Curriculum

The Norwalk Hospital Residency in Diagnostic Radiology program has many unusual and excellent features, which we hope this website will permit you to explore. We are proud of our tradition of excellence in education and our reputation for outstanding clinical training, and we look forward to discussing our program with you further.

Yale University Affiliation, Columbia University Affiliation 

Our relationship with Yale University dates back to the inception of our program in 1982 and has been mutually beneficial to both institutions. Several current staff radiologists at Norwalk Hospital are former Yale residents, fellows or faculty. Many of Norwalk Hospital’s radiology residents have accepted fellowship and/or faculty positions at Yale.

By working closely with Yale University and including rotations at that institution, we feel we have created a program that includes the best of both worlds: the outstanding clinical training that a community hospital can provide with enough university experience to complete a well-rounded training curriculum. For this reason, we work closely with Yale University School of Medicine, where our residents rotate for 1 month typically in neuroradiology.

Educational Curriculum

The first two weeks of training are highly didactic, consisting of lectures in the basics of radiology, radiation protection and the handling of emergency situations. The clinical rotations are in four-week blocks incorporating the usual subspecialties of diagnostic radiology and interventional radiology. Many rotations are modality-based rather than organ-system-based, which we feel reflects the way radiology is actually practiced.

There are two conferences each day, usually a morning lecture and midday case conference. Both conferences are often given by Norwalk Hospital’s faculty. However, we also incorporate expert guest lecturers who provide regularly scheduled lectures and case conferences as well. A number of lectures and teaching cases are stored on CD-ROM and the hospital intranet, and are readily available for residents to review.

Interdisciplinary tumor conferences with other departments are also held regularly. We currently have joint conferences for breast cancers, lung cancers, gastroenterology cancers, urologic cancers and gynecologic cancers. Residents prepare and present cases for these interdisciplinary conferences.

On-Call Support

Residents begin taking independent call after 12 months, but only after passing an oral and practical examination in required skills.

CT scans performed after 10:00 p.m. are interpreted by Teleradiology Solutions. (Teleradiology Solutions is also online 24/7 as a “panic button” if the resident falls behind or if clinical demands are burdensome.) The exception is for a trauma or stroke CT requiring emergent interpretation. Emergent MRI examinations are also typically sent to Teleradiology Solutions, though a resident preliminary interpretation may be rendered if reviewed with the attending on-call.

Two radiology attendings are always on call, one for general diagnostic radiology and one for interventional radiology. Because of Hospital housing, senior residents are also readily available for assistance and advice.

PGY-1

Norwalk Hospital permits many options for the PGY-1 (internship) year. Any ACGME-accredited approved clinical year is acceptable. Many residents have done their PGY-1 year in medicine, surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, family medicine or a transitional year. Norwalk Hospital itself offers a PGY-1 year in internal medicine, which is excellent. Candidates who would like to do their PGY-1 year at Norwalk Hospital in internal medicine must apply separately to that department through ERAS. We have kept the PGY-1 year separate and do not consider application to Norwalk Hospital’s Department of Medicine a factor either for or against the applicant.

Advanced Positions

Positions at the PGY-3 through 5 levels occasionally become available. Should you be interested in such a position, you may mail, fax or email your CV to us and we will hold it on file should an appropriate position open.

Research and Investigation

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 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 his or her four years of training. Most residents do more than this, and some have worked on numerous projects and have prepared and published many papers.

We have an Interdisciplinary Research Committee which oversees and coordinates projects involving various departments, a departmental research advisor and a hospital-wide research coordinator as well as a biostatistician and other support staff. Norwalk Hospital pays travel expenses for residents attending conferences for purposes of presenting a paper or exhibit. Our resdients have presented at RSNA, ARRS, SIIM, and at local poster sessions, with publications in major journals.