5 Year Percent and Program Rank
100.0% First Time Pass Percent
1/186 Rank on RRC Ranking Report
Medical Residents within the UNM School of Medicine Department were rated first in the nation when they took their national board exams in diagnostic radiology. The seven UNM radiology residents who took the written board exam in diagnostic radiology in September 2007 scored #1 out of 203 diagnostic radiology programs in the US, according to the American Board of Radiology. Diagnostic radiology encompasses a variety of diagnostic and image-guided therapeutic techniques, including all aspects of radiological diagnosis, nuclear radiology, diagnostic ultrasound, magnetic resonance, computed tomography, interventional procedures and the use of other forms of radiant energy. The two-day exam is taken by radiology residents near the end of their five years of training. It is the first step toward board certification, followed by an oral exam in June.
UNM is committed to educating the radiology resident. A limited number of fellows and
approximately five residents are accepted each year. This means that residents do
not compete with fellows for faculty time and have more opportunities to perform
procedures. Emphasis is placed on resident education.
It is common for first-year residents to participate in challenging
procedures normally reserved for more advanced house officers. The faculty-resident
ratio is 1:1.
Multiple educational resources
are available to radiology residents. A dedicated network of nearly 100 computers
with internet access is available for use throughout the department, including the
faculty/resident/fellow offices and in reading rooms at University Hospital, the New
Mexico VA Healthcare System, Carrie Tingley Hospital, and the Outpatient
Imaging and Surgical Center. These computers make local and internet-based educational resources
immediately available. A team of dedicated computer user support analysts
are also available
for consultation and assistance. Electronic teaching cases routinely appear on the
department's intranet site. CD-ROMs in all of the radiological subspecialty areas
are available for study at work or home. The ACR Learning Files are also available for
study at any time. The Department of Radiology conference room and the
departmental library are equipped with state-of-the-art digital multimedia projection system. Residents
have consistently
scored amongst the top in the nation on
national board exams.
The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Library
and the Radiology Department's E. F. Van Epps Memorial Library
are both available to radiology residents. The department's dedicated
library contains hundreds of resources including the latest radiology textbooks,
journals, and the American College of Radiology syllabi. The Health Sciences Library is
a short walking distance from the hospital.
New Mexico is home to Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Proximity to these research and development institutions means there is a high concentration of scientists in the area. The labs provide substantial support to UNM's research and academic pursuits. The Department of Radiology has ongoing research projects that currently involve these national laboratories.
Faculty and residents within the Department of Radiology are actively involved in writing journal articles, books, and preparing presentations. Support staff from the office of Radiological Physics and Research provide editorial and publishing assistance, literature searches, and photographic services. Residents are encouraged to initiate or take part in research and publication projects, and are granted educational leave to present papers and attend educational seminars and conferences. Multiple books have been published recently by members of the Department of Radiology, including residents.
Residents are given five days of additional leave to attend national radiology meetings. Departmental funding can be received for residents presenting research papers at meetings.
Residents receive many benefits while working for the
University of New Mexico, including on-call meal allowances at the University Hospital
cafeteria (Cocina de Salud), scrubs and lab coats, use of university recreational
services at Johnson Center, use of
university aquatic facilities,
and free computer services (including dial-up
internet service). As UNM employees, residents enjoy a discount at both UNM's
Championship Golf Course (South Course) and the
smaller on-campus North Course (only a 5 minute walk from University Hospital).
* UNMH Residents can choose to join the Resident Union. Benefits that have been obtained by the resident union include paternity/maternity leave as well as book fund allowances and established holidays.
* Residents are given the opportunity to attend AFIP and are provided with a stipend to cover costs incurred.
