Interventional Radiology Fellowship Program

The Interventional Radiology Fellowship Program is currently looking for 2025 candidates. The closing date for applications is September 1.  Interviews will be done in October.

*Off-cycle positions are occasionally available.

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One-year clinical fellowship of postgraduate medical education in vascular imaging and interventional radiology.

Institutions
The program is based in the academic Department of Radiology at the University of Alberta and is organized in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine, Office of Postgraduate Medical Education. Funding is provided by Medical Imaging Consultants. Clinical aspects of the program will occur mainly at the University of Alberta and Royal Alexandra Hospitals and to a lesser extent at the Grey Nuns Hospital.

Responsibility
Interventional Fellowship mentor - Dr. Rohan Parab
Professor & Chair - Dr. Derek Emery

Structure of Clinical Rotation
The clinical rotation is primarily in angiography and fluoroscopically guided interventional procedures commencing with initial referral, diagnostic evaluation, procedural work and post procedure care. Fellows are expected to be involved in the interventional clinic, assessment of hospital inpatients and patient evaluation and discharge. Options are available for US and CT guided procedures.. Time and opportunity are also available for MR, ultrasound and CT vascular imaging. Dedicated research time will be available up to one day per week.

Evaluation
Quarterly via the mentor to the Fellowship Program Director.

Resources and Expectations


Staff/Supervision:
Daily supervision will be provided by radiologists with a focused interest in vascular and interventional radiology. Radiology staff will be present in the area at all times.


Clinical:
There are 6 digital flat panel angiographic rooms and one bi-plane angio room in the three hospitals, a hybrid OR suite will also soon be available. Ultrasound units are present in the angio suite at all sites. The full spectrum of interventional procedures are carried out at the three sites covering neuro interventional, gynaecological, urological, paediatric and hepatobiliary intervention as well as diagnostic and therapeutic vascular and venous access/procedures. There is substantial involvement in the regional transplant programme, a busy interventional oncology practice as well as specialized areas of practice in areas such as vascular malformations, fertility, islet cell transplants and trauma. Tertiary referrals come from much of Western Canada.

All sites have state of art ultrasound facilities with in excess of 20 ultrasound units capable of detailed vascular imaging. There is a busy ultrasound guided procedure practice.

There are 5 MR units capable of MR Angiography (3 < 3 years old) sited at the three hospitals.

There are 7 CT scanners (3 are 64 slice or dual).

The Fellow is expected to provide clinical supervision of patients, learn pre and post-procedural care, and provide on-going support and consultation to clinical services.

Educational Program
The fellow is expected to attend weekly clinical grand rounds, bi weekly interventional rounds, departmental and specialized journal clubs, Fellows are expected to attend one National/International specialist intervention meeting during the year. Teaching responsibilities will be to residents and technical staff at clinical meetings, lectures and in-service teaching. This may include supervision of residents for simple interventional procedures.

Research Program
The fellow will be involved in both the clinical and basic science research programs of the department. Dedicated time, case material, library, office space, literature and secretarial support will be made available.

Specific Objectives
This Fellowship program has been designed to allow the fellow to acquire an extensive knowledge of Vascular and Interventional Radiology involving several modalities and to develop procedural skills to a proficient level. By the end of the year, the fellow will have demonstrated proficiency and will be practicing independently. This will be achieved through a combination of clinical service, research and education as outlined below:

Clinical Objectives
Angiography and Interventional procedures:
The fellow will keep a log book and at the end of one year is expected to have gained extensive clinical experience as follows:
  • Proficient Experienced Limited Experience
  • Diagnostic arteriography and venography in all areas (excluding specialist neuro-radiology)
  • Specialist procedures in renal and mesenteric domains.
  • Tumour embolization.
  • Thoracic and abdominal aortic stent grafts, branched aortic and fenestrated grafts
  • Arterial and venous angioplasty, vascular stents, thrombolysis and embolisation techniques. Cholangiography, hepatic embolisation, stent placements and portosystemic shunts. Percutaneous islet cell transplantation.
  • Placement of peripheral and central venous catheters, dialysis access and A/V fistulae maintenance. Specialist urological procedures. Fallopian tube recannalization, percutaneous sclerotherapy.
  • Biopsy and drainage procedures, nephrostomy and ureteric stent placement. Uterine fibroid and gonadal vein embolizations. Transarterial radioembolization
  • Ultrasound guided procedures Transarterial chemoembolization Radiofrequency ablation.
  • Skill development - proficient 25 + cases
  • Experienced 10 - 25 cases
  • Limited experience 1 - 10 cases
Duplex Ultrasound and Ultrasound Intervention:
At the end of one year, the IR Fellow will have examined and reported 200 vascular ultrasound studies and carried out 100 Ultrasound guided interventional procedures.

CTA/MRA
During the year the IR Fellow is expected to have had significant experience of peripheral Vascular/Renal CTA/MRA studies.

Research Objectives
Minimum expectations for research by the IR Fellow will be:
  • To start and complete one clinical project
  • To start and complete one basic science project
  • To be involved in ongoing departmental research.
  • This will result in a minimum of two scientific presentations and publications.
Education
  • The Fellow will receive continuous teaching throughout the clinical rotations with staff present at all times.
  • The Fellow will make at least one presentation at the Department of Radiology, Grand Rounds.
  • The Fellow will be invited to present two or three lectures to a variety of students, residents and departments within the Faculty of Medicine.
  • Twice monthly, the mentor (or supervisor) will have a teaching or case review session with the fellow.
  • The fellow is expected to attend the Journal Club and to present the case material on at least one occasion.
  • The fellow will attend the angio interventional rounds when they occur (Monthly)

Application Prerequisites:

  • Applicants should have successfully completed (or be in progression towards) a recognized Radiology postgraduate qualification (FRCPC, FRCR, etc.).
  • Due to CPSA licensing requirements, all physicians practising in Alberta need to be able to communicate clearly with their patients in English. Unless exempt, you need to complete an academic version of an English Language Proficiency (ELP) test within 24 months before submitting your CPSA application. 

** CPSA needs to be able to verify the test results. Please visit the CPSA website for more information.

https://cpsa.ca/physicians/registration/english-language-proficiency/

Please contact our department for further information regarding the application process.