Curriculum

Learn more about the MaineHealth Maine Medical Center general surgery residency program.

The PGY 2-4 diagnostic radiology curriculum consists of:

• Abdominal Radiology: Approximately nine months of Body MRI, ER CT, Body CT/US, and Late Stay/Night Float (see below), during which residents learn body CT and MRI in multiple settings.
• Breast Radiology: Three months (one month each year from PGY 3-5), during which residents learn screening and diagnostic mammography, breast ultrasound, ductography, and breast MRI. Residents also receive procedural training in US, stereotactic, and MRI-guided biopsies.
• Cardiothoracic Radiology: Three months (one month each year from PGY 2-4), during which residents learn chest radiography, CT, lung screening CT, cardiac CT, and cardiac MRI.
• Interventional Radiology: 1.5 months during PGY-2, and 2 months each year from PGY 3-4.PGY 5-6 are primarily spent in IR.Please refer to the “Interventional Radiology” tab for details.
• Musculoskeletal Radiology: Two months, during which residents become competent in plain radiography, CT, MRI, and procedures such as arthrography.
• Neuroradiology: Approximately 5.5 months (1-2 months each year from PGY 2-4), including Neuro CT, Neuro MRI, and Night Float (see below).Residents become competent in CT, MRI, and procedures such as lumbar puncture and myelography.
• Nuclear Radiology: Four months (one month each year from PGY 2-5), with training in all forms of nuclear medicine, including PET-CT, cardiac imaging, physics, and I-131 administration.
• Pediatric Radiology: Approximately 3.75 months, including three months at Boston Children's Hospital during PGY-3. MHMMC maintains an apartment next to Boston Children’s Hospital that includes parking. For many residents, this special opportunity is the highlight of their residency. There is additional pediatric radiology experience at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in a rotation combined with radiography/fluoroscopy.
• Radiography/Fluoroscopy: Approximately 1.5 months of experience during a rotation combined with pediatric radiology. Residents become competent in a broad range of fluoroscopy procedures, including esophagrams, upper GI exams, upper GI with small bowel follow through, modified barium swallows, diagnostic enemas, fistulograms, defecography, and sialograms.
• Ultrasonography: 1.5 months, including a dedicated rotation, a rotation combined with Body CT, and an OB ultrasound rotation. There is dedicated time to learn hands-on US with image acquisition, including simulation training. Residents have additional US exposure during their pediatric radiology and ER rotations.
• Radiologic Pathology Correlation Course: One-month course at the American College of Radiology (ACR) Institute for Radiologic Pathology (AIRP) in Washington, D.C., during PGY-4.A stipend is provided for travel and housing. This course is considered the residency highlight for many residents. Please refer to the “Conferences & Didactics” tab for details.
• Research: All residents receive one month of dedicated research time during PGY-3, and are required to complete at least one scholarly project and one quality improvement project with a faculty mentor by graduation.
• Emergency Radiology/Late Stay: Residents spend two months in emergency radiology during PGY-2.Residents also spend a total of three months during PGY 2-5 covering emergency radiology from 12-9 pm Monday through Friday, called “Late Stay”.
• Night Float: Residents cover emergency radiology overnight for a total of three months during PGY 2-5. They provide preliminary image interpretation, with final attending interpretation on all cases, who are always available by telephone.
• Electives: Residents have two months of elective time (one month during PGY-4 and one month during PGY-6), during which they can have additional experience in any of the rotations listed above.
• Vacation: Residents may take up to 21 working days of vacation per year, which are banked at the beginning of each academic year. Residents are encouraged to use all of their vacation time every year. However, they may choose to roll over 3 days into the next academic year.

Interventional Radiology

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center:

• 4.5 months during PGY-5 and 4 months during PGY-6.
• 3 state-of-the-art angiography suites:
  • 1 dedicated biplane.
• Full array of diagnostic and therapeutic, vascular and nonvascular procedures using fluoroscopy, CT, and US guidance.
• Full consult and admitting service:
  • 2 IR attendings, 2-4 advanced practice providers, 1-2 residents, and up to 1 medical student on service daily.

St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center:

• 1.5 months during PGY-5 and 2 months during PGY-6.
• 233-bed community hospital in Lewiston, ME:
  • 50-minute drive from Portland.
• The Center for Vascular Care was founded by and is exclusively staffed by IR:
  • MHMMC IR attendings rotate coverage daily.
  • Full-time nurse practitioner and vascular navigator.
• Approximately 10 patient encounters per day:
  • ½ day in clinic performing new outpatient consults, follow-up visits, and varicose vein procedures (endovenous ablation, sclerotherapy, phlebectomy, etc.).
  • ½ day in IR suite performing procedures (high volume of peripheral artery disease due to robust relationship between IR and the St. Mary’s Center for Hyperbaric & Wound Care).

Pediatric IR

Boston Children’s Hospital:

• 2 months during PGY-6.
• #1 or 2 on U.S. News & World Report’s list of best children’s hospitals since 2011.
• Work with other IR residents from New England.
• MHMMC maintains an apartment next to Boston Children’s Hospital that includes parking.

IR Clinic

Spectrum Healthcare Partners Vascular & Interventional Physicians:

• 1 day/week during all IR rotations in PGY 2-6 and dedicated month/year during PGY 5-6.
• 5-minute drive from MHMMC.
• 2 patient rooms (1 equipped for minor procedures).
• MHMMC IR attendings rotate coverage daily.
• 2 medical assistants and 2 schedulers.
• Approximately 10 patient encounters per day:
  • New consults and follow-up visits.
  • Minor procedures (thoracentesis, paracentesis, superficial biopsy, varicose veins, etc.).

St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center:

• 1.5 months during PGY-5 and 2 months during PGY-6.
• 233-bed community hospital in Lewiston, ME:
  • 50-minute drive from Portland.
• The Center for Vascular Care was founded by and is exclusively staffed by IR:
  • MHMMC IR attendings rotate coverage daily.
  • Full-time nurse practitioner and vascular navigator.
• Approximately 10 patient encounters per day:
  • ½ day in clinic performing new outpatient consults, follow-up visits, and varicose vein procedures (endovenous ablation, sclerotherapy, phlebectomy, etc.).
  • ½ day in IR suite performing procedures (high volume of peripheral artery disease due to robust relationship between IR and the St. Mary’s Center for Hyperbaric & Wound Care).

Off-service Rotations

Neuroendovascular Intervention:

• 1 month/year during PGY 5-6.
• 1 interventional neuroradiologist and 2 endovascular neurosurgeons.
• High volume/complexity service.
• MHMMC has stroke certification.

Interventional Nephrology:

• 1 month/year during PGY 5-6.
• 5-minute drive from MMC.
• 2 interventional nephrologists.
• Tunneled hemodialysis catheters, dialysis fistula/graft angiograms and interventions, etc.

Wound Healing & Hyperbarics:

• 1 month during PGY 6.
• MHMMC Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine is a 5-minute drive from MHMMC-Portland.

Vascular Surgery:

• 1 month during PGY-5.
• Endovascular aortic aneurysm repair experience.

Critical Care:

• 1 month during PGY-5.
• Rotating exposure to the surgical, medical, and neurologic critical care units.

VA:

• 1 month elective during PGY-6.
• Togus VA Medical Center is a 1-hour drive from MHMMC-Portland, in Augusta, ME.
• Combined IR and vascular surgery experience.

View the PGY 2-6 block diagram.