Residency Program

Interventional Radiology

Rochester General Hospital

Interventional Radiology Residency - Rochester General Hospital

Director’s Letter

Welcome to the Rochester General Hospital Interventional Radiology Residency Program. I want to thank you for your interest in our residency program, which is a dual certificate program in Interventional Radiology and Diagnostic Radiology (IR/DR) at Rochester General Hospital. In my opinion, interventional radiology is the most fascinating and groundbreaking field in medicine. It combines ingenious minimally invasive procedures, technical savvy, and creativity with the wonders of modern diagnostic imaging, all while delivering lasting relationships through true clinically oriented medicine.

At RGH Interventional Radiology, we view ourselves as an intimate division and program, with experienced IRs mentoring not only the technical aspects of minimally invasive image-guided procedures, but the nuances and importance of clinical care in the pre-procedural workup to post-procedural follow-up. This is combined with an ideal learning environment in becoming an expert at diagnostic imaging interpretation. The two residencies are complementary and perfectly intertwined. I cannot express enough how being an interventional radiologist is absolutely the most gratifying job in the world. We absolutely love what we do. That’s why we are excited to teach the next generation of IRs.

Raj Pyne, MD, FSIR
Program Director

About the Program

The Rochester General Hospital Interventional Radiology Residency is composed of the Integrated IR/DR Residency, the Independent IR Residency, and the Early Specialization in Interventional Radiology (ESIR) programs. The Integrated IR/DR residency is a five-year training program built from the ground up to train residents in all aspects of the increasingly clinical world of Interventional Radiology. The Integrated Interventional Residency is fully accredited program by the ACGME. The complementary Diagnostic Radiology residency at RGH has been certified and training radiology residents for decades, including being accredited for ESIR. Finally, our Independent IR Residency offers one- and two-year positions for graduates of Diagnostic Radiology residencies as well. The field of IR has evolved greatly over the past decade. IR procedures have replaced many surgeries with incredibly complex minimally invasive solutions. As IR advances, the new paradigm for IR is to be a true clinical service.

All other procedural or surgical fields realized long ago that you need to provide periprocedural services to adequately treat patients, treating the disease itself completely rather than technically performing a procedure someone else asked you to do. Thus, we have rethought our IR division recently by building a clinical model where we actively recruit and get referred patients with complex issues, work them up de novo in IR clinic or see them as true inpatient consults in the hospital, create a plan, perform their procedure (or develop an alternative plan), then follow them up as inpatients by rounding daily on them, and finally follow them longitudinally in IR clinic.

This paradigm shift has been so eye-opening that many realized the training between diagnostic radiology and IR had to change, for the better. The classic pathway of 4 years of Diagnostic Radiology followed by 12 months of IR was not sufficient for training nor was it optimal to create clinically oriented, patient-centered interventional radiologists. The plan was to create a new track for trainees interested in pursuing interventional radiology. The new track would be a dual certificate in IR and DR to complement both but to have the IR training be more clinical and global. On September 11th, 2012, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), which allows for all board certification, approved a new dual primary certificate in interventional radiology (IR) and diagnostic radiology (DR). Interventional Radiology (IR) thus officially became the 37th medical specialty in medicine in 2012.

The entire IR residency program here at Rochester General Hospital was built from the ground up (with input from numerous current and former residents) with the ideal training environment the foremost agenda. The first three years will involve mastering diagnostic radiology in a busy diagnostic imaging department, during which time trainees learn to interpret all imaging modalities with confidence. The dedicated IR years are spent immersed in a robust clinical interventional radiology division with seven board-certified interventional radiologists and aided by four physician assistants, which is thriving and growing every year.

