Diagnostic Neuroradiology

Noriko Salamon, MD, PhD
Program Director
[email protected]

Overview

The UCLA Neuroradiology Fellowship offers a rigorous ACGME-accredited training program designed to produce expert neuroradiologists who will serve as leaders in the field.

The program takes advantage of the exceptional clinical Neurology, Neurosurgery, Head and Neck Surgery and Ophthalmology departments at UCLA, which are consistent ranked among the top departments in their fields. Fellows are exposed to a constant and varied array of pathological conditions.

The fellow's clinical experience is supplemented by a comprehensive set of didactic lectures geared to reinforce and deepen existing knowledge as well as to guide further independent study. There are numerous joint conferences with other departments that contribute to the fellows’ education and understanding of clinical management.

We accept five fellows, a number considerably lower than justified by the size of the section and quantity of available imaging. We keep the fellowship small to allow every fellow to benefit from a full and comprehensive neuroradiologic experience.

Two-year Option

The standard one-year program offers concentrated and rigorous training that ensures full competence in clinical diagnostic neuroradiology. For those fellows desiring additional focused experience in a subspecialty of neuroradiology or for those pursuing additional research interests, we offer a second year of fellowship. Unlike other programs, the second year is by no means mandatory and need not be elected until several months into the first year. The second year is typically highly individualized and self-directed. We do not require a second-year fellow to act as a “junior attending” in the section, thus freeing up all available time to pursue specific interests.

Staff

Our staff consists of highly-regarded radiology researchers, clinical educators, and expert clinicians. There are seven full-time daytime diagnostic neuroradiologists, four overnight diagnostic neuroradiologists, and five dedicated neurointerventionalists.

Facilities

The primary training site is the UCLA Medical Center, the flagship hospital of the UCLA health system and consistently ranked as one of the top hospitals in the US. Case volume is provided by over 15 MRI scanners located both on the UCLA campus and at clinics scattered throughout the LA area as well as multiple CT scanners. The department offers the entire array of advanced neuroimaging, including MR/CT perfusion, fMRI, DTI, MR spectroscopy, and noninvasive vascular imaging.

Curriculum

The fellowship is organized as a series of weekly rotations:

• Inpatient and acute care imaging
• Outpatient imaging
• Head and neck radiology
• Pediatric Neuroradiology at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital
• Cerebral Angiography in the UCLA Division of Interventional Neuroradiology 
• Spine Procedures (elective), including kyphoplasty/vertebroplasty, epidural steroid injections, nerve root blocks, facet injections, RF ablations, and bone/paraspinal muscle biopsies

Numerous lectures and conferences are provided, including but not limited to:

• Comprehensive didactic lecture series provided by the neuroradiology staff during the first few months of the fellowship
• Fellow case conferences held weekly throughout the fellowship
• fMRI course provided through the UCLA graduate school
• Weekly Neurointerventional conference
• Weekly tumor boards in Head and Neck Surgery as well as Adult and Pediatric Brain Tumors
• Epilepsy Conference

Research

Extensive imaging resources are available for fellows to pursue their chosen projects, and an experienced group of physicists and statisticians is available to aid with the quantitative aspects of research.

Fellows are required to participate in new or ongoing scholarly activity during their fellowship. They are encouraged to submit original research and/or educational exhibits to a scientific meeting, and are supported by faculty through the process of abstract submission, preparation for the meeting, and the subsequent drafting of a manuscript.

Applications

The Diagnostic Neuroradiology Fellowship participates in ERAS (December Application Cycle) and the Match. Please include the following with your application through ERAS:

1. Common application form
2. Personal statement
3. Three letters of recommendation
4. USMLE scores
5. Recent photo

Once all materials have been submitted, we will review your application and contact you to arrange an interview. We encourage early submission of applications, as our interview dates are limited. Interviews are typically scheduled in February and March and include multiple opportunities to talk to current fellows and staff as well as a department tour.

Successful applicants must:

1. Be on track to successfully complete a US accredited radiology residency program by the start date of the fellowship.
2. Be eligible to obtain a California medical license by the start date of the program. (see http://www.mbc.ca.gov for requirements)
3. Be either a US citizen or permanent resident, or be eligible for an ECFMG-sponsored J-1 visa.

HOW TO APPLY

Contact Information

For fellowship programs or credential verification :