The Department of Radiology at Cook County Health is dedicated to training clinical radiologists who will succeed in both academic and private settings.

Residents are assured opportunities to acquire a broad range of diagnostic and interventional skills in all subspecialties and imaging modalities. 
Residents also receive advanced training in emergency medicine and trauma diagnostic imagining at our world-renowned Level 1 Trauma Center. One of our goals is to train the next generation of radiologists who will continue to contribute and expand the field of medical imaging. Over ninety percent of our residents pursue subspecialty training in a wide variety of fellowships across the country. 
The radiology residency program at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County currently has a total of 16 residents and 30 faculty members and accepts four residents per year. The Department of Radiology has a long tradition of educational excellence. We believe education goes beyond academics. We train our residents to develop positive relationships with referring physicians and continuously strive for quality improvement. We take great pride in our residents and their accomplishments. 
Why choose the Cook County Health Radiology Residency Program? 
The Department of Radiology is uniquely positioned to provide exposure to a wide variety of disease states, patient populations, and stateoftheart technology. Some highlights include: 
  • More than 250,000 exams are performed and interpreted annually 
  • Our main campus location alone features 6 CT Toshiba units; 3 MR scanners; PET/CT, and SPECT/CT 
  • Breast imaging facilities with stateof-theart digital mammography, tomosynthesis, ultrasound, and breast MRI 
  • Three vascular interventional and a stateoftheart neurointerventional suite 
  • Radiology section located within the Emergency Department with two CT scanners dedicated solely to imaging emergency department and trauma patients 
  • Fully integrated PACS workstations with dedicated post processing 3D VITREA software 
  • Newly updated, next generation voice recognition software allows residents to complete, edit, sign-off and in one step transfer a transcribed report to clinicians instantly 
  • The new hospital is 1,200,000 square feet, the equivalent of 25 football fields, with a staff of over 300 attending physicians along with more than 400 medical residents and fellows 
  • The residency training and education program have a primary affiliation with nearby Rush Medical College, and minor affiliations with Chicago Medical School, University of Illinois College of Medicine, and Northwestern University. 

Program Benefits

● A subscription to RadPrimer and StatDx provided each year of training that serves as an excellent study tool
● Internal moonlighting opportunities offered to all residents
● Program-sponsored month-long AIRP conference in Washington, DC
● Annual education stipend
● Two months of dedicated pediatric radiology rotation at Lurie Children’s Hospital during the second year of training.
● All housestaff receive daily food stipends ($19 per day)
● Newly-implemented Early Specialization in Interventional Radiology (ESIR) program that provides individuals the opportunity to receive hands-on experience in IR, trauma, and vascular surgery
● 4 weeks of paid vacation per year
● Residents have all major US holidays off (12 days per year)
● Each trainee receives 5 conference days per year to be used for external conferences of their choosing

Application

How do I apply to the radiology residency program at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County? 
Application materials should be submitted through ERAS. We only accept residents through the national match. No pre-match positions are offered. 
What do I need for my application to be considered complete? 
Applications will be considered complete when we have electronically received the following items: 
1. Completed ERAS application 
2. Three letters of recommendation 
3. Copy of official medical school transcripts 
4. USMLE transcripts or Board scores 
5. Medical School Dean’s letter 
Whom should I contact if I have questions regarding the application process? 
Please contact Anna Johnson, residency program coordinator, at (312) 864-3825 or anjohnson2@blank. 
When do you start interviewing applicants? 
We interview prospective resident candidates during the month of November over the course of two weeks. 
What time does the interview day begin? 
Please arrive at 8 am on the day of your interview, and head straight to the Radiology Department Conference Room which can be found on the second floor in Room 2535. Plan on staying until after lunch as the interview day will conclude around 1 pm. 
Do you consider international applicants? 
Yes, please contact Anna Johnson, or the department of medical education directly for specific information and inquiries. 
How many resident positions are available? 
We have a total of 16 radiology residents, accepting four positions per year. 
 Where can I park? 
Applicants should park in the main hospital parking garage. The entrance is on Polk Street. We will provide you with parking validation at the end of the interview day. 
Can I come for a ‘second look’? 
Second looks may be scheduled with the chief residents. The residency program coordinator can provide their contact information. 

Didactic Curriculum

In addition to daily teaching that occurs during the department’s clinical activities, residents are given case discussion conferences, didactic lectures, and subspecialty conference including radiation physics, that provide an in-depth and interactive approach to learning radiology.

