Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program

Technology 

SIX 1.5 AND TWO 3 TESLA MRI UNITS ARE CURRENTLY IN CLINICAL USE. STATE-OF-THE-ART CT SCANNERS ARE INSTALLED AT ALL SITES. 

3:1 ratio 

EXCELLENT FACULTY TO RESIDENT TEACHING RATIO OF APPROXIMATELY 3 STAFF PER 1 RESIDENT.

Small program 

NO MORE THAN 8-9 FELLOWS IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, PROVIDING RESIDENTS WITH AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERESTING CASES AND PROCEDURES.

Interview/CaRMS Specific Information

All interviews for CaRMS 2024 will be through a virtual platform.

There will be no in-person interviews. Telephone interviews are not accepted. Each interview consists of 2-3 sessions (each approximately 20-30 minutes in length) with separate panels of radiologists and residents in the program. Each candidate will have the opportunity to meet with the program director.

Visit our profile on the CanPrepp Portal

Each interview consists of 2-3 sessions (each approximately 20-30 minutes in length) with separate panels of radiologists and residents in the program.

Contact Us

Dr. Craig Ferguson
Program Director, Diagnostic Radiology
Email: cwfergus@ualberta.ca

Cindy Doyle
Program Administrator
Email: cdoyle1@ualberta.ca


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Dr. Craig Ferguson
Program Director

Cindy Doyle
Program Administrator

Welcome to the Diagnostic Radiology residency program at the University of Alberta!

I am very proud of our residency program which provides comprehensive, world-class diagnostic imaging training in an inclusive and supportive environment.  We are fortunate to have state-of-the-art facilities and equipment. Our huge catchment area provides ample learning opportunities with large case volumes and the breadth of diverse pathologies. Residents benefit from a variety of training sites and access to the knowledge and expertise of over 90 radiologists. Our graduating residents are highly successful in obtaining fellowships and go on to successful careers in both academic and community radiology. The Program emphasizes wellness, mentorship, teaching, and leadership.  Residents in our program are welcoming, caring, and build close relationships with their cohorts.  We have the full package and if you match to our program, you will enjoy learning radiology in one of the best equipped and most supportive environments in the country.

Thank you for taking the time to consider our program and best of luck in the match!

Dr. Craig Ferguson
Program Director


Overview Video

Learn more about our Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program. 

Disclaimer: 
This video was created during the COVID-19 pandemic and some information may not be relevant to future years. This video contains residents and staff from the 2020 year and is not up to date with the most current resident cohort. Please note this video is 30 minutes long.

Our Program

The aim of the University of Alberta Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program is to teach residents the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to function as a safe, competent and independent consultant in the specialty of Diagnostic Radiology.

Meet Our Residents

Program Highlights

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Excellent faculty to resident teaching ratio of approximately 3 staff per 1 resident. Nuclear Medicine, Pediatric Radiology and Diagnostic Radiology are integral parts of the same department.

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Complete and comprehensive diagnostic radiology residency training with no areas of weakness.

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Ability to work and report from home during the Covid pandemic.

A strong emphasis on resident leadership is an integral component of our program. Formalized mentoring is embedded within our program for all residents at all stages of training.

Responsive engaged RPC with ample resident representation. The RPC includes four resident representatives as well as a staff Wellness Representative to ensure resident wellness is considered in all program initiatives.

The clinical faculty consists of approximately 90 radiologists at the teaching hospitals and is composed of both subspecialty radiologists in all of the major disciplines, as well as community radiologists.

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 Year-round academic half-day incorporating a two-year rotating block teaching curriculum, physics course and numerous other academic activities including CanMeds sessions, dedicated anatomy teaching with the Division of Anatomy and review sessions. Daily rounds are conducted by faculty. Journal Club and Visiting Professor Series take place year round.

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A huge referral base, including northern Alberta and parts of British Columbia, ensures a large volume of adult and pediatric cases with diverse pathology.
Residents are exposed to the full range of imaging modalities and techniques in all areas of medicine, utilizing state-of-the-art equipment.

