Radiology Residency

Radiology Residency Program Overview

The Department of Radiology at Loyola Medicine conducts a four-year diagnostic radiology residency which is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). On completion of residency training, graduates of the residency program are eligible for certification by the American Board of Radiology (ABR) in Diagnostic Radiology.

Loyola accepts seven residents in the diagnostic radiology program each year. Our residents receive training in all the traditional radiologic disciplines including angiography, bone, cardiovascular, chest, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, interventional, mammography, neuroradiology, neurointerventional and pediatric radiology.

Rotations are based on subspecialty, in addition to modality-oriented rotations in ultrasound, CT and MRI. The Department is fortunate to have three or more faculty members with specific expertise and experience in each of these subspecialties to conduct this training. All Examinations and procedures are administered and interpreted by the resident staff under the direct guidance and supervision of the attending faculty.

Completing the Diagnostic Radiology training program will be exciting and rewarding, with comprehensive training in all facets of diagnostic and therapeutic imaging. Some individuals may be inspired for a more focused training path. Therefore, select residents may choose to apply for the Pathway for Added Certification in Education (PACE), Early Specialization in Interventional Radiology (ESIR), or the Diagnostic Radiology/Nuclear Radiology pathway to dual board certification. Our program strives to provide an environment where all trainees can have the opportunity to reach their maximum potential.

Loyola's unique training is organized around faculty-resident interactions, with a one-on-one relationship between a faculty member and a resident. The large volume and variety of cases and the one-on-one student-teacher relationship, coupled with our academically stimulating environment, provides a superior training experience in radiology. Most importantly, there is a warm, friendly, and personal relationship among all the members of the Radiology Department.

Residency Objectives

The objective of the Department of Radiology residency program at Loyola Medicine is to thoroughly prepare the individual for a successful career in either academic medicine or clinical practice. Loyola Medicine and Loyola University Chicago both emphasize ethical behavior of the highest caliber which, in turn, recognizes and respects the dignity of the individual.

The training program provides educational opportunities in an environment that stresses these ideals by emphasizing individual competence and compassion in patient care. The enthusiastic faculty of the department seeks to impart the necessary knowledge to its trainees in a logical fashion, to kindle academic curiosity, and to develop the skills necessary for a successful career in radiology.

Comprehensive daily lectures and conferences, scholarly activities, and ongoing clinical involvement are an integral part of the residency program including:

• Daily teaching conferences from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with two year curriculum cycle
• Additional teaching conferences from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. as scheduled
• A comprehensive lecture series in radiology physics, nuclear medicine physics, and radiobiology
• Numerous multi-disciplinary conferences to correlate findings in cases of educational value
• Monthly Diagnostic and Nuclear Medicine Journal Clubs
• Department subsidized participation in American Institute for Pathology (AIRP) course
• Attendance at, and participation in, a wide variety of specialty conferences at LUMC
• Case based conferences by visiting professors including Loyola Radiology graduates
• Second and third year resident contribution to medical student Radiology elective
• Basic Life Support training, Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification and Pediatric Advanced Life Support certification
• Monthly M & M conference
• Monthly Grand Rounds - Resident Prepared/Faculty mentored
• Chicago Radiological Society Meetings
• RSNA Annual Meeting

Loyola's Radiology residents rotate through the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, the Children's Memorial Medical Center in Chicago, and the American Institute for Radiologic Pathology (AIRP) in Washington, D.C.

Financial Considerations

Loyola provides financial support and professional liability insurance for all residents. Laboratory coats and paging beepers are supplied. Meals are furnished for residents on night float in the hospital. 100% of the hospitalization insurance premium for the individual is paid by the university, with additional family insurance available. Twenty days of paid time off are granted each year.

Tuition expense for the AIRP rotation along with a stipend is granted to Residents in accordance with the current Resident Education Fund Guidelines. Additional discretionary funds are also available for each resident's educational needs in accordance with the guidelines.

Program Requirements

Applicants must obtain a medical degree (MD or DO) from an accredited U.S. or foreign medical school prior to matriculation. Foreign medical graduates must have successfully passed the ECFMG certifying examination. All candidates must be eligible for medical licensure in Illinois.

We are seeking candidates who will be completing a preliminary medicine or surgery year. A transitional PGY-1 would also be desirable. Postgraduate year (PGY-1) is mandatory and must be completed in an ACGME approved program. The residency participates in the National Residents Matching Program (NRMP) and accepts applications electronically on ERAS.

We were notified of a change in the Department of Labor's methodology for calculating the prevailing wages institutions are required to pay H1-B sponsored trainees. The new methodology has made it unfeasible for Loyola to continue sponsoring trainees with H1-B visas.

We do however, continue to accept and train trainees who hold J1 visas and other forms of work authorizations accepted by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service. For additional information about Loyola and visas, please contact Loyola's Graduate Medical Education office.

Required application materials include the electronic application form, medical school transcripts, USMLE Step One score (and Step 2 if available), personal statement, Dean's letter, three letters of recommendation and a recent photograph. (Please note: we will no longer accept only COMLEX scores)

The deadline for receipt of all materials is October 10 of the application year. Out of fairness to all applicants, this deadline will not be extended. All applicants will be notified of their status approximately one week after the application deadline.

Residents are selected and ranked by the Residency Selection Committee based on their academic records, academic, personal and professional achievements, letters of recommendation, and a personal interview with committee members.

Approximately 800 completed applications are reviewed annually and 100 candidates will be interviewed. The majority of candidates interviewed are ranked for the 7 available positions.

