Vascular and Interventional Radiology Fellowship Program
The mission of the Vascular and Interventional Radiology fellowship training program at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital is to train future leaders in our field.
Our training program is based on the following three cornerstones:
- Clinical Excellence
We pride ourselves on providing total patient care. Fellows will develop the clinical knowledge to care for patients from preoperative assessment in our out patient clinic to inpatient admissions to the IR service.
- Procedural Excellence
Fellows will develop skills to perform an extremely diverse range of vascular and nonvascular procedures in our state of the art facilities.
- Academic Excellence
Our fellows will explore the forefronts of our specialty by the ethical practice of both basic and clinical investigations.
The division of Interventional Radiology at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital is committed to achieve these comprehensive goals by daily supervised performance of image guided procedures. Structured daily teaching rounds, weekly conferences, and elective time in related fields broadens the educational experience for the trainee.
Application Procedures
In addition to applying to the match please follow the application process below for Brigham and Women's Vascular and Interventional Radiology. The application process consists of:
Universal Application- Current CV
- A personal statement including career goals and professional plans
- Submission of three letters of recommendation requested by you from current and former professors (one should be from your program director)
These should be addressed to:
Chieh-Min Fan, MD
Assistant Professor of Radiology
Associate Director of Angiography & Interventional Radiology
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: 617-732-7263
Fax: 617-277-8331
Or
Mildred D. Dewire
Fellowship Coordinator
Dept of Radiology
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
Email: mdewire@partners.org
Phone: 617-732-7263
Curriculum
The Interventional Radiology Fellowship Program at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH)/Harvard Medical School has been in place since 1968. The program has been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) since 1992. We have participated in the National Resident Matching Program since 1999. Our curriculum combines the RRC fellowship requirements, with flexibility to provide an individualized training experience. We also take advantage of features and strengths that are unique to the Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
The fellowship consists of a 12-month program in interventional radiology including opportunities for elective rotations in non-invasive vascular imaging, ambulatory clinic, research, pediatric interventional radiology (Children's Hospital), cross sectional intervention, or vascular surgery. Each fellow gets 2 months of structured elective time in the spring. During the 10 months the fellow is working in the IR section, he/she performs vascular and interventional procedures under the direct guidance of an attending interventionalist. We currently perform more than 100 types of procedures in our division. The number and type of procedures that our fellows perform are tracked closely and case assignments are adjusted accordingly.
The procedures that we perform fall into three broad categories:
Vascular Diagnosis
• Diagnostic peripheral & visceral arteriogram
• Diagnostic venography including dialysis grafts
Vascular Intervention
Arterial interventions
• Angioplasty & stenting
• Stent graft for AAA repair
• Embolization for trauma or tumors
Venous interventions
• Venous angioplasty & stenting
• IVC filter placement
• Laser ablation of varicose veins
• Foreign body retrieval
• Arm & chest port placement
• Tunneled infusion & dialysis catheter placement
• Central line placement
Non Vascular Intervention
• Renal interventions: nephrostomy and ureteral stenting
• Biliary interventions: PTC, internal/external drainage, biliary stenting and brachiotherapy
• Uterine fibroid embolization
A typical day at the BWH starts for the fellow at 6:45 AM for patient rounds before morning conference at 7:30 AM. The morning conference previews the patients scheduled for procedures for the day. Indications and plans are discussed with the attending physicians. In addition, teaching rounds are held daily where cases from the previous day are reviewed with emphasis on special techniques or special events that occurred during the procedure. At 8:30 AM the procedures in the angiographic suites begin. The fellow is usually the primary operator with assistance and supervision from an attending physician according to the training level. After the procedure, the fellow generates the preliminary diagnostic reports which are evaluated by the Attending Physician.
The fellow is exposed to the full spectrum of interventional radiology from arterial interventions to biliary work. The fellow receives teaching by the attending physician on each case. Theoretical aspects of complex cases are discussed during the daily morning conference. Weekly interdisciplinary conferences offer exposure to the points of view from related clinical services. Each Wednesday morning, the fellows attend either a Mortality and Morbidity or Didactic Conference.
Essential to Interventional Radiology training, the fellow is incorporated into full patient care management. The fellow is responsible for pre-procedural work-up for each patient, as well as hospital admission as indicated, with the assistance of the division’s nurse practitioner and physician’s assistants. The pre-procedural work-up varies for each procedure. For new patients presenting for elective procedures, a full history, exam, and consultation are performed in clinic prior to a decision to perform the procedure. This can include interpretations of preliminary diagnostic and laboratory data, consultation with physicians in other services, and evaluation of procedural risks and discussion of possible alternatives. Patients are also seen in the interventional radiology clinic for follow-up care. The clinic is run by the nurse practitioner and physician’s assistants together with the responsible attending physician. The fellows are encouraged to participate during clinic visits and have dedicated clinic time.
Certifications:
Each fellow attends our “Crisis and contrast Management course” where they are certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Intravenous Conscious Sedation administration and monitoring, and use of Fluoroscopy. By the end of their IR rotation, they will also be laser certified. Each fellow is expected to take The Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology board examination given by the American Board of Radiology.
Elective time:
During rotation at Children's Hospital, the fellow has the opportunity to perform pediatric angiography and interventional procedures. Ultrasound, CTA and MRA are included in interventional radiology practices at many hospitals. A rotation through our non-invasive vascular imaging section will provide the fellow with basic knowledge of these techniques. To widen the spectrum of patient care with vascular disease, we offer a rotation through the vascular surgery clinic. Alternatively, the fellow can opt for a one-month research period. As an academic center with a long academic tradition, we expect each fellow to participate in at least one research project. The research project can range from a case report to clinical research or to a project in the animal lab. The latter should be initiated before starting at BWH.
The fellows work approximately 60 hours per week. The frequency of call is approximately one out of four days (which will be approximately one weekend per month and one week night per week). The fellow will have 15 vacation days per year. In addition, compensation time is given over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday weeks. The department provides funds for each fellow to attend one academic meeting of their choice in the continental U.S. for a maximum of 5 days out of the department. Additional meeting time will be available if the fellow presents scientific work.
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