About Our Diagnostic Radiology Residency

First-year rotations occur in one-month blocks to emphasize fundamentals and common radiologic examinations in preparation for inpatient and emergency department responsibilities. First-year residents rotate through body CT, chest, ultrasound, fluoroscopy, neuro CT, neuro MRI, musculoskeletal, emergency radiology, and interventional radiology.

During the second year, residents continue to gain experience in these sections in one- to two-week blocks, performing and interpreting more advanced examinations and interventions as their levels of expertise increase. Second-year residents also rotate through mammography and body MRI. Three months of training are spent in pediatric radiology at Boston Children’s Hospital during the second year.

During the third year, residents rotate through cardiac imaging and spend a month doing body procedures. They also have a month-long rotation in head and neck imaging at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and spend a month learning radiologic-pathologic correlation at the American Institute of Radiologic Pathology. Funding for lodging and travel is provided by the residency.

Fourth year is composed of two three-month mini-fellowships selected by the resident and another one to two months of elective time. Fourth-year residents also participate in a weeklong online informatics course focused on the informatics systems that underlie the daily workflow in radiology. 

A representative curriculum for the first three years is composed of the following:

• Abdominal CT: 14 weeks
• Abdominal MRI: 6 weeks
• Interventional Radiology: 4 weeks
• Fluoroscopy: 4 weeks
• Body Procedures: 4 weeks
• Breast Imaging: 8 weeks
• Cardiac Imaging: 4 weeks
• Emergency Radiology: 6 weeks
• Day and Evening Float: 8 weeks
• Night Float: 4 weeks
• Head and Neck Imaging: 4 weeks
• Neuro MRI: 6 weeks
• Neuro CT: 6 weeks
• Musculoskeletal: 12 weeks
• Nuclear Medicine: 12 weeks
• Pediatric Imaging: 12 weeks
• Thoracic Radiology: 12 weeks
• OB/GYN Ultrasound: 6 weeks
• Body Ultrasound: 8 weeks
• AIRP: 4 weeks
• Vacation: 12 weeks

A representative curriculum for the fourth year of residency would be:

• Mini-fellowship 1: 12 weeks
• Mini-fellowship 2: 12 weeks
• Elective: 4-8 weeks
• Breast Imaging: 4 weeks
• Nuclear Imaging: 4 weeks
• ED + Evening Call: 2-3 weeks
• Night Float: 1-2 weeks
• Departmental Coverage: 4 weeks
• Vacation: 4 weeks

Resident teaching conferences occur Monday through Thursday, between 7:30 am - 9:00 am. Many of the sections provide their sessions in one- to two-week blocks to provide residents the opportunity to focus on one area for a period of time. Overall, these sessions are both case-based and didactic lectures. Some of the lectures use audience response technology. Residents are expected to attend these morning conferences, with coverage for clinical services provided by staff and fellows during these times.

On some Fridays, sessions cover practice management, leadership, and non-interpretative skills, many of which are covered on the core examination and others of which are important to future success in practice.

In addition, the radiology residency begins with a one-month “Bootcamp” course for first-year residents to learn the essentials of radiology as we recognize that residents who enter our program come to us with varied experiences in medical school. From day one of clinical service, residents learn how to approach cases and how to communicate the important radiologic findings.

Radiologic physics is fully integrated into the morning conferences with dedicated sessions given by both physicists and practicing radiologists. In addition, the department continues to support residents to attend a local physics board review course during the third year of training.

Weekly multidisciplinary and specialty conferences are conducted in the Radiology Department in conjunction with these services:

• Cardiology
• Gastroenterology
• Urology
• Neurology
• Surgical oncology
• Orthopaedic surgery
• Cardiothoracic surgery
• Pulmonology

Active participation in many of these conferences serves as an optimal way for residents to understand how imaging findings are integrated into patient management. This experience translates into stronger clinical radiologists. Also, daily didactic sessions and weekly journal clubs are held in the Division of Nuclear Medicine.

BIDMC has a regular Grand Rounds series that covers a wide variety of topics related to radiologic imaging. Approximately once a month, there is an invited visiting professor to the department who gives a formal Grand Rounds lecture. In addition, some of our clinical faculty and faculty from other departments provide lectures. Once a year, first- through third-year residents present an interesting teaching case during Grand Rounds for the department. This offers a great opportunity to develop teaching and presentation skills in a formal but supportive setting.

Boston is an outstanding city to train in Radiology; many local, regional, and national conferences are held locally. For example, the New England Roentgen Ray Society holds bi-monthly resident conferences on Friday afternoons in which selected faculty from regional institutions, including BIDMC, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brown University, Dartmouth, Maine Medical Center, and Tufts/New England Medical Center, give outstanding lectures. BIDMC attendings cover the clinical services during these times so that residents may attend these meetings.

Unique to BIDMC, and building on our Radiology Department’s international reputation for Quality Improvement expertise, the Radiology Quality Academy provides three different levels of training in Quality Improvement with coursework ranging from fundamental to advanced. It culminates in the publication of a Quality project. Residents are awarded Certificates of Completion at each level of training.

BIDMC Radiology residents have the opportunity for both internal and external moonlighting. The internal moonlighting schedule allows second- through fourth-year residents on an elective basis to help with protocolling studies and previewing body and chest CTs from 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm Monday - Fridays and weekend days 7:00 am - 7:00 pm.

There are several opportunities for external moonlighting, which allow residents to provide contrast coverage for several outpatient imaging centers.

The moonlighting schedules are resident-driven, and second- through fourth-year residents are free to moonlight as long as duty hours, academic, and attendance requirements are maintained.

• Wellness is a top priority in our program, and we have many initiatives to address resident wellness. For example, residents have the lunch hour off to eat together and socialize. Additionally, residents host wellness events several times a year to get together and bond as a group.
• We hold Town Halls regularly where residents and program directors meet together to discuss updates and hear resident feedback to implement changes within the program.
• Our Women Empowerment in Radiology (WE-RADS) group serves to promote the career development and advancement of women radiologists by providing them with mentorship and networking resources. The group also supports the personal and professional well-being of women radiologists while contributing to, and improving upon, an environment that fosters gender equality and equity at BIDMC. Events focused on leadership, mentorship, networking, and inclusivity are hosted several times a year.
• Our Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at BIDMC helps cultivate a workplace that welcomes all cultures, languages, and lifestyles to best serve our diverse patient population. Our trainees and faculty can participate in several programs and initiatives.