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Residents are provided fully funded on-line resources such as StatDx, RadPrimer, and IMAIOS e-anatomy. Funding for the American Institute for Radiologic Pathology (AIRP) course in Washington, D.C and one conference (major radiology meeting or review course) is provided for all residents. Resident research presentations at the provincial, national and international levels are currently funded by the Department.

Province-wide electronic healthcare record system allowing patient information, lab results, operative reports and diagnostic imaging to be accessed from sites across Alberta and with remote access (e.g., through a mobile device or at home).

Excellent faculty to resident teaching ratio of approximately 3 staff per 1 resident. Nuclear Medicine, Pediatric Radiology and Diagnostic Radiology are integral parts of the same department.

No more than 8-9 fellows in any given year, providing residents with ample opportunity to avail themselves of interesting cases and participate in procedures.
Residents have ample opportunity to be involved in teaching of junior colleagues, off-service residents, and medical students.

Residents train at multiple tertiary and community hospitals. Community clinic rotations for senior residents providing an excellent ambulatory and transition to practice experience. Our program is flexible and can tailor training experiences to meet the future career goals of our residents.


Program Supports

 

Our program is committed to and is a recognized Leader in Resident Wellness including multiple academic publications focused on resident wellness. Multiple radiology resident representatives sit on the PGME Wellness Committee. Our response to COVID-19 included modifications to our program that emphasized resident safety and wellness by allowing residents to obtain up to 2 hours per day of credit for wellness-related activities.

A resident-driven Social Committee hosts multiple events including annual golf tournaments, welcome/farewell events, and resident social events. Additional events have also previously been sponsored by the faculty, the Alberta Society of Radiologists, funding from Post-Graduate Medical Education, and others. In more recent times, the Social Committee has focused on creating virtual resident events and works closely with our RPC Wellness representative to ensure optimal socialization in a safe environment.


Residency at a Glance

The program is based in the University of Alberta Hospital and the Royal Alexandra Hospital, in association with the Stollery Children's Hospital, the Cross Cancer Institute, Sturgeon Community Hospital, Strathcona Community Hospital and the Grey Nuns Community Hospital. The University of Alberta Hospital (including the Stollery Children's Hospital) and the Royal Alexandra Hospital are large quaternary/tertiary care hospitals serving a population in excess of 1 million people. Each hospital imaging department performs in excess of 200,000 examinations per year.

 

Year 1
PGY-1: The first postgraduate year is a basic clinical training year. Residents rotate through surgery, internal medicine, emergency, pediatrics, pediatric emergency, obstetrics/gynecology, intensive care/coronary care and anatomical pathology with one block of elective time and one Neuro selective block. The year concludes with an introductory orientation to radiology, which includes a lecture series in medical physics, cadaveric anatomy sessions, tutorials to develop dictation skills, and training in the use of PACS. A PGY-1 Introduction to Radiology curriculum is being developed which will be delivered as part of the academic half day.
Year 2
PGY-2: The first 4 blocks are 4 week introductory rotations in Thoracic Radiology, Neuroradiology (CT), Body Imaging (CT), Fluoroscopy and Plain Film Radiology geared towards preparation for call. The first two months of call is senior-junior call with graduated call responsibilities for the PGY-2 resident. Call is a night float system. There is 24/7 in house staff radiologist coverage. The remainder of the year consists of rotations in emergency radiology, fluoroscopy, two months of ultrasound and additional blocks of Body Imaging, Neuroradiology and Pediatric Radiology. PGY2 residents also have dedicated half-day teaching sessions in physics and anatomy, as well as an introduction to Ultrasound course.
Year 3
PGY-3: This year consists of two 4-week rotations in Nuclear Medicine, Angio/Interventional and Ultrasound and 4 week blocks in MRI, Body CT, Head and Neck Imaging and Pediatric Radiology. Physics sessions continue for the first half of the PGY3 year.
Year 4
PGY-4: Core rotations include 4 week blocks in Breast Imaging, Oncologic Imaging, Obstetrical Ultrasound, an 8 week block of Thoracic Radiology (plain film studies including ICU examinations and Chest CT), Cardiac Imaging, Community CT and senior rotations in Neuroradiology (principally MR), Body Imaging and Musculoskeletal Radiology. This year also includes the AIRP course and one elective block. Additional body MRI teaching sessions are also provided.
Year 5
PGY-5: This year is designed with maximum flexibility for the resident, in order that time can be spent in areas of special interest and to review core areas in radiology. Most residents complete rotations in Interventional Ultrasound, MRI, Nuclear Medicine, Neuroradiology, Body Imaging, Musculoskeletal Radiology, Pediatric Radiology, Breast Imaging and Junior Staff rotations. Residents are typically released from call responsibilities by January of their final year, in preparation for their Royal College examinations. There is a block of dedicated exam preparation. Multiple review sessions are provided in the months prior to the Royal College exams.

