Radiology Education at Geisel

Imaging education at Geisel is integrated throughout the 4-year curriculum.  The imaging curriculum addresses imaging modality techniques, methods, strengths/weaknesses, risks, indications, and proper communications to enable students to effectively use imaging in the care of their patients.  Students will learn to identify high-quality resources to support appropriate test selection. Students should learn basic interpretation skills for commonly encountered, urgent findings.  The required and optional components of each phase are outlined below.

Phase 1 Pre-Clinical

Imaging Curricular Thread

Imaging is one of the major Curricular Threads woven throughout the Phase 1 systems based courses and embedded within several of the required Phase 2 & 3 clerkships.  Imaging learning objectives are approved by the Medical Education Committee and taught and facilitated by board-certified radiologists.  Most courses include education on normal imaging anatomy, imaging techniques, algorithms, risks & benefits, and the pathophysiology of imaging findings in common patterns of disease.

Faculty Director:  Nancy J McNulty MD

Fall and Winter Enrichment Electives

Faculty leader: Petra Lewis, MD

Up to 8 students per session.   This elective includes:

  • Introductory session
  • 4 half days shadowing in the student's choice of subspecialty areas
  • Fun, interactive 'pop quiz' at the end (not graded!)

Phase 2 & 3 Clinical Clerkships

Imaging Curricular Thread

Many of the imaging learning objectives have been integrated into the clerkship experiences, to facilitate clinically relevant and timely learning.  Aquifer Radiology Cases are required on several rotations, including internal medicine, neurology, general surgery, and the acute care medicine clerkship. These cases are interactive, focused, and address multiple imaging objectives including imaging algorithms, risks & benefits, communications, and screening.

Specific Clerkships

Internal Medicine:  During internal medicine, an aquifer case on COPD and thoracic vascular disorders is required.  There are also 3 'Chest X-ray' sessions that were developed by the clerkship directors with input from the imaging team.

Surgery:  Imaging rounds is an interactive session that occurs during the surgery clerkship which is led by a radiologist and addresses communications, imaging algorithms and image interpretation strategies relevant to surgical disease. An aquifer case on the colon and small bowel is required.

Advanced Ambulatory Medicine:  Students are required to complete a locally developed learning module on breast imaging and breast cancer screening with formative questions at the end.

Acute Care Medicine:  On this clerkship, two aquifer cases will be required, one on chest infections and chest imaging in the ICU, and the other on chest trauma.  There is one didactic imaging session to reinforce content in the cases.

Phase 3 Readiness for Residency

Electives

Radiology has a wide variety of electives, briefly described below.  For the full description, you can access any elective manual here: latest manuals.  All radiology electives are available for phase 2 students after completion of their first clerkship.

Elective administrator:  Elizabeth Roberts  603-646-5407

  • Basic Clinical Elective (Radiology 502)
    • Faculty director is Petra Lewis MBBS
    • 4 weeks.
    • This is our premier elective! This is a highly structured elective about 50% student-focused didactic/interactive teaching, and about 50% shadowing
    • Rotations in all clinical areas and directed self-teaching resources
    • Offered 4x a year (April, July, Sept, Oct)
  • Flexi-elective (Radiology 503)
    • Faculty director is Brian Barnacle, MD
    • 2-4 weeks
    • Shadow elective with rotations in all clinical areas and directed self-teaching resources
  • Interventional Radiology (Radiology 501)
    • Faculty director is Tom Burdick, MD
    • 2-4 weeks
    • Hands-on elective in IR which is highly recommended for all students applying to IR residency programs.
  • Women's imaging (Radiology 505)
    • Faculty director is Petra Lewis MBBS
    • 2-4 weeks
    • 50% breast imaging, 50% ultrasound including rotations in OBGYN imaging and the comprehensive breast program
    • Directed self-teaching resources
  • Neuroimaging (Radiology 504)
    • Faculty director is Leah Ann Palifka
    • 4 weeks
    • Shadow elective in neuroradiology/interventional neuroradiology
    • Directed self-teaching resources
  • Musculoskeletal radiology (Radiology 508)
    • Faculty director is Christin Foster MD
    • 2-4 weeks
    • Shadow elective in MSK imaging
    • Directed self-teaching resources
  • Radiology research (Radiology 602)
    • 2-4 weeks
    • Project focused.
    • Note: The student must have a project organized with a radiology faculty member before signing up for this elective.
  • BootCamp Radiology (Radiology 508)
      • Faculty director is Nancy McNulty MD
      • 1 week virtual elective for residency preparedness
      • Morning asynchronous learning and assignments, afternoon interactive webinars