Curriculum

Integrated IR/DR Residency

During the first 3 years (PGY 2-4) of this IR/DR residency, trainees will train almost indistinguishably alongside the Diagnostic Radiology residents, including the same educational goals and objectives. The only difference will be some added IR rotations in these first three years. All responsibilities including call will otherwise be identical. In PGY-5 and 6, the IR/DR residents will focus their training on all aspects of interventional radiology, including both technical skills as well as clinical care. The overarching goal is for trainees in our program to become adept in the interpretation of all diagnostic imaging modalities as well as to become skilled and proficient in not only the technical skills of minimally invasive image-guided procedures, but also the compassionate care of their patients both before and after the procedure. The goal of the program is to graduate confident, independent practitioners able to both lead a true clinical IR service while also having the ability to be a productive diagnostic radiologist in either academic or private practice.

ESIR (Early Specialization in Interventional Radiology)

Each year, any of the interested second year diagnostic radiology are allowed to apply for ESIR designation within our program. This is based off of IR rotation performance, DR rotation performance, in-service scores, board scores, and overall fit in our program. One ESIR resident will be selected annually. During their fourth DR year (PGY-5), this resident will have a special concentration in IR, completing 10 months of IR or IR-related rotations, including an ICU month and a month at our dedicated vein clinic. They will also perform over 500 procedures, allowing them to get ESIR designation and be able to apply to one-year Independent IR Residency positions. Our ESIR resident and Integrated IR resident have nearly identical schedules in their PGY-5 year.

Independent Interventional Radiology Residency

Independent IR Residency is a two-year program in PGY-6 (for one-year applicants who have completed ESIR) or PGY-6 and PGY-7 (for two-year applicants) allowing a diagnostic radiology resident who has successfully completed DR residency to further train in interventional radiology at our institution. This will replace the previous IR fellowship, allowing residents who became interested in IR later or who did not match into the Integrated Program to complete the requisite training and sit for the IR/DR exam to become eligible for the dual IR/DR certificate. Trainees who successfully complete the Independent IR residency and pass the boards will be identical in certification to those who complete the Integrated IR residency. Resident will have all of their 12-24 months dedicated to clinical IR training, including core IR rotations, ICU rotations, Vein Institute rotations, neurointerventional rotations, electives, and dedicated research time.

PGY-1

ROTATIONWEEKS
ER8
Body8
Chest4
Ultrasound6
IR6
Nuclear4
Mammo4
MSK4
Neuro4
Peds4
TOTAL52

PGY-2

ROTATIONWEEKS
ER4
Body4
Chest7
Ultrasound4
IR8
Nuclear4
Mammo4
MSK4
Neuro4
Peds4
Night Float5
TOTAL52

PGY-3

ROTATIONWEEKS
Chest4
IR/Research8
Nuclear4
Mammo4
MSK4
Neuro5
Peds4
AIRP4
Advanced Imaging11
Night Float4
TOTAL52

PGY-4

ROTATIONWEEKS
IR Procedures/Clinic12
IR Consult/Vascular Imaging/Procedures24
ICU4
Elective/Research4
Diagnostic – Nucs4
Diagnostic – Mammo4
TOTAL52

PGY-5

ROTATIONWEEKS
IR Procedures/Clinic30
IR Consult/Vascular Imaging/Procedures6
The Vein Institute8
Elective/Research4
NeuroIR4
TOTAL52

PGY-6

ROTATIONWEEKS
IR Procedures/Clinic30
IR Consult/Vascular Imaging/Procedures6
The Vein Institute4
Elective/Research8
NeuroIR4
TOTAL52

What We Do

The Division of Interventional Radiology at Rochester General Hospital is a busy practice performing the full spectrum of IR. We are comprised of seven fellowship-trained interventional radiologists, four of whom are covering IR services each day. In addition, we are supported by an amazing staff including four physician assistants, IR technologists, nurses, dedicated ultrasound technologists, and wonderful administrative staff in order to cover our multiple sites and robust IR clinic.