Teaching Hospitals

The University of Alberta Hospital (including the Stollery Children's Hospital) and the Royal Alexandra Hospital are large quaternary/tertiary care hospitals serving a population in excess of 1 million people. Each hospital imaging department performs in excess of 200,000 examinations per year.

University of Alberta Hospital (UAH): 650+ bed quaternary care centre treating over 700,000 patients annually and a leading clinical, teaching and research hospital in Western Canada.

Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH): Features one of Canada's busiest emergency departments and one of the largest and longest serving hospitals in Edmonton.

Stollery Children's Hospital: Referral centre for pediatric cardiac surgery in Western Canada and national leader in organ transplantation. Referral base of 1.7 million.

Cross Cancer Institute (CCI): One of the two major cancer centres in Alberta, situated near University campus.

Grey Nuns Community Hospital (GNH): 267 bed large community hospital situated in southeast Edmonton providing a full range of services.

Mazankowski Heart Institute (MAZ): Leading cardiac hospital in Western Canada including both adult and pediatric cardiac and cardiovascular surgery, intenstive care, and cardiology research. 

Sturgeon Community Hospital (SCH): 80 bed community hospital serving the community of St. Albert, at the northwest border of Edmonton.

Strathcona Community Hospital: Urgent care centre serving the community of Sherwood Park


Subspecialties

The clinical faculty consists of approximately 90 radiologists at the teaching hospitals and is composed of both subspecialty radiologists in all of the major disciplines (pediatric radiology, chest radiology, musculoskeletal radiology, neuroradiology, body imaging, vascular/interventional radiology, cardiac imaging, and nuclear medicine) and community radiologists.

Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Radiology are integral parts of the same department. The Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program and Combined Nuclear Medicine/Radiology Program are closely affiliated. All of the nuclear medicine physicians are dual-certified in radiology, providing excellent teaching in a collegial environment. Resources include PET-CT at the University Hospital and SPECT-CT at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is call like?
Call is completed using a night float model. A night float week consists of 7 straight nights of working from 11:00 PM to 8:00 AM beginning with a pre-call day on Friday and ending with a post call day the following Friday. Residents also complete evening shifts from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM. PGY-2, 3, and 4 residents complete an Emergency Radiology block each year to complete a large portion of their call at once. This model has resulted in significant improvements in resident wellness and learning.
How many fellows does your program usually have (ie how much hands-on experience do residents get)?
Our program typically has 2-3 Body fellows, 1-2 IR fellows, 1-2 MSK fellows, 1 Pediatric fellow, and 0-1 Neuro fellows. Residents get lots of hands-on experience with efforts made by our program to ensure residents and fellows are on differing schedules. Our large catchment area and access to myriad academic and community hospitals and clinics limits competition between residents and fellows while maximizing teaching and collaboration.
How much conference funding is available?

Guaranteed at least $2000 for international conference and $1000 for Canadian conference at least once when presenting. Additional requests will be considered on a case by case basis but are usually approved. Funding is available for audits, research projects, or educational exhibits.

Do I need to drive?
LRT/public transit is good enough to get to the vast majority of your rotations and academic sessions. The LRT (train) comes right to both the RAH and UAH and runs between the two major teaching sites; the GNH will be connected by 2022. There are some rotations at alternate sites which are more challenging to get to via transit; however, it is feasible.