Affirmative Action

Loyola University Chicago admits students without regard to their race, color, sex or national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and other activities, generally accorded or made available to students at the school.

Loyola University Chicago do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex or national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. Qualified persons are not subject to discrimination on the basis of handicap.

Welcome from the Program Director

Dear Future Colleagues,

The Department of Radiology at Loyola Medicine and Loyola University Chicago's Stritch School of Medicine offers a robust resident training program nationally recognized for graduates with the confidence and competence to succeed in a career in Radiology. The Institutional mission of clinical, academic and educational excellence is mirrored in the Departmental mission. The Loyola Radiology faculty has consistently provided high quality education over the last 50 years. As an academic Radiology department, we provide state-of-the-art imaging and procedures in which the residents actively participate throughout their clinical training.

Over 30 full-time clinical faculty provide care to a diverse patient population covering the gamut of pathology. With a high volume of clinical cases, radiology residents see a comprehensive array of pathology in a tertiary care medical center. Throughout the training program, residents receive a combination of didactic sessions, personal tutorials, and a concentration of practical experience. Our basic science faculty provides instruction in the principles of digital imaging and computers as well as radiobiology and radiation safety for the benefit of patients and imaging quality, as well as to prepare residents for initial ABR certification.

Residents choosing to pursue a fellowship have had no difficulty obtaining positions at leading institutions, representing all subspecialties. Programs with personal experience with Loyola graduates are especially eager to consider our future graduates. For those interested in academics, our former residents have served as Chairmen of Radiology departments, and they populate the academic faculty of many first rate institutions.

This is a very exciting time for our department. The ambulatory center and satellites are completely digital, with state-of-the-art CT and MRI. Digital imaging archival and distribution is in place throughout the health care network, as well as an electronic medical record. New equipment includes the highest Breast MRI imaging platform with MR-guided biopsy capability, 3 Tesla magnets, and 64-slice CT scanners including in the ER. Continued satellite expansion and hospital relationships, including our merger with Gottlieb Memorial Hospital and MacNeal Hospital, have allowed Loyola to capture increasing marketshare in the regional health care market. Continued capital equipment investment helps our radiology faculty keep our imaging program at the forefront of medical imaging.

There is no more rewarding time to enter the field of Radiology than today. The modern radiologist is both a diagnostician and a treating physician. With a strong faculty commitment to the education of our future colleagues, Loyola's Diagnostic Radiology Residency program is designed to prepare you for a successful career in radiology whether this is in academics or in the private sector.

Mariah Siddiqui, MD
Program Director, Diagnostic Radiology Training Program

Pathway for Added Certification in Education (PACE)

Residents participating in the PACE program

The Pathway for Added Certification in Education (PACE) is a program for resident trainees designed to promote and develop interests in education and the teaching process. Through a structured curriculum administered by faculty mentors, invested residents review predetermined electronic and written materials, attend virtual and live meetings, prepare and present materials learned, and develop a sustainable teaching tool.

Developed to enhance rather than compete with the clinical training program, this Pathway will allow a resident to achieve a skillset potentially valuable for a career in academic Radiology. This program beyond the scope of traditional Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine training will develop skills essential to a life-long educator, with certificate of successful program completion.

Program Testimonials

The following quotes from current and former residents describe key aspects of Loyola's residency:

"Loyola’s diagnostic radiology residency provided me with all of the tools I needed for success in fellowship and anticipated clinical practice. As someone who plans to practice both IR and diagnostics, I’m excited about all the wonderful opportunities available to me in my career after training there. As a resident, I particularly miss the training environment where our residents and faculty treat each other with friendly respect and work together. The residency is extremely well run, organized, and the academic support is very good.”

"The excellent faculty is dedicated, knowledgeable, available, and approachable. The one-to-one faculty resident relationship is a great asset."

"The program provides a good mix of case presentations and didactic lectures."

"Loyola has an excellent reputation as an academic institution; it offers a diversity of patient population, a large volume of routine and rare cases, and busy trauma and cardiac services."

"Radiology residents are thoroughly trained in all aspects of radiology. They are given a great deal of autonomy."

Demos Outstanding Educator Award

Each year the residents select one of the faculty members to receive the Demos Outstanding Educator Award. Formerly called the Teacher of the Year Award, its name was changed to honor Terrence C. Demos, Professor who was a repetitive winner as Teacher of the Year. He consistently exhibits a passion for teaching, knowledge, and dedication and seeks to share these qualities with everyone he encounters.

Recent past recipients of this award include:

• 2011-12: Dr. Albert Song, MSK

• 2012-13: Dr. Robert Wagner and Dr. Sam Gabriel, Nuclear Medicine
• 2013-14: Dr. M. Mukarram Sheikh, Body Imaging
• 2014-15: Dr. Marc Borge, IR
• 2015-16: Dr. Davide Bova, Body Imaging
• 2016-17: Dr. Rina Patel, MSK
• 2017-18: Dr. Laurie Lomasney, MSK
• 2018-19: Dr. Mariah Siddiqui, Neuroradiology
• 2019-20: Dr. Peter Obara, Body Imaging
• 2020-21: Dr. Emad Allam, MSK
• 2021-22: Dr. Anu Jawahar, Body Imaging
• 2022-23: Dr. Faaiza Mahmoud, Body Imaging

Our department has a tradition of excellence in teaching and training radiologists, and our faculty and graduates are leaders in all aspects of the specialty. Loyola trained radiologists excel in both academic and private practice settings throughout the United States.