+ Neuroradiology Fellowship
 

Neuroradiology Fellowship

Program Director: Jeffrey Creasy, MD

Section Members:
Thomas Dina, MD
Joseph Aulino, MD
Robert Kessler, MD
Scott Shay, MD
Megan Strother, MD
Curtis Wushensky, MD

Program Goals
Duties and Responsibilities
Lectures and Conferences
Benefits
Call
Goals and Objectives
Residency/Fellowship Manual

PROGRAM GOALS

The goal of the Neuroradiology Fellowship Program is to fulfill the three-fold mission of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center - education, patient care, and research. Clinical rotations are designed to enable the fellow to accumulate a broad base of knowledge, develop technical skills, and establish decision making and consultation skills. The overriding concern is patient care, both direct through imaging and special procedures and indirect as consultant. The program provides research opportunities ranging from the basic science laboratory to high tech imaging, as well as clinical observations and outcomes. The section of NR also has a busy Neuro-interventional service, led by Dr. Larson. The graduate of the fellowship program is well suited for an academic career in radiology, advancement of subspecialty knowledge and skills as an advanced clinical fellow or instructor, or entering the practice of neuroradiology in the community.

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DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Fellows rotate through sections of neuroradiology in two to four week intervals. The areas of emphasis in each subsection include special procedures, imaging of the brain, spine, and head and neck, non-invasive vascular studies and PET scanning. The hub of the neuroradiology section is the Neuro Reading Room.

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LECTURES AND CONFERENCES

The fellow is responsible for participation in formal resident education. Topics for the noon conference are divided amongst the neuroradiology faculty and fellows. The fellow also assists in basic 7 a.m. first year resident introductory lectures. The fellow is also responsible for case presentations at clinical conferences.

CONFERENCE
FREQUENCY
RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL OR SERVICE/DEPARTMENT
Noon Conference

2 times/month

(12 - 1 p.m.)

 Neuroradiology faculty, occasionally fellows and residents on rotation
ENT Tumor Board Mondays 7:30 a.m. Dr. Larson and Otolaryngology Department
Neuropathology, brain-cutting Tuesdays, 8 - 9 a.m. Neuropathology, Dr. Whetsell
Interventional NR, M'&M 3rd Friday, 8 - 9 a.m. Dr. Larson
Neuro-opthamology 1st Friday, 8 - 9 a.m. NR Fellows/attendings/Opthamology Dept.
Pediatric Oncology Thursdays, 1-2 p.m. Pediatric Surgery/oncology and NR fellow/attending
Neurology

Fridays, 7 - 9 a.m.

(1st, 3rd, 4th)

 Neurology Department
Neuropathology Combined 2nd Friday, 7 - 9 a.m. Neuropathology, Neurosurgery, Neuroradiology, & Neurology

NR = Neuroradiology

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BENEFITS

Vacation: 15 working days which can be taken individually or in multiples.

Meeting: 15 working days, includes participating and non-participating.

Book fund: $1500 is provided to help defray costs of books, meetings, and memberships ($300 more than other programs).

Holidays: 9 per year (New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, your birthday and the combined working holidays of President's Day and Martin Luther King's Birthday equal the 9th holiday).

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CALL

Night and weekend call is taken from home a full week at a time approximately every four weeks. An in-house night hawk reads most trauma exams in the evenings and the weekends On both Saturday and Sunday morning, all neuro cases available for interpretation are read out which usually takes half the day or less. An attending neuroradiologist is present with the fellow for any procedures and reviews all dictated studies.

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GOALS and OBJECTIVES

I. Neuro-imaging, CT

Knowledge Based Objectives: At the end of the fellowship year, the fellow should be able to:

  • Demonstrate proficient knowledge of gross anatomy of the skull, face, spine, and CNS.
  • Describe imaging protocols in detail.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in recognition of pathology and making differential diagnoses.
  • Prescribe and supervise the investigation of a specific clinical finding or disease.
  • Demonstrate viewbox teaching skills.
  • Demonstrate effective consultation skills with referring faculty.

    Technical Skills: At the end of the fellowship year, the fellow should be able to:

  • Screen, prescribe, and supervise all neuro-imaging procedures.
  • Supervise and screen patients for contrast enhancement.


    Decision Making/Value Judgment Skills: At the end of the fellowship year, the fellow should be able to:

  • Interact with referring physicians in consultation concerning the great majority of neuropathology’s.

II. Neuro-imaging, MR

Knowledge Based Objectives:

  • Demonstrate detailed knowledge of MR gross anatomy of the brain and spine.
  • Describe imaging protocols in detail.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of MR imaging sequences.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in recognition of pathology and making differential diagnoses.
  • Prescribe and supervise the MR investigation of a specific clinical finding or disease.

    Technical Skills:

  • Screen, prescribe, and supervise all MR.

    Decision Making/Value Judgment Skills:

  • Make diagnostic and consultative decisions with a consistently high degree of accuracy and significantly interact with primary care physicians, neurologists, and neurosurgeons.

III. Neuro-imaging, ENT

Knowledge Based Objectives:

  • Demonstrate in depth knowledge of sinus, facial bone, orbit, and skull base anatomy.
  • Discuss the compartments of the head and neck, their major components, and most common pathology.
  • Demonstrate detailed knowledge of temporal bone anatomy.

    Technical Skills:

  • Prescribe and supervise ENT examinations, both CT and MR, including the need for contrast media.

    Decision Making/Value Judgement Skills:

  • Discuss in detail, with the consulting physician, pathology of the face, orbit, sinus, and neck including significance of findings and imaging options.

IV. Special Procedures

Duties: In addition to duties described for other rotations.

  • Obtain the special procedure schedule of the day.
  • Review cases with the attending neuroradiologist and resident (if any) assigned to neuro procedures, obtain further clinical information if necessary, clarify requests if necessary, and obtain all pertinent prior studies.
  • Conduct pre-angio patient consultation and consent for the procedures and post procedure follow-up with assistance of or while supervising a resident when appropriate.
  • Phone reports to referring physicians.
  • Keep patient’s family informed of progress when appropriate.

    Knowledge Based Objectives:
  • Discuss indications, relative value and risks of angiography and myelography.
  • Discuss modifications of studies based on expected and unexpected pathology.
  • Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the vascular anatomy of the CNS and pathology as demonstrated angiographically.
  • Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the myelographic anatomy and pathology.

    Technical Skills:

  • Demonstrate proficiency in the performance and interpretation of lumbar, thoracic, and cervical myelograms.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in the performance of catheterization of the thoracic aorta and major cerebral vessels.
  • Have an exposure to neuro-interventional procedures

    Decision Making/Value Judgement Skills:

  • Make decisions to modify a angiographic procedure or myelogram when unexpected pathology or abnormalities occur, then follow through with the performance and supervision of the procedure.
  • Make decisions based on patient conditions when consulting with the patient pre- or post-procedure.
  • Discuss with the consulting physician indications and contraindications of angiographic and myelographic procedures as they relate to specific clinical conditions.
  • Discuss with the consulting physician specific diagnostic conclusions derived from a special procedure study.

Please send all documents (Application, CV, personal statement, transcipts, recommendation letters, etc.) to:

Laura Hughes
Residency and Fellowship Coordinator
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
1161 21st Avenue South
CCC-1121 Medical Center North
Nashville, TN 37232-2675
615-322-3780
radprogram@vanderbilt.edu

 

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Last Modified: Wednesday, October 2, 2002
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