Teaching sessions are an important component of resident education and are considered as such by the dedicated teaching faculty at Cook County Health. Staff radiologists respect protected lecture time to ensure residents are able to fully participate in all lectures/conferences.
Residents are evaluated by core faculty at the completion of each rotation. Each resident is also given semi-annual feedback from the program director in a one-on-one setting.
We truly value resident opinions at Cook County Health. Residents are encouraged to provide feedback on each rotation and lecture series, as these recommendations are often quickly incorporated to further improve the program. We make sure the voice of each class is heard through dedicated class representatives. Working together, our residents truly shape the face of their education and this program.
Morning Case Conferences (8:00 am): Given by the department chairman, this case conference trains residents to identify pertinent findings and construct appropriate differential diagnosis by discussing interesting cases from the prior day. The variety of cases each morning are drawn from the huge selection of pathology seen every day at Stroger Hospital.
Teaching Conferences (Daily 12 pm – 1 pm): Daily didactic sessions constitute the fundamental core of the teaching program. These lectures are given by the division head of each subspecialty and are tailored to prepare residents for the CORE exam.
First Year Lecture Series: Didactic sessions during the summer are aimed at the incoming first-year residents as an introduction to radiology.
Case Conference: (Tuesdays/Thursdays 3 pm – 4 pm): “Hot Seat” type conference which progressively builds on topics through multiple imaging modalities and is organized both anatomically and by subject.
Medical Physics: Lecture series given by certified physicists focusing on imaging physics, relevant to understand the concepts behind different imaging modalities and board preparation.
Quality Improvement Curriculum: Departmental wide monthly QA conference conducted by the QA committee focusing on reduction of medical errors and quality initiatives. These conferences help to build foundations of improvement, safety, system design, and leadership.
County Coroners Cases and Research Opportunities: Residents are welcome and encouraged to participate in reading and engaging in County Coroners cases and potential research projects.
Resident-Run Conferences:
Monthly Body Division Conference and Peer Learning Conference: Aims to highlight radiographic features of various pathologies to enhance clinical knowledge and strengthen presentation skills.
Monthly Ultrasound Journal Club: Departmental discussion of primary literature relevant to daily practice.
Scientific Inquiry Conference: Outlining imaging features of pathology-proven cases.

Research

Research is an important component of our residency program, with residents having the opportunity to take dedicated research time during their four years of training.
These opportunities are facilitated by extensive guidance and mentoring by the faculty. 
Given the vast collection of both rare and interesting cases here at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, one of the strengths of our program is strong clinical and case based research. We are lucky to have access to pathology and are privileged to share this information with the radiology community. As a department we have published in journals both locally and nationally. Residents have successfully presented at regional and national conferences, such as those held by RSNA, ARRS, ASER, SIR, ASNR, and CRS, to name a few. These invaluable experiences continue to make our residents competitive applicants when applying for fellowships. Our faculty is dedicated to mentoring resident research initiatives working closely with each person throughout the research process. 
As we change towards a value based health system, the radiology department continues to foster an environment of quality improvement. Every resident in our program contributes to the department’s quality initiative using QI projects. Residents and faculty work together on projects to reduce patient radiation, update imaging protocols, and develop departmental policies to name a few. 

Clinical Schedule

First, second, and third year residents spend time in each subspecialty, including breast imaging and MRI to name a few, working one-on-one with staff members who specialize in each of these disciplines. Residency block schedule is constructed to ensure multifaceted training that meets ACGME requirements.

Faculty graduated from various prestigious programs throughout the country, including Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, Emory University, Massachusetts General Hospital, to name a few.

Fourth year residents spend a focused year with 3-4 elective months of their choice. Residents also have the option for 1-2 dedicated months for research and quality improvement projects. Residents are typically assigned in two- to four-week blocks of a subspecialty areas of radiology. 

Fellowship Placement (Last five years)

● University of Chicago, Neuroradiology
● University of Iowa, Neuroradiology
● University of Kentucky, Interventional Radiology
● Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard University, Neuroradiology
● Beaumont Health in Royal Oak, Adult Interventional Radiology/Pediatric Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology
● Mt. Sinai in New York City, Nuclear Medicine
● University of California Los Angeles, Abdominal Imaging & Interventional
● University of Pittsburgh, MSK
● University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Body MRI
● University of Washington Seattle, Body
● University of Wisconsin, Madison, MRI
● Johns Hopkins University, Body MRI
● Mass General Hospital, Cardiovascular Research
● University of Wisconsin, MRI
● Christiana Hospital, Interventional Radiology
● Johns Hopkins University, Body MRI
● Emory University, Breast Imaging
● Yale University, Neuroradiology

For more information, visit www.radiologycookcounty.com. 

Program Contact

Anna Johnson, MS
Radiology Residency Program Coordinator
(312) 864-3825
Email

Morlie L. Wang, MD, MPH
Program Director of Diagnostic Radiology
Email

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