About the Program

Diagnostic radiology encompasses a variety of diagnostic and image-guided therapeutic techniques, including all modalities for radiological diagnosis including nuclear radiology, diagnostic ultrasound, magnetic resonance, computed tomography and body and vascular interventional procedures. The residency program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center offers a quality graduate medical educational experience of adequate scope and depth in both the clinical and technical aspects of each of these modalities. Our environment encourages interchange of knowledge and experience among residents and faculty in the program and with residents and faculty in other major clinical specialties throughout the health system.

Our Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program accepts eleven residents per year and is a four-year training program preceded by a mandatory clinical internship in either internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery or its subspecialties, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, family practice, emergency medicine or an ACGME- or equivalent accredited transitional year. Ohio State also has an accredited Interventional Radiology-Integrated Residency Program, which accepts two residents per year. Because the first three years of this program are identical to the Diagnostic Program, there will be 39 residents for the first three years (seven residents per class) rotating together through the same rotations.

Diagnostic Radiology

Through experiential activities and exposure to leadership development opportunities, Radiology residents at Ohio State are equipped from Day 1 with the tools and experiences to become leaders both inside and outside the Medical Center.

"One of the best parts of our program is that we can actually bring forth propositions for change and see them be implemented while we are still here.”
- Justine Kang-Chapman, MD, Junior Chief Resident, Class of 2019

“We are a strong knit community here at OSU – both residents and faculty. When you’re being trained by the very best in the field, it’s a great feeling to know that faculty is always there for you.”
- Priyanka Dubé, DO, Resident, Class of 2021

“It can be challenging at times being a radiology resident, but the faculty and staff at OSU give you everything you need to succeed and become an excellent radiologist. The case pathology is diverse and the daily lectures are exceptional. On the personal side, you have enough time outside of the hospital to recharge and have a normal social life. This will help you immensely over the four-year residency to help maintain your sanity and happiness.”
- Cliff Raymond, MD, Resident, Class of 2021

Our Mission

The Diagnostic Radiology Residency at The Ohio State University is committed to providing a well-rounded educational experience to residents in every aspect of diagnostic radiology. The program’s primary training site is The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (including University Hospital, The Ross Heart Hospital, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, the OSU Brain and Spine Hospital ,and OSU East Hospital), with pediatric radiology training provided at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. In addition, five ambulatory sites (CarePoint Gahanna, CarePoint Lewis Center, Carepoint East, The Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center, the Martha Morehouse Medical Plaza, and the new Ohio State Outpatient Care New Albany) supplement the clinical experience at our inpatient sites to provide each resident with the fundamental tools for a well-rounded education in radiology.

The mission of the Department of Radiology Diagnostic Radiology Residency program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is to train highly accurate radiologists with outstanding clinical and critical thinking skills, to devise and conduct research and to provide imaging and image-guided interventional radiology procedures to serve the diverse needs and disease processes, especially malignancies, in the communities of central Ohio and beyond.

Program Aims

The aims of this program in Radiology are:

To take advantage of the depth and breadth of imaging studies here at this large, tertiary care institution to become well-trained, efficient radiologists who would be valuable to any practice, whether academic or private; to assure that upon graduation the trainees would have seen/interpreted studies on the most complex and difficult patients and would be adept at interpreting such cases. The resident experience would be discernible from the ACGME case logs (measurable, ambitious, and time-bound);
To educate residents about the importance of involvement in leadership opportunities at the institutional, state, and national level. Further we encourage the trainees to understand the importance of their support of organized radiology and the necessity for advocacy for the profession through direct involvement in organizations at the local, regional, and national levels.
To use the unique resources available at Ohio State in the field of AI to truly prepare our residents for the future of Radiology, with particular attention to AI, so that they will be leaders in the emerging landscape of a post-interpretive Radiology world. (Strategic, ambitious)
Given the cultural and racial diversity in Columbus, we train our residents in an environment that supports cultural awareness and recognizes impediments to accessing care. This is done primarily at our ambulatory sites (which are undergoing significant expansion). In this environment, residents have the opportunity to discuss imaging studies and any necessary follow-up and/or rationale during direct face to face interactions between residents and patients. (Inclusive, equitable). Further, the results of patient evaluations of residents, which are performed primarily in fluoroscopy studies and before and following breast imaging procedures, are reviewed and results discussed and mid-year and annual reviews.
To train in an environment that supports cultural diversity amongst its faculty, trainees, and staff. As an example, amongst last year's top 50 applicants to our DR training program, just under 50% were from underserved populations. Our commitment to cultural and racial diversity are fundamental to bridging the culture gap in the field of Radiology.

