Program Overview – Independent

The UNC Department of Radiology Interventional Radiology Division delivers the highest level of quality patient care. We provide compassionate, appropriate, and effective care in a professional manner from residents, faculty, and staff alike. We serve a diverse patient population at UNC Hospitals, a renowned academic medical center, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The faculty’s three-part mission in clinical, educational, and scholarly accomplishment extends to each resident as well. Diverse best describes our program: diversity within our attendings, trainees, patient population, and breadth of procedures. Clinical care, trainee education, research opportunities, and involvement in conferences are in abundance. Preparing our residents for early success in patient care delivery and required national benchmarking are top priorities for the Department. Resident attendance at formal lectures, Grand Rounds, Multidisciplinary Conferences, American Institute of Radiology Pathology (AIRP), and Core Exam prep are all required and match the Diagnostic residency program. Dedicated time in vascular surgery, ICU, and elective time allow trainees to develop skills applicable to their future practice.

Trainees benefit from a focused interventional radiology lecture curriculum. During interventional radiology blocks, trainees get daily attending topic-focused lectures and participate in journal club, M&M, interesting case conference and dedicated research meetings. Trainees rotate through different locations to focus on skills such as clinic, inpatient consults and procedures. Rotation locations include our outpatient hospital, our office-based lab, general IR clinic, dedicated vein clinic and the vascular access center. If not already completed, trainees will rotate through the ICU and vascular surgery as well as our various sites.

A dedicated morning VIR lecture series has been constructed to teach trainees about the numerous disease pathologies and procedures within IR. In addition, interesting case topics, M&M, journal club, and review topics are presented on a monthly basis. Every Friday is reserved for a joint conference with vascular surgery.

While on diagnostic, trainees obtain lectures on call several months prior to July, when a new cohort of second-year radiology residents take lower-level call and third-year residents begin taking upper-level call. The wide variety of emergency radiology cases used by attendings during these lectures are often derived from real cases seen by residents while on their call shifts.

• PGY5/6 IR resident: Weekdays 5pm-7am
• PGY 5/6 IR resident: Weekends 5pm Fri – 7 am Mon

Independent residents will rotate on call evenly with ESIR PGY5 and integrated PGY5/6 residents. Residents are responsible for answering the VIR pager in a timely fashion, working up urgent and emergent consults, and performing procedures overnight with the call attending.

It is encouraged but not required of ESIR and independent IR residents to publish one paper during their 1-2 year independent residency. Residents are encouraged to present at national meetings and are excused from clinical responsibilities to attend approved educational meetings. Travel expenses for residents who present at approved conferences are reimbursed by the department. Independent residents are highly encouraged to attend the Residents Spring Practicum through SIR. In addition to this, residents are encouraged to present at and attend the vast array of DR and IR conferences available.

UNC Health Resident Salaries, Benefits, Policies/Procedures