Interventional radiology (IR) is a medical specialty that performs minimally invasive treatments using radiologic imaging for procedure guidance. Interventional radiology treatments have become the primary method of care for a variety of conditions, offering less risk, less pain and less recovery time, compared to open surgery.
Radiologists are doctors who evaluate medical images, such as MRIs and X-rays, to determine the type of treatment a patient needs. Here are the top medical schools for radiology.
Right here on infolearners, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on list of interventional radiology residency programs, interventional radiology match 2022, professional certification in radiology, interventional radiology residency salary, best radiology residency programs, and so much more. Take out time to visit our catalog for more information on similar topics.
Radiology Residency Programs Overview
Radiology residency programs should provide you with the clinical experience and training necessary to become a radiologist. When looking for medical schools with radiology residency programs, you should consider those with high medical school rankings, prominent graduates or funding by the federal National Institutes of Health (NIH). Each of the following diagnostic radiology residency programs is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Also see how competitive is interventional radiology residency.
Certificate Program in Radiology
Certificate programs are typically in radiography or radiologic technology rather than radiology, and they generally last two years. These programs can prepare you for a career as a radiologic technician or technologist. While enrolled in a radiography certificate program, you’ll attend lectures and clinical observations, studying topics such as patient care, radiation physics, image production and image analysis.
Certificate Options | Radiography or radiologic technology |
Program Preparation | Science and math courses, competitive GPA, may require associate’s degree |
Other Requirements | Licensure required in some states; voluntary certification through American Registry of Radiologic Technologists available |
Professional Certification | American Board of Radiology offers physicians certification in diagnostic radiology, medical physics and radiation oncology; requires Maintenance of Certification exam after ten years |
Median Salary (2020) | $61,900 (radiologic technologists)* |
Job Outlook (2019-2029) | 7% growth (radiologic technologists)* |
Career Requirements for Radiologic Technicians
Some states require radiologic technicians and technologists to earn licensure. Since licensure requirements vary by state, check with your state’s health board to determine any requirements that you’ll need to fulfill.
Professional certification is generally not required for radiologic technicians and technologists. However, the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) offers voluntary certification, which may improve your chances of finding employment or advancing in your career.
To earn certification from the ARRT, you must meet certain ethical standards, graduate from an approved education program and pass an examination. You must then complete continuing education credits and renew your certification every two years.
Professional Certification in Radiology
If you choose to go to medical school and become a physician, you can then complete residency training in radiology and earn board certification. The American Board of Radiology (ABR) awards certificates in diagnostic radiology, medical physics and radiation oncology to licensed physicians who have completed radiology residencies and passed the certification exam .
If you receive your initial certification in diagnostic radiology, you may also earn certification in one of the following diagnostic radiology subspecialties: nuclear radiology, pediatric radiology, hospice and palliative medicine, vascular radiology or neuroradiology.
While voluntary, board certification demonstrates that you have met training requirements and proven your cognitive abilities in your specialty area of radiology. Certification is good for ten years, after which time you’ll need to take a Maintenance of Certification (MOC) exam to earn a new certificate.
Best Interventional Radiology Residency Programs
Interventional Radiology residency programs are generally required to provide a solid foundation in clinical, academic and basic science education. The range of training opportunities is vast, but all programs strive to prepare residents for a successful career in Interventional Radiology.
The best residency for interventional radiology, or any specialty, is very driven by personal preference and situation. How close you are to family, loved ones, the type of training environment, the opportunities available are all things to take into consideration above and beyond name recognition of a program. However, there are some highly regarded names in the world of interventional radiology including:
1. Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins provides a comprehensive learning environment covering all aspects of interventional radiology. This program includes a two-year didactic and clinical curriculum that is approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
Our residents have exposure to both hospital and outpatient settings while having exposure to a wide spectrum of patients ranging from pediatric patients to geriatric patients who regularly circle through the outpatient setting.
The Johns Hopkins Interventional Radiology Residency programs are certified by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and it is the only program in the state that has an ACGME-approved fellowship program.
The residency programs are dedicated to providing outstanding training opportunities in interventional radiology for candidates who are committed to serving as future leaders in the field. The faculty of the radiologic sciences department oversees them, with input from board-certified expert specialists from across Johns Hopkins Health System.
