2010-2011 Program Information
RESIDENCY PROGRAM IN DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY
(NRMP # 1903420A0)

Objectives
The Program
Diagnostic Radiology
Specific Rotations
Conferences and Educational Activities  
Radiology Faculty and Hospital Facilities

OBJECTIVES 
The diagnostic radiology residency program provides an opportunity for development of the knowledge and technical skill necessary for the practice of diagnostic radiology with emphasis on training in an environment that reflects the clinical practice of radiology. Providing the credentials, case material and didactic education necessary for certification by the American Board of Radiology are the paramount objectives of the program.
Although based in a private practice atmosphere, the basic and physical sciences of radiology are also emphasized. Clinical and basic science research is also encouraged. This combination affords residents the opportunity to pursue academic fellowships and other academic positions in radiology, if desired.
Because radiologic diagnosis is important to essentially all physicians, the program provides an opportunity for medical students and residents in non-radiologic disciplines to learn the fundamentals of radiologic interpretation and participate in the daily activity of a radiological practice.

THE PROGRAM
(NRMP # 1903420A0)
The philosophy of the program allows residents to assume a large amount of clinical responsibility while remaining under the supervision of the radiology faculty.
Our radiology program requires that a clinical year in an ACGME accredited program be performed prior to beginning of the 4 year radiology training program.  At the Baptist Health System, we offer programs in Transitional Year, Preliminary Medicine and Preliminary Surgery, and radiology applicants are encouraged to separately apply to these programs for their preliminary clinical year.

DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY
There are typically three residents at each level of training in the program. Exceptions have been made by the ACGME to allow additional residents at any given time under extraordinary circumstances. Occasionally, one of the residents in the clinical year switches to another specialty creating an opening in the four-year program. PGY-2 applicants to the four-year program must have completed at least one year of clinical training in an ACGME accredited program.
Over the four-year program, 41 months of clinical diagnostic radiology rotations are provided at Baptist Health System teaching hospitals, equally divided between the Trinity Medical Center campus and the Princeton Baptist Medical Center campus. These rotations provide training in mammography, vascular and interventional radiology, neuroradiology, nuclear medicine, diagnostic ultrasound, vascular ultrasound, gastrointestinal radiology, genitourinary radiology, chest radiology and skeletal radiology. Five months of clinical diagnostic radiology rotations are performed outside of Baptist Health System teaching hospitals, with four months at The Children’s Hospital for pediatric radiology, and one month at the University of Alabama Hospital for cardiac radiology.  There is an opportunity for 2 one month electives including one month at the American Institute for Radiologic Pathology (AIRP) Radiologic Pathology Correlation Course. Didactic courses in radiologic physics are offered at the University of Alabama Hospital as one or two-hour lectures over approximately eight weeks each year. Residents are required to take the American College of Radiology In-Training Examination each year.
The following table summarizes the subspecialty training residents receive in the diagnostic radiology program. The subspecialties are those recognized by the American Board of Radiology:

SPECIFIC ROTATIONS
Assignments during the first year of radiology training include one month of inpatient fluoroscopy, one month of nuclear medicine, five months of imaging rotations (computed tomography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging), two months of chest radiology and plain films, one month of pediatric radiology and two months of outpatient radiology.
The second year assignments include three months of angiography, one month of inpatient fluoroscopy, one month of nuclear medicine, three months of imaging rotations (computed tomography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging), two months of outpatient radiology, one month of breast imaging, one month of pediatric radiology and three months of cardiovascular and interventional radiology.
Physics courses during the first and second years cover general radiation physics and radiation biology and the physics of computed tomography, ultrasound, digital imaging and magnetic resonance imaging. Physics of nuclear medicine including quality control and safety are included in the first two years.
During the third year, clinical assignments include three months cardiovascular and interventional radiology, one month of chest radiology, two months of outpatient radiology, one month of pediatric radiology, and four months of imaging rotations (computed tomography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging) and one month at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. Third year physics includes a general review of physics in preparation for the American Board of Radiology written examination.
Fourth year rotations include two months of cardiovascular and interventional radiology, two months of nuclear medicine, two months of imaging (computed tomography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging), one month of breast imaging, two months of outpatient radiology, one month of cardiac radiology, one months of pediatric radiology, one month of elective time.

CONFERENCES AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Throughout the four-year program, daily conferences are held or supervised by the program faculty at each hospital. Other conferences include monthly residents’ conferences, inter-departmental residents’ conferences, pathology-radiology conferences and guest lecturers. Frequent informal clinical, radiological and pathological case reviews are conducted on cases of special interest. The residents are also invited to attend the various medical and surgical conferences and grand rounds.
The American College of Radiology teaching files are available at both Baptist Health System teaching hospitals for resident review. Other educational materials are available including a subscription to StatDx.
RADIOLOGY FACULTY AND HOSPITAL FACILITIES
Fourteen diagnostic radiologists are involved with resident education in our program in addition to the faculty at the University of Alabama Hospital and the Children’s Hospital. Faculty subspecialization includes fellowship training in interventional radiology, neuroradiology, abdominal imaging, musculoskeletal radiology and nuclear medicine. In addition, three radiation oncologists and a radiation physicist are available for consultation.
State-of-the-art imaging equipment, including five MR scanners and eight CT scanners, is present within our system. State of the art nuclear medicine equipment is available including PET-CT at both hospitals. More than 100,000 diagnostic radiological studies are done each year at each hospital, including approximately several hundred interventional procedures at each hospital.
Radiology residents participate daily in radiological examinations and interpretation, and each resident will perform numerous vascular and image-guided interventional image procedures during their training. During the nuclear medicine rotations, residents become familiar with PET and SPECT scintillation cameras, total body scanners, dosage calculation and administration, patient positioning, instrumentation and interpretation.
RESIDENTS
Over the years, many residents completing our program have completed fellowship training at numerous institutions across the country. Residents have entered practice in both academic and private settings and are practicing not only in the southeast but across the country.

Program Director: Bibb Allen, JR, MD, FACR	Assoc. Program Director: Allen B. Groves, MD	Assoc. Program Director: Colin C. Stewart, MD