Residency and Fellowship Programs
Radiology Program Structure
Residents in the Department of Radiology work closely with each other and with radiology faculty and fellows, forming a close-knit team. Our caseload is large and, thus, our residents see a vast number of cases and participate in a variety of procedures. They share interesting cases with each other and develop a high degree of confidence and skills as they progress through the program. Medical students also rotate through our department, offering residents the opportunity to participate in teaching.
Each year of the residency is primarily made up of monthly rotations through the subspecialties of radiology. Rotations early in the training program help our residents acquire basic knowledge, while subsequent rotations increase their expertise and responsibilities. All cases are reviewed with a faculty member and every case has the potential to be a “teaching case.” We require evaluation forms to be completed monthly by both residents and faculty members. In addition, the program director provides ongoing supervision and evaluates the residents twice a year.
First-year residents rotate for one month through each of the core rotations at the VCU Medical Center, including chest, body CT, emergency room, neuroradiology, ultrasound, MSK, pediatrics, nuclear medicine and GI/fluoroscopy. Overnight call responsibilities begin near the end of the first year, always alongside an upper-level resident.
Second- and third-year residents spend approximately 60 percent of their time at the VCU Medical Center and 40 percent at the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Rotations at the VA include vascular interventional, GI/fluoroscopy/ultrasound, neuroradiology, body CT and evening call (4 p.m. to 12 a.m.). During the second and third year, residents have varied schedules on the numerous rotations and spend a significant amount of time on the vascular interventional service at VCU. In addition, the ACR In-Training examination is given each February to second-year residents and all third-year residents spend six weeks at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, D.C. Registration fees – currently $1,500 – and lodging for the institute are provided by the Department.
Fourth-year residents enjoy a significant reduction in call responsibilities, with the majority consisting of backup weekend call for the in-house residents. Residents are allowed one week to attend a board preparation course and an additional week to attend the yearly RSNA meeting. Additionally, near the end of the fourth year, residents are provided six weeks of study time to prepare for board examinations.
All residents are required to be currently certified in basic life support. This course is provided by the VCU Medical Center.
There are several formal and informal social functions throughout the year attended by residents, faculty and other Department members. For more information on resident events and resources, visit our radiology resident Web site.
Resident call duties
The first-year residents are assigned to chest call, during which they read conventional chest radiographs under the supervision of an attending radiologist from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The frequency of this call depends on the number of residents in the class, but currently averages one in nine weekends.
Once each first-year resident has gained a sufficient knowledge base from the core rotations, they begin alternating as the in-house, weekend “plain film” resident. Duties include dictating all inpatient and emergency room plain films and providing a short preliminary read on all head and C-spine CT examinations. During this time there is always an upper-level resident also taking in-house “cross sectional imaging” call and providing supervision and assistance as needed.
During the end of the first year, residents begin taking overnight call blocks as the “plain film” resident. This consists of a two-week block of nights – 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekdays and 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. on weekends – during which they again handle plain film, head CT and C-spine CT responsibilities. At the same time there is always an upper-level resident handling an “imaging” call block with them, during which that resident handles all other CT examinations, MR, interventional procedures and ultrasound. On average, each resident has a total of six or seven two-week blocks of night call during their residency.
During each resident's first “imaging” call block we also attempt to schedule an upper-level resident as the “plain film” call in order to provide help as needed. Call responsibilities at the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center provide additional confidence and experience as the transition to upper-level call occurs.