Vascular Disease

Angiography Trauma embolization and stenting GI bleed embolization Visceral aneurysm repair Complex aortic endoleak repair Varicocele embolization AVM and venous malformation embolization TIPS BRTO/CARTO/PARTO Peripheral arterial disease Tumor/pre-operative embolization Post-partum hemorrhage embolization High risk pregnancy prophylactic balloon placement Hemoptysis – bronchial artery embolization Epistaxis – internal maxillary artery embolization Renal artery stenting Mesenteric artery stenting

Venous thromboembolism/Pulmonary embolism/May Thurner Syndrome

Venography DVT thrombolysis Chronic total occlusion crossing and venous reconstruction Inferior vena cava filter placement Standard and complex inferior vena filter retrieval Pulmonary embolism thrombolysis and thrombus extraction

Cancer/Oncologic Treatment

Liver-directed therapies Y-90 radioembolization Chemoembolization (TACE) Bland embolization Ablation Microwave ablation Radiofrequency ablation Cryoablation Portal vein embolization Port placement and Hickman catheter placement Intrathecal chemotherapy administration Bone marrow biopsies Paracentesis and thoracentesis Tunneled effusion and ascites catheter

Spine Interventions

Kyphoplasty (vertebral augmentation) Spinal tumor ablation Spine biopsy Lumbar punctures Myelograms

Women’s Health

Uterine Fibroid Embolization Ovarian vein embolization for pelvic congestion syndrome Post-partum hemorrhage embolization High risk pregnancy prophylactic balloon placement Tubal recanalization

Gastrointestinal/Biliary/Portal Hypertension

TIPS Portal vein embolization Gastrostomy/gastrojejunostomy tube placement Treatment of GI hemorrhage Cholangiography Biliary drain placement Biliary stenting Cholecyostomy and gall bladder drainage

Nephrology Disorders

Hemodialysis fistula placement/maintenance Dialysis central venous access Renal angioplasty and stenting Fistula/graft maintenance and thrombolysis

Urological Disease

Renal tumor ablation Prostate artery embolization Bladder embolization Nephrostomy placement and maintenance Ureteral stent placement Tract access for lithotripsy Suprapubic catheter placement

Lymphatic Disorders

Lymphangiography Thoracic duct embolization

Central venous access

PICC, PowerLine, Chest port, Hickman, Tunneled dialysis catheter Difficult intravenous access including Transhepatic/Translumbar Chest port removal

CT and Ultrasound-guided procedures

Soft tissue/organ biopsy Bone biopsy Paracentesis/Thoracentesis Abscess drainage Lymphocele/cyst drainage and sclerosis

Pain Management

Celiac plexus nerve block and neurolysis Superior hypogastric nerve block and neurolysis

Miscellaneous

Foreign body retrieval Fistulous tract closure Neurological and spinal endovascular disorders

How to Apply

Under ACGME and SIR guidance, and in trying to keep as fair and safe as possible for all prospective applicants, residency interviews at Rochester General Hospital will be offered virtually.

We welcome candidates of all backgrounds with diversity in both their academic and personal experiences. For this application year, we will have one (IR1/PGY-2) interventional radiology resident position in the Medical Student Match. Applications are accepted from September 1st  through October 15th. Applicants are selected to interview by the Selection Committee as soon as we are allowed to start reviewing applications on September 29th, with invites sent out over the subsequent weeks. Interviews are offered on a rolling basis. We strongly encourage you to apply as early as possible as interview slots get filled early.

All applications must be submitted through ERAS. We require a minimum of:

  • 3 Letters of reference
  • CV
  • Dean’s Letter
  • Personal Statement

Applicants should contact their medical schools, or see the ERAS Web site for more information on this service.

If you are also interested in applying to the Diagnostic Radiology program, please understand that you must fill out a separate application to each program to be considered for both, even though only one interview will be required for us to rank you on both lists

Deadline for Application: October 15

*Applicants may apply for either or both programs. Ranking in each program is done independently

Due to the number of inquiries we receive, we are unable to review any application information that is not submitted through ERAS.

All first-year resident appointments are made through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). The table above lists the number of positions and NRMP number for our program.

