Musculoskeletal Radiology Fellowship Program

Main (Program Overview/Mission/Vision/Aims)

Program Overview

The SAUSHEC Musculoskeletal Radiology Fellowship is one year of intensive training and experience in the subspecialty of musculoskeletal imaging. Training is composed of supervised image interpretation and experience in image guided diagnostic/therapeutic musculoskeletal procedures ranging from joint and tendon sheath injections to bone biopsies and lesion ablations. Injuries and conditions unique to the military are emphasized including diagnosis and disposition of stress injuries and field evaluation of musculoskeletal injuries with ultrasound.

The fellow is immersed in a multi-disciplinary environment with the expectation of developing collaborative skills and leading multidisciplinary teams. The fellowship also exposes the fellow to a rich scholarly experience with the expectation of presenting at a national meeting during the mid to latter half of the fellowship. The fellow will also work with a mentor to plan, develop, and implement a department level quality improvement project. The fellow is expected to develop teaching skills in working daily with residents, medical students, and imaging technologists inside and outside the radiology department. Finally, developing an identity as a military health care provider and officer is emphasized including attention to military readiness status.

Mission

To train exceptional musculoskeletal radiologists with top-notch skills as clinicians, collaborators, researchers, educators, and military officers who are prepared to lead radiology teams in garrison and at deployed sites.

Aims

• Expose fellows to a high volume of musculoskeletal imaging studies coupled with high quality teaching from a diverse cadre of musculoskeletal radiology faculty.
• Introduce fellows to a breadth of image guided musculoskeletal procedures ensuring enough volume to attain procedural proficiency and acquire confidence to teach these procedures.
• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration through fellow attendance and leadership at interdisciplinary conferences and participation in interdisciplinary quality improvement projects and scholarly activity.
• Promote opportunities for the fellow to develop skills as an educator through faculty mentoring and fellow teaching of residents, medical students, and imaging technologists.
• Produce fellows who are exceptional military medical officers through mentoring in areas of resiliency, military readiness, followership, and leadership.

Vision

Through continuous innovation, provide a learning environment that achieves or exceeds that of the best civilian musculoskeletal radiology fellowships.

Curriculum/Rotations/Locations/Partnering Institutions

Curriculum

Learning primarily occurs through supervised MSK radiology study interpretation, performance of MSK image-guided procedures, faculty teaching, interdisciplinary conferences and scholarly activity. For self-study, a literature based curriculum and a video lecture library is offered for fellow use.

Rotations

10 months of the 1 year training program are spent on the musculoskeletal radiology services at Brooke Army Medical Center, a military tertiary referral center and level one trauma center, and Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, a large outpatient primary and subspecialty clinic which services the Lackland Basic Training Program. There are 2 months of elective rotation time which can be scheduled on various radiology services such as emergency, pediatric, ultrasound, neuroradiology, interventional radiology and non-radiology services such as orthopedics, rheumatology, and pain management.

Training Locations

San Antonio Military Health System with facilities on Fort Sam Houston and Lackland Air Force Base.

Military Relevance (military relevance of specialty/how program prepares trainees to be ready for military mission & first assignment)

The fellowship program emphasizes support of the military mission and military health system. Providing imaging services to redeploying wounded warriors, JBSA Lackland military basic trainees and the large Fort Sam Houston military medical training population provides military unique imaging experience. Wartime injuries, military training injuries, musculoskeletal stress injuries and civilian trauma are commonly encountered. Additionally, BAMC’s status as a tertiary combat treatment hospital provides exposure to imaging and image guided treatment of combat musculoskeletal injuries including blast injury and amputations.

Application Instructions (Eligibility/Interview Process/Program Application Details)

Eligibility

United States military practicing radiologist or graduating radiology residency who will enter or remain on United States military active duty after radiology residency graduation.

Program Application

All applicants must utilize the Joint Service Graduate Medical Education Selection Board Process which typically begins each year in July and concludes in October. Applications concluded in October are evaluated for fellowship slots matriculating 20 months after the conclusion of the application period.

Interview Process

A component of the Joint Service Graduate Medical Education Selection Board process will include scheduled interviews with the SAUSHEC MSK Radiology Program Director and typically the applicant’s Service Radiology Consultant.