The five year program consists of one year of preliminary clinical training (PGY1), followed by four years of training in medical imaging. All residents are encouraged to attend the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, DC where they receive a six week intensive didactic course in pathology correlated to imaging. This generally occurs during the PGY4 or PGY5 years. All residents must be knowledgeable about the physics of medical imaging. To that end, intensive instruction is provided in each of the PGY2 and PGY3 years.

Curriculum

PGY1
This year is spent learning clinical medicine and is divided between a core university teaching hospital and a community hospital, including two months of Internal Medicine and subspecialties, four months Surgery and subspecialties, two months of electives, and one month each of Pediatrics and Obstetrics/Gynecology.

PGY2
This is a core year in general radiology. After a 10 week introductory program, residents spend one or two months rotations on thoracic, musculoskeletal, abdominal and neuroradiology imaging. As well, there are one month rotations in CT and ultrasound.

PGY3
This year is divided into three to six month blocks at hospitals within the principal teaching hospitals. The principal rotations of PGY3 include ultrasound, nuclear medicine, neuroradiology, vascular-interventional radiology and more advanced general radiology including breast imaging.

PGY4
This year includes four months of pediatrics at The Hospital for Sick Children, additional training in vascular-interventional radiology and additional general radiology including breast imaging. MRI is included at all levels in relevant rotations and is available at all primary hospitals.

PGY5
This is an elective year designed by the PGY5 resident in consultation with the program director. This allows opportunity for personal selection of hospitals and electives including additional MRI training.

Dual Certification Program for Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine

One position is offered at the PGY3 level each year, for a trainee to enter the Dual Certification Program. This is a special and popular option. The training rotation of PGY3-5 are modified to accommodate extra focus on nuclear medicine and an additional PGY6 training year is required to meet The Royal College training requirements for Nuclear Medicine.

Conferences

This includes the Organ Imaging Review Course which is a week long internationally recognized imaging course held annually. In addition there are conferences in vascular and interventional imaging and obstetric ultrasound.