Integrated IR/DR Program*

2

R1 Position

1509416A0

NRMP Number

Diagnostic Radiology Program*

5

R1 Positions

1509420A0

NRMP Number

Independent IR Program (IR Fellowship)

1

R1 Position

1509415F0

NRMP Number

Information for Applicants Selected to Interview

Interviews

All interviews will be held virtually on Zoom to be as safe and fair as possible for all invited applicants. After selecting applicants to be formally interviewed at Rochester General Hospital for the Integrated IR/DR program, specific information will be sent to you directly via email to pick a suitable date. All links and details on how to log on to the virtual interview day will also be sent with clear instructions. For those IR/DR applicants also interested in applying to the Diagnostic Radiology program (which is encouraged), one combined interview day will suffice for both programs for your interview. Please note that to be considered and ranked for both programs, you MUST apply separately to both programs through the NRMP.

Virtual Interview Schedule

Monday Evening of Interview Week: Program Director Introductions
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday Interview Days:

  • 7:50am: IR Applicants Virtual Arrival
  • 8:00am: Cohort A interviews (6 candidates)
  • 10:00am: Cohort B interviews (6 candidates)
  • 11:30am: Resident Roundtable Discussion
  • 12:00pm: Noon Conference
  • 1:15pm: Cohort C interviews (6 candidates)

Please note all above times are Eastern Standard Time (all attempts will be made to have West Coast applicants in Cohort C)

Benefits & Compensation

The following is a list of benefits granted to all residents at no charge.

Physics Course

1 week Physics course, full tuition and conference allowance provided

AIRP™

4 weeks American Institute for Radiologic Pathology (AIRP™), full tuition and conference allowance provided

Moonlighting

In-house moonlighting available for R2-5 residents in good professional and academic standing

Vacation

5 weeks of paid vacation per year. Additional Paid Time Off (PTO) provided for academic achievements

Professional Liability Insurance

Professional liability insurance is provided by Rochester General Hospital’s insurance program for activities required by the residency program.

Term Life Insurance

$10,000 employer paid coverage with option to purchase added coverage up to 4 times annual salary.

Plan for Short-term Disability

Full salary is continued during off-the-job disability up to 26 weeks

Long-term Disability

Option to purchase 50-67% of pay coverage

Retirement Program

Option to enroll in tax deferred annuity plan.

Dental Plan

Option to purchase one of two plans available

Textbooks

First year IR residents receive the latest editions of the requisite IR textbooks in addition to book

Radiation Protection

IR residents will be sized to purchase their own lead vest and skirt along with eye radiation protection for use throughout their residency and beyond

Resident salaries by program year:

$63,500

PGY-2

$66,000

PGY-3

$69,000

PGY-4

$71,000

PGY-5

$73,000

PGY-6

Why Rochester?

The Greater Rochester area, in the Finger Lakes region of New York, is a truly unique place to live and work. Rochester’s urban arts, entertainment and dining venues are complemented by surrounding suburban, rural and lakefront communities. This results in a wealth of options for work and play.

Program Contacts

Raj Pyne, MD, FSIR

Program Director, Interventional Radiology Residency Associate Program Director, Diagnostic Radiology Residency

Additional Information

Email
Phone: 585-922-2932

Joel P. Thompson, MD

Joel Thompson, MD

Program Director, Diagnostic Radiology Residency Associate Program Director, IR/DR Residency

Additional Information

Email
Phone: 585-922-2932

Raquel Redman, MPA

Practice Manager, RRH Ambulatory Imaging and Program Coordinator, IR, DR, and Neuroradiology Residency Programs

Additional Information

Email
Phone: 585-922-5940

Margot Schutte, MS

Program Coordinator, IR, DR, & Neuroradiology

Additional Information

Email
Phone: 585-922-2932

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How will residency interviews for the Integrated IR and DR programs be held this year?

All residency interviews at Rochester General Hospital will be held virtually for 2021-2022 to allow for a safe and fair application process. No in-person interviews are available, even for local or nearby applicants. Full details will be sent to invited applications.

When do you start to accept applications?

