Curriculum Overview/Rotations
Diagnostic Radiology Program
The Department of Radiology offers a four year, preceptor-type program.
PGY-2
The first year of the radiologic subspecialties (pediatrics, genitourinary, gastrointestinal, chest, musculoskeletal, interventional/angiography, neuroradiology, ultrasound, body CT, and MRI). Residents attend a comprehensive didactic course in the physics of diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine taught by physicists in the Department of Radiology. Residents participate in evening and weekend assignments with direct faculty supervision.
PGY-3
The second year is primarily spent at the University of Rochester Medical Center/Strong Memorial Hospital; residents rotate through most of the radiologic subspecialties. Residents begin overnight work with a night-float system.
PGY-4
During the third year, residents again spend most of their training at the University of Rochester Medical Center, however select rotations are offered at University Medical Imaging, our primary outpatient facility. PGY-4 and PGY-5 cover the majority of in-house overnight work in a night float system. They have increased autonomy to match their growing skills.
PGY-5
Beginning in 2013, a flexible fourth year permits completion of any necessary components of the core curriculum and allows for about eight months of elective rotations.
Diagnostic Training: Typical Educational Rotations
| Category | Duration |
|---|---|
| Abdominal Imaging: GI/GU fluoroscopy, CT, MRI | 8 |
| Vascular/Interventional | 3 |
| Thoracic Imaging including Cardiac CT, MRI |
4 |
| Emergency Radiology - Plain Films | 2 |
| Emergency CT/US/MRI - Body & Neuroradiology - Night Float | 3 |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging | 2 |
| Musculoskeletal including MRI | 4 |
| Neuroradiology CT, MRI, etc. | 4 |
| Nuclear Medicine including PET-CT and Cardiac | 4 |
| Pediatric Imaging | 4 |
| Ultrasound including Obstetrics | 4 |
| Women’s Imaging | 3 |
| Subtotal: | 43 |
| Electives (including AIRP) | 9 |
| TOTAL | 54 |
Changes in the American Board of Radiology Certification Examination
The American Board of Radiology plans a significant restructuring of the Diagnostic Radiology Boards beginning in 2013. As proposed, this will eliminate the separate physics examination (usually taken in PGY-2), significantly change the timing and content of the initial certifying “written” examination (taken in PGY-4), eliminate the traditional oral examination taken at the end of PGY-5, and create a post-graduation specialty examination. We are following these changes closely. These proposed changes will affect all aspects of board preparation, including the timing of rotations in the third and fourth year. The University of Rochester program will be adjusted to account for these changes while meeting our clinical and educational missions.