Johns Hopkins offers two Interventional Radiology Residency Programs designed to prepare the future leaders of the field in Maryland and Washington DC. The Baltimore, MD program will provide a state-of-the-art educational environment with top quality instruction by senior faculty in the Division of Radiology.
2. UCSF
The UCSF Interventional Radiology Residency Programs are the pinnacle of interventional radiology training. Our programs are unparalleled in quality, patient safety, teaching, curriculum development, and critical care opportunities. The UCSF-Stanford Interventional Radiology Fellowship is a comprehensive educational experience providing advanced training in all aspects of interventional radiology.
Here you will benefit from outstanding clinical exposure with highly experienced faculty. Well known for its state-of-the-art technology available on site, including contrast agents with iodine counts measured in millions rather than milligrams, San Francisco Bay Area hospitals are uniquely equipped to support your learning experiences.
UCSF Interventional Radiology Residency Programs – The UCSF Department of Radiology provides residency programs in interventional radiology, diagnostic radiology and magnetic resonance imaging. Interventional radiology involves procedures that allow a doctor to treat a condition without making a large incision into the body.
There are six residency programs offered by the department. Four of these are MD-IGRAS, which lead to a dual degree from UCSF and Stanford University School of Medicine, as well as a Masters degree from the UCSF School of Medicine.
The UCSF Interventional Radiology Residency Programs’ mission is to provide training for physicians, residents, fellows and students from other countries in image-guided therapy for cancer treatment. The residency programs combine clinical education with research opportunities to offer unparalleled training in interventional radiology diagnostic and therapeutic modalities including endovascular interventions.
3. Northwestern
We developed the Northwestern Interventional Radiology Residency Programs to provide you with a recognized training program that’s proven to lead to a fulfilling career in many different specialties.
Northwestern Interventional Radiology Residency Programs (NIR) is one of the preeminent Interventional Radiology residency programs in the country. NIR residency programs provide training for physicians who plan to become interventional radiologists, a subspecialty recognized by ABIM as distinct from diagnostic radiology.
Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, Northwestern University has a long tradition of leadership in education and research. The three-year IR residency is a vital core component of the IR fellowship training.
Our mission is to assist IR residency program directors in providing high quality training of an ever-growing number of IR fellows. In addition to resident education, the residency program includes the care of patients scheduled for interventional radiology procedures at an academic medical center with an IR fellowship program.
4. BIDMC
The BIDMC Interventional Radiology Residency Programs offers two highly competitive, four-year fellowships in adult/pediatric interventional radiology. This comprehensive residency program offers residents an unmatched combination of clinical experiences and training opportunities throughout the department.
BIDMC’s Interventional Radiology Residency Programs take fellows from diverse training backgrounds and position them for success in interventional radiology and its subspecialties. We offer generous salary and benefits and the opportunity to hone your skills in this rapidly evolving field.
BIDMC’s Interventional Radiology Department offers three residency training programs, rotating on-site at the hospital, the Brigham Ambulatory Care Center, and affiliated community hospitals. Training includes comprehensive didactic knowledge of interventional radiology fundamentals as well as practical experience in the performance of diagnostic catheterizations, use of angiography and PCI, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), carotid imaging and therapeutic procedures including stent placement for carotid disease, transradial intervention (interventional radiology), embolotherapy, thrombectomy/endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) etc.
5. MGH
The MGH – Massachusetts General Hospital Interventional Radiology Residency Programs is the only residency in the Boston area that has state- supported supported GME funding. The residency program began in 1997 under the leadership of Dr. William Marston, who was Chairman of the Department of Radiology when the Residency Program was started.
Interventional Radiology is a specialized field of medicine that uses minimally invasive techniques to treat a wide array of disorders. Our programs train residents in minimally invasive procedures including vessel and arterial procedures, embolization of malignant and benign vascular lesions, prostate biopsy, treatment of vascular injury using stents and coils, and more. MGH offers four years of training leading to board certification as a physician specialist — a longer training program than most other residency programs.
The Interventional Radiology Residency Programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The program consists of didactic didactics, case conferences, simulation lab sessions, videofluoroscopy review sessions, weekly journal club sessions, and monthly faculty pateitonal conferences. The program has affiliations with many institutions throughout the country including Massachusetts General Hospital.
