Career Development - Radiology

What Does Training Look Like?

Residency in diagnostic radiology involves one internship year, followed by four years of radiology intensive training. Some programs are integrated, while others are not, so it pays to really research programs. Residency in interventional radiology involves one internship year, followed by five years of radiology residency training. Many who pursue radiology also complete a 1- or 2-year fellowship.

 
Subspecialties
Subspecialties in radiology include:
  • Mammography and Women’s imaging
  • Interventional radiology
  • Neuroradiology
  • Musculoskeletal imaging
  • Body imaging
  • Pediatric radiology
  • Nuclear medicine
  • Additionally, some subspecialties are combined (e.g., neuro/MRI)
 
What Does a Typical Workday Look Like?

Diagnostic radiologists do not have clinic responsibilities. Throughout residency, residents should expect to work from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm or a little later, with on-call responsibilities. Interventional radiologists may spend one or two days a week seeing patients in a clinical setting.

 
Important Qualities and Traits
Qualities that make a good radiologist include:
  • Strong communication skills, particularly with other physicians.
  • A team-oriented mentality.
  • Strong skills in anatomy & pathology.
  • Strong attention to detail.
  • Those wishing to pursue interventional radiology also need to be comfortable with conducting procedures.
 
Shadowing Opportunities
Please contact  Dr. Mandy Weidenhaft, to arrange shadowing activities. 
 
Research Opportunities

For research opportunities, please contact the Vice Chair for Education in Radiology, Dr. Jeremy Nguyen.

Additionally, students may want to pursue research opportunities through the DeBakey Scholars Program. This program offers medical students the opportunity to pursue and complete a longitudinal, structured, closely supervised research experience culminating in a capstone presentation prior to graduation. For more information, contact Dr. Derek Pociask. 

 
Specialty Interest Group

The Radiology Interest Group (RIG) sponsors events that foster an interest in radiology as a specialty.

 

Recommended T3 & T4 Coursework

It’s recommended that students interested in pursuing radiology take two 2-week electives in the field. The first rotation will offer a broad overview, while the second allows the student to tailor their learning experience to a greater degree.

 
Specialty Statistics

Summary Statistics (from "Charting Outcomes in the Match 2022")

 

 

 

 

Matched 

Measure                                                                                              (n=638)                                                                                           

 

1.    Mean number of contiguous ranks

14.9

2.    Mean number of distinct specialties ranked

1.7

3.    Mean USMLE Step 1 score

245

4.    Mean USMLE Step 2 score

253

5.    Mean number of research experiences

4.6

6.    Mean number of abstracts, presentations, and publications

8.0

7.    Mean number of work experiences

3.2

8.    Mean number of volunteer experiences

7.2

9.    Percentage who are AOA members

19.3

10. Percentage who graduated from one of the 40 U.S. medical schools with the highest NIH funding

27.3

11. Percentage who have Ph.D. degree

4.2

12. Percentage who have another graduate degree

16.6

Note: Only U.S. MD seniors who gave consent to use their information in research are included.

Sources. NRMP Data Warehouse; Top 40 U.S. medical schools with the highest NIH funding in measure 10 is from the NIH website (http://report.nih.gov/award/index.cfm).

   
     

 

 

INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY

 

Matched 

Measure                                                                                              (n=106)                                                                                              

1.    Mean number of contiguous ranks

6.4

2.    Mean number of distinct specialties ranked

2.2

3.    Mean USMLE Step 1 score

245

4.    Mean USMLE Step 2 score

253

5.    Mean number of research experiences

5.5

6.    Mean number of abstracts, presentations, and publications

12.2

7.    Mean number of work experiences

3.6

8.    Mean number of volunteer experiences

7.6

9.    Percentage who are AOA members

20.8

10. Percentage who graduated from one of the 40 U.S. medical schools with the highest NIH funding

32.1

11. Percentage who have Ph.D. degree

4.9

12. Percentage who have another graduate degree

20.6

Note: Only U.S. MD seniors who gave consent to use their information in research are included.

Sources. NRMP Data Warehouse; Top 40 U.S. medical schools with the highest NIH funding in measure 10 is from the NIH website (http://report.nih.gov/award/index.cfm).

   

 

 
Special Considerations When Applying for Residency

No special considerations. Students will go through the NRMP Match process.

 
Important Advice

Do well on Step 1 and Step 2.

Determine the qualities that are most important to you for a good “fit.” Then, see if you can arrange an away rotation at places that have those qualities.

 
Where Past Tulane Students Have Matched (Past Five Years)
Diagnostic Radiology
Icahn SOM at Mount Sinai-NY NEW YORK NY 2019
MedStar Georgetown Univ Hosp-DC WASHINGTON DC 2019
U Kansas SOM-Kansas City KANSAS CITY KS 2019
UCLA Med Ctr-CA LOS ANGELES CA 2019
U Maryland Med Ctr BALTIMORE MD 2019
Mayo Clinic School of Grad Med Educ-MN ROCHESTER MN 2019
Ochsner Clinic Foundation‐LA NEW ORLEANS LA 2020
Tulane Univ SOM‐LA NEW ORLEANS LA 2020
Boston Univ Med Ctr‐MA BOSTON MA 2020
Baptist Mem Hosp‐TN MEMPHIS TN 2020
Rhode Island Hosp/Brown Univ PROVIDENCE RI 2020
U Southern California LOS ANGELES CA 2020
Barnes‐Jewish Hosp‐MO ST LOUIS MO 2020
Baylor Coll Med-Houston-TX HOUSTON TX 2021
Riverside University Health Sys-CA MORENO VALLEY CA 2021
Creighton Univ Affil Hosps-NE OMAHA NE 2021
Vanderbilt Univ Med Ctr-TN NASHVILLE TN 2021
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Med Ctr-NH LEBANON NH 2021
Tulane Univ SOM-LA NEW ORLEANS LA 2022
Johns Hopkins Hosp-MD BALTIMORE MD 2022
Yale-New Haven Hosp-CT NEW HAVEN CT 2022
Hosp of the Univ of PA PHILADELPHIA PA 2022
Santa Barbara Cottage Hosp-CA SANTA BARBARA CA 2022
Medical University of SC CHARLESTON SC 2023
UCLA Med Ctr-CA LOS ANGELES CA 2023
UC San Diego Med Ctr-CA SAN DIEGO CA 2022
Yale-New Haven Hosp-CT NEW HAVEN CT 2022
U Florida COM-Jacksonville JACKSONVILLE FL 2023
Mayo Clinic School of Grad Med Educ-AZ PHOENIX AZ 2023
U Michigan Hosps-Ann Arbor   MI 2023
Riverside Community Hospital-CA RIVERSIDE CA 2023
 
 
Interventional Radiology
Temple Univ Hosp‐PA PHILADELPHIA PA 2020
Montefiore Med Ctr/Einstein‐NY BRONX NY 2020
Vanderbilt Univ Med Ctr-TN NASHVILLE TN 2021
ISMMS Mount Sinai Hospital-NY NEW YORK NY 2021
NYP Hosp-Weill Cornell Med Ctr-NY NEW YORK NY 2022
MedStar Georgetown Univ Hosp-DC WASHINGTON DC 2022
UC Davis Med Ctr-CA SACRAMENTO CA 2022
University of Utah Health SALT LAKE CITY UT 2023
How Many Programs Should I Apply To?
 

Most applicants in diagnostic radiology apply to 39-69 programs. Most applicants in interventional radiology apply to 33-63 programs.