascular and interventional
• Breast imaging
• Chest
• Pediatric
• Ultrasonography (including obstetrical
  and vascular)
• Genitourinary
• Cardiothoracic
• Nuclear Radiology
• Interventional

Third-year residents attend a four-week American Institute of Radiologic Pathology course in Silver Spring, Maryland. This is a program of the American College of Radiology. The registration is paid by Memorial University Medical Center and the resident may receive reimbursement toward reasonable living expenses in addition to his/her salary.

We offer an accredited early specialization in Interventional Radiology (ESIR) curriculum as an option for diagnostic radiology residents who identify early a desire to specialize in IR. Residents who satisfactorily complete the ESIR training and procedural requirements will be eligible to start in an advanced (2nd year) position in the independent IR fellowship program to which they match.

Striving for standards of excellence in resident education, patient care, and research has shaped both short- and long-term planning and has become the hallmark of this program.

Rotations

First Year

First-year residents rotate through general radiology, including chest, fluoroscopy ultrasound, nuclear medicine, body imaging, neuroradiology, musculoskeletal, and pediatric radiology. There are usually two rotations in fluoroscopy, CT body, neurology, and nuclear medicine and one rotation in chest, musculoskeletal, and pediatric.

Light call begins after January in the first year with some 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. call, and some weekend day call later on in the first year.

Second Year

Second-year residents spend four weeks in special procedures, including angio/interventional and mammography. Residents receive additional training in diagnostic radiology by again rotating through fluoroscopy, body imaging, nuclear medicine (including nuclear cardiology), musculoskeletal, and pediatric imaging. They also begin to take night call.

If evaluations of clinical and educational performance are satisfactory and approved by the program director, the resident begins night and weekend call at the beginning of the PGY3 (R2) year, always with 24-hour faculty oversight.

A night float system is in place. Night float is a 7-day shift from Friday night to Thursday night from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

There is a 5pm - 8pm, short shift on weekday afternoons. Weekends are 8 am to 8 pm covered by one resident.

Third Year

Third-year residents attend a four-week course at the American Institute of Radiologic Pathology in Silver Spring, Maryland. Registration and reasonable living expenses are covered.

The third-year residents also attend a board review course. Additional training is received in angio/interventional and neuro interventional procedures as well as body, musculoskeletal, and MRI imaging.

Fourth Year

During the fourth year, residents complete training in mammography, perinatal, nuclear medicine, and cardiac. The elective rotation is usually done in the resident's chosen area of fellowship training.

Radiology Call Schedule

Radiology residents do not take independent call.  There is 24-hour attending coverage.

If evaluations of clinical and educational performance are satisfactory and approved by the program director, the resident begins night call at the beginning of the PGY3 (R2) year, always with faculty back-up.

A night float system is in place.

Graded Responsibilities

Initially, first-year residents observe faculty, perform procedures, interpret films, and dictate reports. As residents become more proficient with techniques and film interpretation, residents under the direction of the faculty are permitted to dictate preliminary reports, monitor exams, and perform procedures under direct supervision. All final reports are checked and signed personally by the faculty.

By the second and third years of training, the residents are given more responsibility commensurate with their individual level of maturity, achievement, skills and experience in performing radiological procedures, film interpretation and reporting.

Resident assignments are based on an assessment of each individual's abilities and progress in order to achieve an appropriate balance between patient care standards and the promotion of each resident's competence and initiative.

However, even for senior residents, all films are reviewed and reports are checked and signed by the faculty.

During the fourth year, residents function with greater independence. They are encouraged to take on responsibility for teaching medical students and may assist in junior residents' training under faculty supervision.