Per the 2021-2022 NRMP Match, we can officially start accepting applications for the Integrated IR Residency on September 1st, 2021. Registration opens at 12:00 pm ET. Applications are accepted through October 15th, 2021. Applications are reviewed by the Selection Committee starting on September 29th when first allowed, and invites are generally within 1 month. Interviews are offered on a rolling basis. We strongly encourage you to apply as early as possible as interview slots get filled early.

What is the application deadline?

Our application deadline is October 15th, 2021, but we start selecting applicants for interview starting in late September. As our virtual interview dates fill on a rolling basis, we strongly recommend that you get your application in before October 15th for the best chance to be reviewed and selected.

How many residents do you accept per year?

For the Integrated IR match, we will currently be accepting applications from qualified candidates for one IR/DR resident Advanced (A) position to start in the 2023-2024 academic year (after a year of internship in the 2022-2023 academic year). We will also be accepting applications in our Diagnostic Radiology (DR) residency training program for 4 Advanced (A) positions – we are officially approved for the ESIR designation available to diagnostic residents, which will allow ESIR-accepted residents to complete a one-year Independent IR Residency instead of the traditional two-year Independent IR Residency. Finally, we will be accepting applications from third year radiology residents for a one- or two-year Independent IR position to start in the 2023-2024.

When will I find out if I was accepted for an interview?

We will start reviewing applications in late September immediately after applications are allowed to be reviewed. We will send out invitations for interviews via email in the beginning of October. More interview invitations will be given out later as needed. We will have interview days in October, November, and December. IR and DR applicants are interviewed on the same dates. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you get your application in before October 15th for the best chance to be reviewed and selected for an interview.

What is the difference between Integrated IR Residency, Independent IR Residency, and ESIR?

Integrated IR Residency is a five-year training residency which matches one applicant per year from medical school for 5 continuous years of training (PGY-2 through PGY-6) in RGH after internship, providing 3 years of diagnostic training followed by 2 years of clinical IR training at the same institution. Ultimately, graduating this program will culminate in the ability to sit for the dual IR/DR exam and being board-certificated to practice both interventional radiology and diagnostic radiology. Last year, 380+ US-grad applicants applied for 136 positions in the Integrated residency, thus making it the most competitive medical specialty currently. RGH is currently offering one Integrated IR position per year in our program.

Independent IR Residency is a one-or-two-year program in PGY-6 and PGY-7 allowing a diagnostic radiology resident who has successfully completed DR residency to further train in interventional radiology. This will replace the previous IR fellowship, allowing residents who became interested in IR later or who did not match into the Integrated Program to complete the requisite training and sit for the IR/DR exam to become eligible for the dual IR/DR certificate. Trainees who successfully complete the Independent IR residency and pass the boards will be identical in certification to those who complete the Integrated IR residency. RGH is currently offering one Independent IR residency position per year through the NRMP match.

ESIR (Early Specialization in Interventional Radiology) is a pathway that shortens the above Independent IR Residency to one year by completing a required amount of IR and IR-related rotations in the fourth and final DR year (think of it as a formalized mini-fellowship year). The RGH diagnostic radiology program has been approved for ESIR and has already internally selected one of our second year DR residents. If you apply and are selected for this program and successfully complete it, it shows that you have met minimum standards and requirements. Therefore, you are required to then complete only one year after separately matching into an Independent IR Residency (either at RGH or elsewhere). However, ESIR does not guarantee you a position in RGH’s or any other program’s Independent IR residency – you still must separately apply to this through the NRMP and match into a program. It is officially considered a second residency. Any DR resident in the RGH program can apply for the ESIR program during their second (PGY-3) year.

Can I apply to the IR/DR program as well as the DR program?

Absolutely. We know that some applicants will only be applying to IR/DR residency programs as that is their only goal. However, given the limited amount of IR/DR residency positions around the nation and given how competitive it is, we know that many applicants will also be applying to Diagnostic Radiology residency spots as an alternative or backup with the option of applying to an IR Independent Residency position (possibly with ESIR) after completion, akin to what a previous IR fellowship was. Residents finishing an integrated program or an Independent residency at RGH both will be ready to take the certifying/oral exam in IR and will be ready to practice IR in either academics or private practice.

