RESIDENCY PROGRAM | Cinical Schedule

CLINICAL SCHEDULE
During any given month, residents will spend 2 weeks in radiology floor coverage (including nuclear medicine), 1 week in ultrasound service and 1 week in CT and MRI throughout their residency. They are given 2 weeks of vacation time yearly and 3 weeks off clinics just before their written board exam.

First year resident spends 100% of his/her time in supervised clinical service. No time off other than vacation time is given. During The first 3-6 months the resident will choose a research project under the supervision of a diagnostic imaging faculty. 2 months into the program the resident is expected to perform ultrasound exams as well as myelograms on an emergency basis (after hours). Each resident will be on “ON CALL” emergency duty one week of the month. During this time, residents are not supervised, but have the option to call a backup faculty member. Reporting/dictation of imaging studies will also begin after this introductory 2 month period. The resident gradually will increase the amount of studies read according to their skill level. During this year he or she will learn how to properly perform special contrast and fluoroscopic studies as well as developed an efficient, accurate reporting style based on identification of the abnormal radiographic findings, summary of conclusions and appropriate list of differential diagnosis. The resident should be able to efficiently develop his/her own reporting style with input from the faculty in all imaging modalities.

Second year resident One half day per week is allowed of the clinic floor. This time is used for studying for boards, execution of the research project as well as for preparation of hospital wide presentation of relevant imaging topics. A second year resident is reliable in executing routine and special imaging examinations. Invasive procedures such as ultrasound biopsies are performed more often and always under faculty supervision. Second year residents effectively explain the imaging exams and provide clinicians with clear concise and relevant answers to the questions presented. A second year resident can handle the floor case load with little supervision from faculty however, it is expected this person will call the faculty for advice when needed regardless of the degree of difficulty of the case at hand. Unless staff shortages occur, the amount of cases read on a given day increases to the point that, along with faculty support, no cases are left unread at the end of the week. By the end of the second year the resident is expected to be ready to take the qualifying portion of the ACVR board exam.

Third year resident spends 80% of his/her time in clinical service. Although faculty members are always available for consultation, third year residents perform ultrasound studies including biopsies by themselves and also serve as floor managers. They are the first to be called upon to interpret films, CT/MRI, or nuclear medicine studies. One day per week off clinics is allowed for self development time which includes preparation for the certifying portion of the ACVR exam, final submission of their research project to a peer-reviewed scientific journal as well as, preparation of their research talk to be presented at the Annual ACVR meeting. Third year residents can elect also to spend a total of 3 weeks in radiation oncology, cardiology and/or large animal ultrasound. During this period, the residents are relieved of their radiology floor duties.

Residents in all 3 years are required to attend all daily radiology case rounds; board preparation rounds and journal club/written board objective reviews. They must also attend hospital wide Friday morning seminars. These Friday morning seminars include topics in medicine, surgery, pathology, basic sciences, and clinical pathologic correlation. Attendance at other rounds throughout the hospital (eg, pathology, morbidity and mortality rounds) is contingent upon coverage of the radiology floor by other residents and/or faculty.

The residents do minimally participate in didactic lecture presentations for students (1 to 2 hours of lecture in ultrasound elective course). However, they do spend approximately 10 hours/year teaching a radiographic laboratory in the freshman anatomy course and approximately 6 hours/month giving student rounds in the senior clinical radiology rotation. They are also required to give 2 continuing education presentations at the Friday morning seminars and 1 formal presentation at the ACVR meeting.