Frequently Asked Questions
How many residents are accepted per class?
Four or five residents are accepted each year. We average 18 residents overall.
Do you have an absolute minimal board score cut-off to be granted an interview?
No, there is no minimal board score cut-off. However, the program is competitive, and the USMLE scores are evaluated as one of the criteria used to select candidates that will be offered interviews.
Does the department offer fellowships?
Yes, GW offers fellowships in Neuroradiology, Interventional Radiology, Body Imaging, Breast Imaging, and Musculoskeletal Radiology.
Our partner institution, Children's National Medical Center, offers a fellowship in Pediatric Radiology.
Is the residency program accredited by the ACGME?
Yes, the program received a five-year accreditation cycle in 2009 with no major citations and we will be site-visited in 2014.
Which fellowships fall under ACGME jurisdiction?
GW's Neuroradiology, Interventional Radiology, and Pediatric Radiology fellowships are ACGME-accredited. All are under the same review cycle as our residency program and have had no major citations.
How do the residents perform on the American Board of Radiology exam?
GW residents perform exceptionally well on all three board examinations. All of our residents have passed the three sections in the past five years. As a program, we are making modifications in our schedule and curriculum so that we can be ahead of the curve in preparing for the new style of board examination.
What percent of your residents go on to fellowships?
Over the last five years, 98 percent of our residents have chosen to pursue fellowships, generally getting their first or second choice.
How is physics taught?
While there are many ongoing lectures, the bulk of the physics teaching occurs in the summer months to introduce the new residents to radiology physics and to prepare the second and third year residents preparing for the ABR exam. Several special multi-hour sessions are planned in the areas of general radiographic physics, CT physics, MRI physics, nuclear medicine camera technology and artifacts, isotopes, radiobiology, and regulations such as MQSA. The lectures are taught by a combination of Ph.D.'s and clinical faculty with experience in these areas.
How is call distributed?
We use a night float system with different residents taking weekend day and weekend night call. The senior residents take some back up short call also. The bulk of the night float call occurs in the second year and averages one out of four weeks, but at other times call is less frequent. The department is in compliance with the ACGME and institutional work hour rules, and these are regularly tracked by the department and the GME office at GW.
Are there funds for residents to attend meetings?
Being in D.C. means many meetings are local or nearby. Many of our residents attended the ARRS meeting in D.C. in 2008. The ACR Annual meeting is also in D.C. each year. In general, the residents will have expenses paid for any meetings at which they present a paper or poster (prior department chair approval is required). On average, the residents typically attend 2 national meetings during the course of their training, but may also attend other local or regional radiology meetings/courses.