This year, in addition to our IR/DR position, we will also be accepting applications in our Diagnostic Radiology (DR) residency training program for 4 Advanced (A) positions. We are approved for the ESIR designation available to diagnostic residents, which will allow ESIR-accepted residents to complete a one-year Independent IR Residency instead of the traditional two-year Independent IR Residency. Both IR/DR and DR program directors fully understand this and welcome applicants who have applied or are interested in both programs.

If you apply to more than program and you are accepted for an interview, you will be specifically notified if the interview is for Diagnostic Radiology residency only, Interventional Radiology residency only, or for both. Please note that to be accepted to interview for both, you need to have applied separately via ERAS/NRMP to both the IR and DR programs at RGH.

Do you have ESIR designation for DR residents interested in IR? Will you offer the Independent IR residency?

We are approved for both the ESIR designation and the Independent IR residency in addition to the Integrated IR residency. Any resident finishing a Diagnostic Radiology residency, either at our institution or elsewhere, can apply to our two-year Independent IR residency for PGY-6 and PGY-7 to get their dual-certificate in IR/DR. The Independent IR Residency is a distinct two-year program to be implemented everywhere in 2020, replacing the current IR fellowship. Additionally, ESIR is a special designation given to a Diagnostic Radiology residency to show that residents have been given enough clinical and IR training throughout their DR residencies to warrant advanced placement into a one-year Independent IR/DR residency (instead of the traditional two-year IR residency). The RGH diagnostic radiology program has been approved for ESIR. If you apply and are selected for this program and successfully complete it, it shows that you have met minimum standards and requirements. Therefore, you are required to then complete only one year after separately matching into an Independent IR Residency (either at RGH or elsewhere).

What are the minimum requirements to apply for the IR/DR residency?

An applicant for the RGH IR/DR residency program must have a medical degree prior to residency program start date from an accredited medical school. In addition, please include the following in your application sent through ERAS:

  • Dean’s Letter / Medical School
  • Performance Evaluation
  • Medical School Transcript
  • USMLE scores
  • Personal statement
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • ERAS common application

Is there a minimum board score to apply?

There is no minimum board score to apply. All applications are looked at in their entirety and on an individual basis.

How do I find out about an update on my application status?

If you have a question, please reach out to the IR Residency Program Coordinators:

  • Margot Schutte – Margot.Schutte@rochesterregional.org or call 585-922-2932
  • Raquel Redman – Raquel.Redman@rochesterregional.org

Do you offer IR rotations for visiting medical students?

Yes. The RGH IR department constantly hosts medical students in their fourth year dedicated to interventional radiology (as well as diagnostic radiology). Many will use this as a sub-internship in IR. Medical students typically stay for a four-week rotation, during which time they are exposed to and incorporated into all aspects of a busy clinical IR service. Time will be spent in scrubbing into IR procedures, seeing consultations, rounding on patients with IR residents, and seeing patients in IR clinic. Additionally, med students will take part in IR Grand Rounds and be expected to present an interesting case for a patient they took care of as well as present on an IR topic. Research opportunities are also available. A structured curriculum with goals and objectives, a reading list, as well both a pre-test and post-test, are provided. RGH is not part of the VSLO Application Service (sometimes referred to as VSAS). This year due to safety regulations, there may be limitations or visiting rotations. To apply for a visiting medical student rotation, please contact the Program Coordinator for RGH Graduate Medical Education either at 585-922-5801 for more information. You can also reach out to the IR Residency Program Coordinators for more information on away rotations:

  • Margot Schutte – Margot.Schutte@rochesterregional.org or call 585-922-2932
  • Raquel Redman – raquel.redman@rochesterregional.org

Faculty

View the current Faculty and Staff for the IR Residency Program

Current Residents

View our current residents in the IR Residency Program

Graduates

View the recent graduates of the IR Residency Program