This residency program is for 5 years.
Program length of training does not exceed the Royal College or College of Family Physicians of Canada standard.
Our radiology program is structured to make optimal use of resources at each of the major teaching hospitals. The program aims to produce radiologists who can supervise, advise and perform imaging procedures and act as competent consultants to referring physicians. Knowledge, technical skills and communication skills are stressed.
As of July 1, 2022, all Diagnostic Radiology programs in Canada transitioned to the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada's (RCPSC) Competence by Design program (CBD). This will effect all "PGY1" residents starting their training as of July 1, 2022.
Those residents who entered Diagnostic Radiology prior to July 1, 2022, will continue in the traditional time-based stream, according to the RCPSC's Standard Training Requirements (STRs). While we undergo this transition, the Residency Training Committee (RTC) continues to map and adapt its current curriculum to also abide by the CBD program.
In general, CBD has four stages of training:
Stage 1: Transition to Discipline (9 blocks)
Stage 2: Foundation of Discipline (7 blocks)
Stage 3: Core of Discipline (44 blocks)
Stage 4: Transition to Practice (5 blocks)
CBD Stage 1: Transition to Discipline (PGY1)
For residents entering July 1, 2022, there will be a total of 9 blocks comprising the initial stage for CBD. This will include 8 clinical rotations and 1 diagnostic radiology rotation early in the clinical year as well as exposure throughout this stage to the radiology curriculum via rounds and academic half-days. The clinical rotations will include mandatory rotations, 1-block each (Pediatrics ER, General Surgery, General Medicine CTU, Adult ER, Intensive Care, Radiation Oncology) as well as 1-block selective in surgery (Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Vascular Surgery) and 1-block medicine selective (Respirology or Neurology).
CBD Stage 2: Foundation of Discipline (PGY1, PGY2)
The focus of this stage is the development of the knowledge and skills required to integrate clinical and imaging information in the evaluation of common and/or acute patient presentations. The essence of this stage is preparation for independent on-call activities. This stage encompasses 7 core radiology rotations including Body CT (2), Acute ER, Chest, MSK, Neuro, Ultrasound scanning. It allows dedicated access to the Ultrasound ScanTrainer simulation tool to practice scanning skills, a robust on-call preparation curriculum with case-based and didactic lectures, including teaching from senior residents, and the registration to the Preparation for Call Course
CBD Stage 3: Core of Discipline (Core 1: PGY2, PGY3; Core 2: PGY4, PGY5)
In this stage, residents build on the skills and knowledge of the previous stages and focuses on interpretation and reporting of cases in all body sections and modalities including intervention. We have divided this into Core 1 (24 blocks) and Core 2 (20 blocks) to allow a graded learning progression. Residents also apply their expertise and collaboration skills to participate in interdisciplinary rounds.
The experiences in this stage are sequenced to provide the resident with the full breadth of the specialty within the first half of the Core stage; this ensures experience in all aspects of the discipline prior to the timing of decisions regarding advanced or fellowship training. Subsequent repeat experiences in the various body regions and imaging modalities provide experience with more complex cases and at higher workload volumes.
CBD Stage 4: Transition to Practice (PGY5)
In this stage, residents consolidate and integrate their knowledge and skills to provide diagnostic radiology services. They demonstrate autonomy, including demonstrating an approach to complex cases and expertise at interdisciplinary rounds. This stage also focuses on preparation for independent practice, with instruction and experience in areas of administrative and professional responsibility, including leadership of the diagnostic radiology service.
This stage comprises of 5 blocks, primarily electives to allow and individualized approach to the transition to practice or fellowship.
Research
Completion of at least one research project by the end of the PGY4 year is mandatory. Protected research time is incorporated into the core training schedule, and additional research time is available on an elective basis. Each resident is given a 4-week research block during their PGY3 year, with a completed research project to be presented at the Ottawa Radiology Research Day. There is financial support for presentations at major conferences. Our residents publish high quality research on a consistent basis in major journals such as Radiology, AJR, European Radiology and CARJ. Residents with further interests in research can apply to the University of Ottawa's Clinician Investigator Program once enrolled in Radiology.
Academic Half Days and Teaching
Tuesday academic afternoons consist of 3-4 hours of lectures and case presentations presented by staff radiologists or invited lecturers. Lectures are organized by body system and CanMEDS objectives into blocks that follow a 2-year cycle. A physics and a research curriculum are integrated into the half day lectures. Daily teaching rounds are provided at all campuses both in the morning (with the exception of Tuesdays) and over the lunch hour by our staff radiologists. These rounds cover all aspects of radiology including Nuclear Medicine and Obstetrical US. Our program adapted to a virtual platform due to the COVID19 pandemic.
Regular Radiology Grand Rounds are prepared and given by residents and fellows. Residents are called upon to prepare a Grand Rounds in their PGY3 year. Our Journal Club meetings promote scholarly learning including question formulation, biostastistics, and ethics. Regular Radiology-Pathology correlation rounds for all staff are presented by residents and are based on collected cases. This is an excellent opportunity for both teaching and quality assurance. The Visiting Professor Program allows for invited speakers to each provide two days of quality resident education. We have recently implemented an Artificial Intelligence lecture series covering basic to advanced topics.
Simulation Curriculum
Our program has a very comprehensive simulation curriculum integrated throughout the PGY2-PGY4 years. Through this curriculum, our residents acquire and practice a variety of skills including, but not limited to: procedural skills (image-guided biopsies, injections, aspirations, drainages of various organs or body parts), diagnostic skills, communication skills (with patients, peers and allied health), collaboration, team-work, managerial skills and other. CanMeds Roles are routinely integrated in many of these simulation sessions.
We have over a dozen yearly sessions that are part of the simulation curriculum, and serve to compliment learning that occurs on rotations. Most of the sessions take place at the Ottawa Skills and Simulation Centre. Other sessions take place within the Radiology Department (ex. CT scan suite for CT-guided biopsies or fluoroscopy suite for LPs or GI procedures) or at the University of Ottawa's Anatomy Lab.
Dedicated access to the Ultrasound ScanTrainer, a simulation-based ultrasound scanning learning tool. ScanTrainer uses haptic devices alongside virtual patients with realistic landmarks to replicate multiple patient shapes. It allows trainees to learn to manipulate the ultrasound probe and develop hand-eye coordination and 3D to 2D spatial awareness when interpreting image relationships. A series of engaging tests are then used both to teach and assess skills levels. This has been integrated into 4 specific rotations (Ultrasound scanning, Obstetric scanning, Gynecologic ultrasound) as well as the PGY1 Introducation to Radiology rotation.