Curriculum
The first two weeks of training are purely didactic, consisting entirely of lectures in basics of radiology, radiation protection, and handling of emergency situations (particularly contrast reactions). The next six weeks are spent in abbreviated two-week rotations in ultrasound, computed tomography, and fluoroscopy. The remainder of the clinical rotations are in four-week blocks incorporating the usual subspecialties of diagnostic radiology. Many rotations are modality-based rather than organ-system based, which we feel reflects the way radiology is actually practiced.
Yale New Haven Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital rotations, outpatient center rotations (advanced women’s imaging), and a one-month American Institute for Radiologic Pathology rotation are scheduled during the first, second, third, and first half of fourth year.
In their third and fourth years, residents have elective blocks, which can be used for additional clinical rotations or research. It should be noted that clinical rotations are selected and arranged in order to facilitate and enhance each resident’s training and education; they are not based on merely fulfilling necessities of clinical coverage.
After passing the CORE board exam, residents may elect to perform one or more mini-fellowships.
There are two learning conferences daily, usually a morning lecture and midday case conference. Most conferences are given by Norwalk Hospital’s faculty, but we also incorporate guest lecturers, all luminaries in their fields, including topics such as Pediatrics, Cardiac, Chest, GU, Ultrasound, MSK, and GI. The majority of lectures and teaching cases are stored on the hospital shared drive which are easily available for residents to review. A course in radiation physics and radiation biology is offered twice a week throughout the first year.
Interdisciplinary conferences with other departments are also held regularly, usually on a monthly basis. As a Memorial Sloan Kettering cancer treatment site, we currently have joint conferences with pulmonary medicine, hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal surgery, gyn-oncology, heme-oncology, neurosurgery, breast oncology, and gastroenterology. Residents prepare and present cases for these interdisciplinary conferences on a weekly or monthly basis.
We feel residents should be encouraged, but not forced, to participate in research during residency training. We are aware that four years is a relatively short time to become a competent clinical radiologist and to receive board certification. Almost all of our graduates go on to their desired fellowship positions, and for some, that may be a more appropriate time to become seriously involved in research. However, it does seem that at least some involvement in investigation makes one a more critical reader and a more well-rounded physician. Accordingly, we try to encourage scholarly pursuits, but recognize that some individuals have greater interest and abilities in certain areas than others. We require only that each resident prepare at least one paper suitable for publication during their four years of training. Most residents do more than this and some have prepared and published numerous projects.
Time is made available for research and investigation during electives and during research rotations at Norwalk Hospital and at Yale New Haven Hospital. Norwalk Hospital pays travel expenses for residents attending conferences for purposes of presenting a paper or exhibit.
We have an Interdisciplinary Research Committee—which oversees and coordinates projects involving various departments, a departmental research advisor, and a hospital-wide research coordinator, biostatistician, and other support staff as needed.
Residents begin taking call after 12 months of training, and after passing an oral and practical examination in required skills.
CT scans performed after 10:00 p.m. are interpreted by attendings via teleradiology. Residents provide preliminary interpretations of scans performed before 10:00 p.m., but if clinical volume is high, or if the resident should be involved with some other clinical activity, studies are interpreted by teleradiology. Residents cannot become “backed up” or fall behind. This system allows residents to develop critical clinical skills to become an independent radiologist without excessive stress or exhaustion.
Two radiology attendings are always on call, one for general and one for interventional radiology. The on-call radiology attendings are happily and readily available for immediate consultation if the on-call resident requires assistance or has questions. Furthermore, because of the provided hospital housing, remote access to the PACS imaging network, and the close network we have as a radiology residency, senior residents are readily available for assistance and advice.