RESIDENCY PROGRAM

THE DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING RESIDENCY PROGRAM AT TUFTS' CUMMINGS SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE (TCSVM) is designed to provide broad training in routine and special procedures in small and large animal diagnostic radiology, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, CT and MRI. The program will provide non-degree postgraduate clinical training in the diagnostic imaging field for three years which also include diagnostic imaging physics and radiation biology.

The bulk of the training will come through hands-on performance and daily interaction with radiology faculty, and to a lesser degree, through seminars and formal courses. The resident will participate in classroom and laboratory instruction to a limited extent. The residency program will allow the resident to progress until he or she is able, with minimal supervision, to take charge of a busy clinical imaging service on a day-to-day basis and to assist in the instruction of veterinary students.

The individual is required to complete and publish a clinical research project in a peer-reviewed scientific journal; the project is developed under the supervision of the diagnostic imaging faculty. The individual will be eligible to apply for the qualifying examination of the American College of Veterinary Radiology (ACVR) upon satisfactory completion of this program. The minimum standards for this program have been approved by the AVMA according to the guidelines provided by the ACVR. The program has the specific purpose of training residents to become future clinicians, teachers, investigators in the diagnostic imaging field. Graduates should be equipped to function either in an academic environment or in a private specialty practice.

The residency begins in the month of July; there are currently 4 residents enrolled in the program. Appointments are made for 12 months and are annually renewed based on satisfactory performance during the previous year. A certificate of residency is awarded to the candidate upon successful completion of the training program.

On campus facilities and equipment available to the TCSVM radiology resident include routine and digital radiographic suites, state of the art ultrasound machines with color, duplex and Power Doppler modes, Picker VenueTM Spiral CT with integrated fluoroscopic C-arm and PinPointTM biopsy arm, IN-house MRI suite equipped with a closed magnet 1.5 Tesla Siemens Symphony Unit and a 57PMT IS2 digital rectangular nuclear medicine camera with ultrascan lifting system linked to MirageTM acquisition and post processing Nuclear Medicine Station. All imaging modalities are linked to a Kodak PACS server for image archival. The Diagnostic imaging section is a filmless DIACOM operation.

ACVR REQUIREMENTS
Total: 36 months
Minimum time on-clinics: 30 months
SA radiography: 12 months
LA radiography: 6 months
US: 6 months
Alternative Imaging: 3 months

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM
First two months of the first year are spent learning the technical aspects of all different imaging modalities in both large and small animals. Any given month thereafter a resident will alternate between radiography/nuclear medicine (two weeks), ultrasound (1 week) and CT/MRI (1week).

Down time:
Two weeks per year: vacation time. One week per year: attendance to meetings
Three weeks in year 3: board exam preparation

In addition, one-half day per week is allotted for off-clinic time starting in year 2, and a full day off-clinics per week is provided in year 3.

TOTAL
Of the 36 months of training 50% of the residency is spent in the radiology floor (small and large animals) which includes also, to a lesser extent, nuclear medicine, 25% in ultrasound and the remaining 25% in CT and MRI