Interventional Radiology is one of the most forward thinking and dynamic specialties in the field of medicine today. Continuously evolving, IR’s role in the diagnosis and treatment of acutely ill or injured patients has seen tremendous growth in recent years. We believe the specialty requires a clinically minded approach to patient care and requires all 6 years of training (including internship) to develop sound clinical and procedural skills. We offer two (2) categorical IR residency position each year through the NRMP match.
Why Choose Wake Forest
The section of Interventional Radiology is composed of seven (7) experienced clinical faculty with training from a variety of institutions, which provides for a diverse training experience at an outstanding, nationally recognized tertiary care academic medical center. Trainees also rotate through outpatient arterial and venous vascular disease procedural clinics where they are afforded the opportunity to experience private practice Interventional Radiology. Our IR physicians have a wide range of clinical interests such that trainees will develop proficiency with the following areas of IR practice:
Interventional Oncology
- Large volume of catheter directed therapies (TACE, Y-90)
- Percutaneous ablations (lung, liver, renal, soft tissue, and bone)
Liver Disease and Portal Hypertension
- Complex portal venous interventions (TIPS, BRTO, BATO, recanalization)
- Percutaneous transhepatic biliary cholangiography and drainage
- Biliary endoscopy (stone removal and biopsy)
Venous disease
- Outpatient and inpatient complex venous disease interventions including recanalizations and management of varicose veins.
- Pediatric and adult vascular malformation therapy
- Acute DVT and PE thrombectomy and thrombolysis
- IVC filter placement
- Complex IVC filter retrieval
Arterial disease
- Management of peripheral vascular disease interventions
Musculoskeletal and pain interventions
- Vertebral augmentation (i.e. vertobroplasty/kyphoplasty) for osteoporotic and pathologic fractures including spinal tumor ablations
- Neurolysis of a variety of neurologic plexi (celiac plexus, superior hypogastric plexus, intercostal nerve).
Women’s health
- Uterine fibroid embolization
- Pelvic congestion syndrome
- Fallopian tube recanalization
Men’s health
- Prostate Artery Embolization
- Varicocele embolization
Trauma related interventions
- Solid organ embolizations and management of active arterial bleeding
Lymphatic disorders
- Thoracic duct evaluation with embolization
Routine interventional procedures
- GI and GU interventions (G-tube, nephrostomy tube placement/management)
- Dialysis interventions including central venous access
- CT guided procedures (percutaneous biopsies and drain placement)
- Paracentesis/thoracentesis
Pediatrics
- Pediatric vascular anomalies
- Pediatric renal interventions
- Pediatric venous access
- Routine management of pediatric enteric access
Program Year 1
- Surgical internship at Wake Forest University
- IR rotations (1)
Program Year 2
- Fundamentals of Diagnostic Radiology
- Rotations include, Chest, GI/GU, MSK, Pediatric, Neuroradiology
- IR rotations (2)
Program Year 3
- IR rotations (2)
- Expanding on diagnostic modalities
- MRI, Advanced abd/chest CT, Breast Imaging, Nuclear Medicine
Program Year 4
- IR rotations (2)
- Advanced MRI
- AIRP
- Core Board Examination Preperation
Program Year 5
- IR rotations (7)
- ICU rotation (two weeks Trauma ICU and two weeks Surgical ICU)
- Medical oncology (two weeks)/hepatology (two weeks) rotation
- Atrium Health Wake Forest Vein Services (two weeks)/Triangle Vascular Associates OBL (two weeks) rotation
- IR related elective rotation
- Complete Breast/Nuclear Medicine Diagnostic Requirements
Program Year 6
- IR rotations (11)
- Vascular surgery rotation
- Peripheral arterial disease cases one day/week at the Kernersville VA
- IR related elective rotation
Early in residency, trainees participate in an organized procedural simulation curriculum in our Radiology Simulation Lab. Residents receive one-on-one faculty instruction for performing ultrasound-guided procedures (biopsies - breast, thyroid, kidney/liver) and vascular access.
The lab is equipped with state of the art ultrasound machines and ultrasound probes with attached tablets to learn procedures on high- and low-fidelity phantoms.
Residents participate in teaching sessions with faculty and have access to the lab 24/7 to practice on their own. Residents also participate in a contrast reaction simulation annually using a high-fidelity mannequin. 3D printed models are used for simulation of fluoroscopically guided spine and joint procedures.
Our current overnight call system is based on graduated responsibility beginning in January of the first year of training and continues throughout the final year of residency.
- The current structure provides three graduated "tiers" of call coverage.
- All of the below call activities fully comply with national duty-hours limits.
Tier 1
- Night float rotation: coverage responsibilities center on ED plain-film and neuro-CT interpretation
- Occasional attending-supervised weekend morning responsibilities during the 1st year of residency in preparation for Tier 1 call
Tier 2
- Night float rotation: coverage responsibilities focus on the interpretation of emergent chest, abdomen and pelvis CT, neuro MRI, musculoskeletal MRI and CT, as well as emergent sonography and nuclear medicine examinations
Tier 3 (IR Call)
- Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is a level 1 trauma center of which Interventional Radiology is a critical component.
- IR call responsibilities are focused on Interventional procedures, including CT and US-guided procedures, angiography, GI/GU fluoroscopy, pediatric fluoroscopy and fluoroscopically guided lumbar punctures and myelograms.
- Call frequency is approximately q10, with the post-call day off.
- PGY-5 and PGY-6 (advanced IR residents) carry the Advanced IR pager and assist attending physicians in the work-up and performance of complex on-call IR procedures.
Advanced IR Call
- PGY-5 and PGY-6 (advanced IR residents) carry the Advanced IR pager (q4) and assist attending physicians in the work-up and performance of complex on-call IR procedures.
Daily conferences are an important part of the schedule in the Department of Radiology. Teaching conferences for residents in the morning and at noon present core material designed for the radiology residency program and ensure an in-depth study of each subspecialty area to prepare for the ABR Core Exam and for the practice of clinical radiology. Each subsection presents one conference every other week.
Integral to the practice of Interventional Radiology is active involvement in interdepartmental conferences. Integrated IR residents participate in hepatopancreatic biliary, thoracic oncology and genitourinary multidisciplinary conferences.
There is also a dedicated monthly Interventional Radiology Quality and Safety conference and a quarterly Journal Club for the section
Designed to meet both clinical and educational needs, these conferences provide an excellent forum for communication between IR and other departments.