Department of Radiology
MSC10 5530
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
Phone: (505) 272-2269
(888) UNM-XRAY

Neuroradiology Fellowship Program

Overview of the Neuroradiology Fellowship
Progressive Assumption of Responsibility
Work Schedule
Didactic Training
Conferences Attended by Neuroradiology Trainees
Research Opportunities

This program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The Neuroradiology section consists of three full-time neuroradiology attendings, two part-time attendings, and one or two fellows.

The fellowship offers experience in all aspects of this radiology subspecialty.  The Fellow will be exposed to a large volume of neurologic, neurosurgical and otolaryngologic cases.  Fellows receive extensive training in invasive procedures, including diagnostic angiography, myelography, biopsy and neurointerventional procedures as well as the complete gamut of diagnostic neuroradiology.   The emphasis will be determined by the specific needs of the fellow in cooperation with the radiology staff.

The Neuroradiology program is an active participant in the NRMP Specialty Match Program.  Applications may only be accepted from NRMP members.  For further details please see the American Society of Neuroradiology website.

Overview of the Neuroradiology Fellowship

The duration of the program is for one or two years. Clinical rotations include neuroradiology at the University Hospital and the VA Hospital. First year fellows rotate on a weekly basis to each of these institutions. Second year fellows rotate based on interest, but are required to be regularly scheduled in all areas. Call is rotational. Representative schedules are attached. The didactic curriculum includes the following conferences:

• Weekly neurology/neuroradiology case conference
• Weekly neuropathology/neuroradiology gross conference
• Monthly neuropathology/neuroradiology microscopic conference
• Formal didactic lectures including neuropathology cases
• Periodic neuroradiology/otolaryngology conference
• Neuro-ophthalmology lectures given during the neuroradiology block
• Bi-monthly neuro-endocrine conference

The neuroradiology block is a combined neuroradiology fellowship and resident teaching program which includes one month of   lectures. These conferences cover all aspects of neuroradiology. The department invites a neuroradiologist of national prominence to give lectures to the residents and fellows during this block.  Fellows, residents and faculty work together as a team, and there is ample clinical material for both fellows and residents.

Progressive Assumption of Responsibility

The neuroradiology fellow is responsible for insuring that the patient is properly prepared for the procedure, the examination is performed under the direction of a qualified staff member. Graded responsibility is assured by signing the log book of procedures that each neuroradiology fellow must complete. Responsibility includes pre- and post-procedural care, including twenty-four follow-up, on all patients.  Each trainee is involved in an average of two to five procedures per week. There is direct supervision of each procedure by the neuroradiology staff. Fellows participate in all aspects of neuroangiography including planning, informed consent, preparation, performing procedures, and post procedural care. Fellows also participate in interventional neuroradiology procedures.

Experience in pediatric neuroradiology is obtained on a daily basis through the interpretation of pediatric neuroradiologic examinations including CT, MRI, and plain films. In addition, there are regular pediatric radiology conferences and all of the radiology conferences include pediatric neuroradiology cases. In addition, each trainee is scheduled to perform pediatric ultrasound examinations in the neonatal intensive care unit. The University of New Mexico has a Children’s Hospital which is the tertiary pediatric care center for the state. The neuroradiology service provides neuroradiologic support for the Children’s Hospital.

Plain film interpretation is included as comparison examinations for CT and MRI studies and, in addition, these films are reviewed in all of the neuroradiology conferences. Although the number of plain film examinations in neuroradiology is dramatically decreased with the advent of CT and MRI, an adequate number of these examinations is available for training purposes. Spine films are regularly brought to the neuroradiologists for review as they are obtained. Neuroradiologists are also responsible for interpretation of teleradiology from outlying hospitals. This includes CT and Plain films of the spine, brain, face and neck.

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy is available at the both hospitals and is an ongoing part of the MR training in the neuroradiology fellowship. This includes regular interactions with spectroscopists as well as the clinical interpretation of spectroscopy examinations. The University Hospital installed a FDG PET scanner in June of 2002. The VA has a FDG PET which was installed in December, 1999.

There are no direct non-neuroradiology responsibilities for trainees other than those encountered on call. Call includes availability for interventional procedures, including general interventional procedures; however, CT and MRI call is only for neuroradiology. There is no time spent on non-neuroradiology service, however, on call procedures may include general interventional procedures. Neuroradiology trainees are required to keep a log of all neuroradiology examinations. The program director reviews the log with the trainees at least every three months.

Work Schedule

The neuroradiology fellow works a schedule similar to that of the neuroradiology faculty. Trainees work an average of 8 to 10 hours a day, five days a week. Trainees are on call every third week with faculty supervision during the entire year. The fellow is only in-house during the performance of emergency procedures.  Trainees begin call on Friday night and are on call until Thursday of the next week. This is call from home and is part of the interventional call.

Didactic Training

Each neuroradiology trainee has a responsibility to give one or more didactic lecture annually and to give several case conferences. Residents and medical students work along side the trainee.

• Neurology:  Weekly neurology/neuroradiology case conference, which includes one hour of CME credit for all attendees. This conference is held in the Radiology Department
• Neurosurgery:  Weekly neurosurgery / neuroradiology case conference, bi-monthly state wide neurosurgery / neuroradiology case conference, and weekly rounds with the neurosurgical service.  Conferences held in the Radiology Department.
• Neuropathology:  Formal didactic lectures include neuropathology cases, and neuropathology is included in the didactic neuroradiology block required for the residents and fellows. In addition, fellows attend the regular "brain cutting" neuropathology sessions and the surgical neuropathology (microscopic) sessions
• Otolaryngology:  A periodic neuroradiology / otolaryngology conference is held.
• Ophthalmology:   Neuro-ophthalmology lectures are included in the neuroradiology block and are given by both neuroradiologists and neuro-ophthalmologists.
• Radiation Biology:  Included in the neuroradiology block is a section on radiation biology given by Dr. Mettler, who is an internationally recognized expert in the field.
• Pharmacology of Radiographic Contrast Materials:  Included in the department instruction is a discussion of radiographic contrast, including magnetic resonance imaging contrast, given by a staff neuroradiologist

Conferences Attended by Neuroradiology Trainees

Research Opportunities

Trainees are afforded the opportunity to create research projects or become involved in ongoing research projects. Trainees have the opportunity to work on projects in magnetic source imaging and other functional brain imaging techniques in conjunction with the National Foundation for Functional Brain Imaging, headquartered in Albuquerque, NM.  Research opportunities are available in advanced functional imaging techniques, including magnetoencephalography (MEG) and magnetic source imaging, functional MRI and spectroscopy.

You will receive fringe benefits including health insurance, a dental plan, vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance and moving expenses. 

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