6. Wash U St. Louis
The Wash U St. Louis Interventional Radiology Residency Programs are outstanding teaching programs in interventional radiology. Our programs are specially tailored for high-academic achievers interested in pursuing a career in academic medicine, clinical or research radiology, or health care policy. Residents are trained to develop into well-rounded practitioners who are capable of training the next generation of radiologists.
Wash U St. Louis is an expansive training program that offers residents personal attention and individualized education. Our residency programs are complemented by some of the region’s best facilities, including Barnes Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital—affiliates of the prestigious Washington University School of Medicine.
All Wash U Interventional Radiology residents are trained to image for all Interventional procedures. With access to the most current equipment and procedures, IGR residents are among the most technically proficient in the country. We train 4-6 fellows per year in clinically integrated IR fellowship.
Wash U is an academic center with extended call, on-call coverage at Barnes Medical Center, No “back door” call policy, Rapid return of imaging reports, Appropriate compensation package including attractive fee-for-service reimbursement for your expertise.
7. Dotter Institute
Dotter Institute’s Interventional Radiology Residency Programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Our residents receive rigorous training via simulation, clinical experiences, and outstanding mentorship. The faculty members are dedicated to training our residents so that they are well-prepared to be productive physicians within the scope of interventional radiology.
The Interventional Radiology Program at the Dotter Institute is designed for residents who are committed to learning about comprehensive interventional radiology training, are dedicated to becoming successful physician-scientists with a focus on quality outcomes research in the evolving field of image-directed cancer therapeutics.
The Dotter Institute is an educational program for physicians specializing in Interventional Radiology. These specialized physicians use imaging technology to perform minimally invasive procedures throughout the abdomen, pelvis, spine, and chest. Programs are available at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis, Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids, American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, Wi and United Hospital in St. Paul.
8. UCLA
The UCLA Interventional Radiology Residency Programs provides the unique opportunity to learn advanced interventional techniques in a comprehensive training environment. We offer educational programs which are consistently recognized for outstanding quality by our peers. Our educational programs are designed to integrate with the academic mission of the medical center.
UCLA offers three fully accredited residency programs in interventional radiology: the 3 1/2-year program in Santa Monica, 24/7 acute care radiology rotation in Santa Monica, and a 1-year interventional spine fellowship. Focused one-on-one training with experienced faculty members provides a strong foundation for a brilliant future in the field of interventional radiology.
UCLA offers two interventional radiology residency training programs. The two-year program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, with access to outpatient diagnostic CT, fluoroscopy, MRI, ultrasound, angiography, RF ablation, brachytherapy and other advanced techniques.
UCLA is the leader in Interventional Radiology, providing patients with faster access to less invasive, treatment alternatives for many common illnesses, including cancer. UCLA also provides state-of-the-art education to residents studying interventional radiology.
With this program you’ll have the unique opportunity to complete your residency training at UCLA while earning a Medical Degree from UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. This program is designed to help you develop the knowledge, skills and judgment necessary to become an outstanding board certified radiologist.
Best Interventional Radiology Residency Programs Courses
Integrated IR Residency
- 6 years (3 Residents per year)
- Preliminary Year: Linked preliminary year at Yale consisting of 6 months of medicine and 6 months of surgical rotations, including one month of IR. The program does not accept applicants at the PGY-2 level who have completed internships elsewhere
- Three years of Diagnostic Radiology (DR) residency with 6-8 weeks of Interventional Radiology per year, including dedicated time on vascular ultrasound
- Two years of dedicated IR training including elective time (Peds, Neuro, IR, Vascular Surgery, Global Outreach, etc.)
Independent IR Residency
- 2 Residents total
- One or two-year IR Residency Training
- Requires completion of ACGME accredited four-year DR program – ESIR optional and accepted
- Applications through ERAS/NRMP this year for 7/1/2022 matriculation
Every morning, except Wednesday, there are working/teaching rounds from 7am-8am. This allows trainees that are not currently on the IR service to participate as their clinical schedule allows. Residents on service are also expected to attend and present at the weekly chest tumor conference, liver tumor board, and a monthly interdisciplinary portal hypertension conference.
On Wednesdays, morning rounds conclude at 7:30am which are followed by a dedicated IR lecture series from 7:30 to 9:00am. Aside from lectures presented by Yale faculty, we have regular morbidity and mortality conferences, journal clubs, and Grand Rounds with distinguished speakers from around the world.