Curriculum
The Pediatric Radiology Residency Program is one-year in duration and includes rotations in the following areas:
- Plain radiographs (including in-patient studies from the pediatric and surgical wards and from the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units, as well as outpatient and emergency room examinations)
- Fluoroscopy (gastrointestinal and genitourinary)
- Ultrasound (including neuro-sonography)
- Body CT, body MRI (chest, abdomen, and musculoskeletal), neuroradiology (including CT and MRI)
- Nuclear medicine.
Pediatric Radiology Residency Program Goals and Objectives
Our residents are trained and evaluated in all aspects of the CanMEDS competency framework (medical expert, communicator, collaborator, leader, health advocate, scholar, and professional roles). Fellows gain competence through a process of graded responsibility by which they take on increased responsibility as they acquire greater experience under the ongoing supervision of staff radiologists. This is supplemented by daily teaching sessions in all areas of pediatric imaging, participation in clinical rounds, and presentation at quality assurance rounds and journal club. Residents are also expected to cover MRI evening shifts and to take night and weekend call on a rotating basis with the other fellows. As the residents gain more familiarity with pediatric imaging and with the department, they are put in a more supervisory role over diagnostic radiology residents who are performing “in house” call during their pediatric imaging rotation in our hospital. Our residents are expected to reach the level of junior staff colleagues before they leave the department.
Protected academic time is provided to the residents so they can work on research projects and prepare presentations during the year. Our residents and fellows are supported in all academic activities and in the past, this has led to numerous presentations at national and international pediatric imaging meetings as well as to the publication of many papers, chapters, and even books. Residents are expected to be academically productive, and it is a minimum requirement that they all complete at least one original research project as principal author that is suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal during their training year.
Residents that successfully complete our program are eligible for certification with examination in Pediatric Radiology by the Royal College. The exam is offered annually by the Royal College, usually in September or October. The purpose of the examination is to assess the candidate’s clinical competence and readiness to practice. The content of the examination is based on a blueprint that reflects the Royal College Objectives of Training in the Subspecialty of Pediatric Radiology to ensure that the examination best reflects relevant clinical practice. The depth of required knowledge is also covered in the Objectives of Training document and all candidates are strongly encouraged to read it completely. The Royal College examination in Pediatric Radiology is a written-only examination. The pass score is 70%.
Residents automatically become members of the Professional Association of Residents of Ontario (PARO), which is the official representative voice for Ontario’s doctors in training. Residents’ salaries, benefits, leaves follow PARO agreements.