Cardiothoracic Fellowship

Number of positions: 2
Length of fellowship: 1 year

Requirements:

  • Applicants must be either certified by the American Board of Radiology in Diagnostic Radiology or be Board eligible.
  • Applicants must be licensed in Texas prior to beginning the Fellowship.

How to Apply:

  1. Complete the application by clicking here.
  2. Submit an email to Verlincia Williams and include the following items:
    • Curriculum Vitae
    • Personal Statement
    • Copy of Medical Diploma and Internship Certificate
    • Three Letters of Recommendation (one from your Residency Director or Head of Department – current employment)
    • A copy of your Board Certification, if applicable
    • A current passport-size photograph

Selection Process:

Cardiothoracic Imaging Fellows are selected by the Fellowship Program Director. Candidates selected for an interview will come to McGovern Medical School for a formal interview with the Fellowship Director as well as with other Thoracic Imaging Faculty members.

Goals and Objectives for Training:

  • The goal of the fellowship is to train fellows to protocol, scan and interpret in all aspects of chest and cardiovascular imaging.
  • Demonstrate learning of the knowledge-based objectives, demonstrate knowledge of the clinical indications for obtaining chest radiographs, special views, know when chest and cardiovascular CT or MR may be indicated.
  • Develop skills in protocoling, monitoring, and interpreting chest and cardiac CT and MR scans, demonstrate knowledge of normal and abnormal anatomy and pathology as it pertains to the chest and cardiovascular structures, obtain relevant patient history from electronic records, dictated reports or by communicating with referring physicians.
  • Accurately and concisely dictate a chest radiograph, chest and cardiovascular CT or MR report giving a reasonable differential diagnosis for the abnormalities demonstrate an ability to interpret multiplanar reformatted or 3-D images of CT or MR studies as appropriate.
  • Communicate with the referring physician if needed regarding significant or unexpected radiologic findings and document who was called, and the date and time of the call in the dictated report; assist referring clinicians with the results of imaging interpretation and the impact on patient management.
  • Demonstrate the ability to manage an intravenous contrast reaction that occurs during a CT examination.
  • Participate in discussions with faculty regarding operational challenges and potential systems solutions regarding all aspects of radiologic service and patient care.
  • Demonstrate a responsible work ethic and participate in quality improvement/quality assurance activities.

Educational Program

  1. Clinical and research components:
    1. The fellow will work in cardiothoracic imaging department with multiple faculties. Intellectual enthusiasm and technological innovation are core values of the Department of Radiology. Fellows are encouraged to participate in research, The Fellow will be required to engage in clinical research and submit at least one poster/exhibit or paper for presentation at either the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS), Fleischner Society, Society of Thoracic Radiology (STR) or similar meetings during the Fellowship year.
  2. Trainee’s supervisory and patient care responsibilities:
    1. Fellows rotate through Memorial Hermann Hospital and Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital allowing for exposure to a wide range of patients and the disease elements presented in both hospital and outpatient environments.
    2. Fellows will be responsible for planning, monitoring, and interpreting diagnostic examinations in pulmonary, thoracic, and vascular imaging as well as cardiac MRI and CT under the supervision of subspecialty faculty. This includes management of urgent studies, imaging consults, and contrast reactions. Fellows will also learn how to develop and manage a dedicated cardiothoracic imaging service.
    3. Fellowship training is provided by five full-time Cardiothoracic Imaging faculty.
    4. Cardiothoracic Imaging fellows will be on call 1 in every 6 weeks.
  3. Clinical procedural requirements:
    1. The fellow will be responsible for processing Cardiac MR studies and different cardiovascular CT studies that includes but not limited to coronary CTA, thoracic CTA and CTV, TAVR, TMVR, pulmonary vein and coronary vein mapping, pre-op left atrial appendage measurement studies.
  4. Didactic Sessions:
    1. Radiology resident teaching conferences are held daily throughout the year and include both didactic lectures and case-based presentations. There are also M&M conferences monthly. Fellows are welcome to attend these conferences, as service duties allow. Fellows are also welcomed to present conferences in this forum.
    2. Informative multidisciplinary clinical conferences in combination with Cardiology, Pulmonology, Pathology, and the various clinical subspecialties are available, as well as dedicated Cardiothoracic Imaging conferences.
    3. The fellow is responsible for giving two lectures per year. The fellow is responsible for presenting imaging findings at the chest tumor board, ILD meetings, and clinicopathologic conferences.
    4. Fellows’ responsibilities include one-on-one teaching of residents and medical students at the PACS workstations daily.
    5. Assisting in resident education and consulting with referring clinicians.

Supervision and Evaluation:

  • The fellow is directly supervised and mentored by fellowship-trained faculty during all imaging study readouts.
  • The fellows’ work performance is evaluated by the supervising faculty via a written questionnaire. The evaluation is discussed quarterly with the fellowship director.