Academic Experience

The Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has 11 residents per year for a total of 44 residents. This is complemented by the IR residency, which accepts two residents per year, whose residents complete the same core rotations during the first three years of residency. Our residents work with approximately 70 subspecialty trained radiologists throughout their residency on their radiology rotations. The rotations are organ based and are in accordance with the separate sections of the American Board of Radiology examination.

Didactic lectures are held on Tuesday mornings with dedicated protected time (i.e. resident responsibilities are transferred to attendings and fellows) between 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.. The didactic topics are coordinated into a prescribed 2 year curriculum so that each resident will be exposed to every lecture topic at least twice prior to the ABR Core Examination.

Program Highlights
Highlights of our program include:
- 24-hour in-house attending coverage, including our emergency radiology attending faculty who read alongside the emergency department and night float residents providing 24-hour support and final interpretations
- Four-year curriculum that emphasizes broad exposure and education prior to the core exam at the end of the PGY-4 year. There is also significant flexibility including five elective blocks and a six-block mini-fellowship throughout the four years. This flexibility allows interested residents to pursue the Clinical Interventional Radiology/Diagnostic Radiology Pathway as a part of their training
- Pairing of lower level residents with upper level residents on call and overnight shifts. This system allows for support and guidance of junior level residents on call as they become more proficient and comfortable during their residency. This also gives the upper level residents a chance to mentor and teach
- High available volume of complex and interesting cases. This allows the residents to select and view the best and optimal cases to maximize learning for their level of training. The responsibility to complete the daily clinical work is on our attending faculty, not the resident staff
- Research opportunities are plentiful and may be pursued with either our radiology faculty and/or through the Wright Center of Innovation in Biomedical Imaging
Early Specialization in Interventional Radiology (ESIR) Curriculum

The Early Specialization in Interventional Radiology (ESIR) curriculum at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has been approved by the ACGME, and takes the place of our previously existing Interventional Radiology Clinical Pathway. The purpose of this program is to develop expertise in clinical management, in addition to providing an enhanced procedural experience. Participation in this program allows the resident to receive credit for the first year of the Interventional Radiology-Independent Program, thereby completing training in six years.

ESIR is not a separate residency – it is a restructuring of the Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program at Ohio State. This program is for applicants who are interested in interventional radiology, but will not be completing a dedicated interventional radiology residency. In the latter half of the second year of diagnostic radiology training, applications for the ESIR program are solicited from the R2 (PGY-3) resident. Those who apply will be interviewed by at least two interventional radiology faculty members. As many as three residents will be selected per year to participate in this program.

ESIR designated trainees rotate through several non-interventional radiology clinical rotations, to enhance the clinical development of a future interventional radiology physician. These rotations are sponsored by Ohio State's Departments of Medicine and Surgery (Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, MICU and Hepatology). In addition to these clinical rotations, an ESIR trainee will complete as many as 13 interventional radiology and IR-related rotations, including a rotation in pediatric interventional radiology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and a vascular surgery rotation with an affiliated physician in private practice.

Sample ESIR Block Schedule

Applying to either the preliminary medicine or preliminary surgery internships is suggested, but not required.

If you have any further questions, please contact Dr. Mina Makary, one of our Interventional Radiology faculty members, at Mina.Makary@osumc.edu.

Diagnostic Radiology Residency Leadership

Amna Ajam, MD

Residency Program Director

Associate Professor, Neuroradiology

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Zarine Shah, MD

Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Associate Professor

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Rebekah Kennedy