Penn Radiology residents train with nationally and internationally recognized faculty across a diverse range of practice settings, including a quaternary referral center, a community hospital, and a Level I trauma center. This high-volume, subspecialized environment provides broad clinical exposure while fostering progressive autonomy through an independent call system that begins during the second year of residency.
Clinical experience at a glance
- Training across HUP, Pennsylvania Hospital, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, CHOP, and the Philadelphia VA
- High-volume exposure to complex and diverse pathology
- Progressive autonomy with independent call beginning in R2
Independent call experience
Penn Radiology is one of the few residency programs that continues to offer independent call as a deliberate component of resident education. This structure promotes clinical autonomy while maintaining strong faculty support and supervision.
R1: supervised call
First-year residents begin developing call skills through evening and weekend radiograph interpretation under direct attending supervision.
R2: night float & independent weekend call
Second-year residents participate in Night Float and independent weekend call. Highlights include:
- Six weeks of Night Float
- Experience at both HUP and Pennsylvania Hospital
- Integrated multi-hospital worklist
- Faculty support is available at all times
- Subspecialty attending overreads within 12-24 hours
R3-R4: advanced independent call
Senior residents staff evening call at Pennsylvania Hospital and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, managing inpatient, emergency, and trauma imaging studies while functioning with increasing independence. This progressive model prepares residents for fellowship and independent practice while maintaining patient safety and educational support.
Curriculum & conferences
Our educational curriculum combines traditional faculty-led teaching with personalized and asynchronous learning experiences designed around adult learning principles.
Curriculum at a glance:
- Approximately 90 minutes of protected teaching daily
- A hybrid curriculum combining in-person and asynchronous learning
- Dedicated oral board preparation beginning in R1
- Longitudinal non-clinical curriculum focused on leadership, quality, research, and professional development
Educational structure
Residents receive 90 minutes of protected teaching time each weekday, typically from 7:30-9:00 AM. The curriculum spans all radiology subspecialties and emphasizes case-based learning, image interpretation, and board preparation. Additional educational experiences include:
- Asynchronous learning (Mondays): Rotation-specific content tailored to each resident's training level
- Physics curriculum (twice monthly): Longitudinal flipped-classroom sessions combining independent preparation with in-person application
- Personalized case conferences (twice monthly): Small-group, rotation-specific teaching led by subspecialty faculty
Annual mini-courses
Dedicated curricula address the unique needs of each training year:
- R1: Introduction to Radiology
- R1: How to Be an Academic Radiologist (HTBAR)
- R2: ER Radiology Readiness
- R3: Core Examination Preparation Program
Oral board preparation
Penn Radiology offers a longitudinal oral board preparation curriculum beginning in R1. Residents work through oral board-style cases individually and in teams under faculty guidance, developing confidence in image interpretation, clinical reasoning, and communication skills. A dedicated Oral Board Review course is also available for senior residents and fellows preparing for certification.
Leadership & professional development
A parallel non-clinical curriculum prepares residents for successful careers both within and beyond academic medicine. Topics include:
- Healthcare policy and economics
- Leadership and management
- Informatics and health services research
- Clinical research and biostatistics
- Quality and patient safety
- Ethics and professionalism
- Global health
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Patient-centered care
- Journal club
Additional educational opportunities include twice-monthly Grand Rounds, featuring leaders in radiology, healthcare, technology, and research from around the world.
Accreditation
The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and fulfills all requirements for certification by the American Board of Radiology in Diagnostic Radiology.
Feedback & wellness
Resident development is supported through timely feedback and a strong commitment to wellness.
Feedback
- Electronic faculty evaluations after every rotation
- Semiannual meetings with the Program Director
- Anonymous resident evaluations of rotations and faculty
- Ongoing curriculum improvement driven by resident feedback
Wellness
- No call shift exceeds 10 hours
- Minimum 10 hours off between shifts is strongly encouraged
- Electronic discrepancy tracking promotes education while supporting resident schedules