Norwalk Hospital’s residency in Diagnostic Radiology provides a clinically intense but highly supportive environment for resident training, which is essential to our educational philosophy and approach to teaching. The program consists of 10 radiology residents, three alternating with two in each of the four years. The teaching faculty is composed of 16 fellowship-trained radiologists.

The formal didactic education of our residents is extensive. In brief, the morning and noon lectures from our attending radiologists are excellent, with education further strengthened by multiple invited guest lecturers from major institutions such as Yale, Columbia, Thomas Jefferson, and Montefiore. Residents are involved in preparing and presenting weekly tumor boards, an invaluable learning experience and great preparation for fellowship. We sponsor our residents to attend AIRP to learn radiologic-pathologic correlation in preparation for the CORE boards exam. In addition to the board preparation provided by our faculty and guest lecturers, our residents also attend multiple radiology board review and physics review courses.

In the absence of fellows, residents gain a primary role in image interpretation, patient management, decision-making and the performance of procedures. This front-line position enables our residents to acquire substantial clinical skills early on in their training. For this reason, our graduates are eagerly sought for fellowships and attending positions in both academic and private practice settings. Our residents have gone on to fellowship training programs at numerous world-class academic medical centers, leading to successful careers in both academia and private practice.

Norwalk Hospital is an outstanding, comprehensive community teaching hospital providing services to a diverse patient population. We are able to provide excellent comprehensive clinical training in diagnostic radiology. While Norwalk Hospital has an inpatient pediatric unit with outstanding staff pediatricians and a NICU, acutely sick children are often referred to tertiary care centers. For this reason, our residents perform their pediatric rotations at the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center.

We also have a longstanding relationship with Yale University. While we are able to provide a broad exposure to clinical radiology, our residents also have the opportunity to perform elective rotations at Yale in Neuroradiology and other subspecialties.

Given our highly-specialized medical staff, our broad base of clinical pathology, and our relationships with Westchester and Yale, we feel that we have created a program that includes the best of both worlds: the outstanding clinical training a community hospital can provide along with enough university experience to complete a well-rounded training curriculum.

The Norwalk Hospital Diagnostic Radiology residency provides a clinically varied and highly supportive environment for resident training, which is essential to our educational philosophy and approach to teaching. The program consists of 10 radiology residents, three alternating with two per year. The teaching faculty is composed of 16 fellowship-trained radiologists, each highly experienced and dedicated to resident education.

A distinctive feature of our program is the absence of fellows, ensuring that our residents are at the helm. They quickly delve into image interpretation, patient management, and the execution of detailed procedures. This immersive experience guarantees the acquisition of foundational clinical skills early in their tenure. For this reason, our graduates are eagerly sought for fellowships and attending positions in both academic and private practice settings. Our residents have gone on to fellowship training programs at numerous world-class academic medical centers, leading to successful careers in both academia and private practice.

We have an extensive formal didactic program. Most days have 2 one-hour lectures. Many of these are given by our excellent faculty, however we also augment our educational program with a number of guest lecturers from prestigious institutions such as Yale, Columbia, Ochsner, and Mount Sinai. Residents play a central role in weekly tumor board preparations and presentations, an invaluable experience for future fellowships. We sponsor our residents’ visits to the American Institute for Radiologic Pathology (AIRP), refining their understanding of radiologic-pathologic correlation – essential for the CORE board exam. In addition, residents benefit from a comprehensive physics course and thorough radiology board reviews.

From the outset of our Radiology Residency Program, first-year residents are immersed in foundational didactics. This training encompasses everything from the core principles of radiology and radiation safety to hands-on techniques in ultrasound and fluoroscopy.

Our clinical rotations, arranged in comprehensive four-week blocks, cover all diagnostic radiology subspecialties. With an emphasis on an organ-system approach, residents navigate through core areas like neuroradiology, musculoskeletal imaging, body imaging, and interventional radiology.

An important supplement to our program are external rotations providing comprehensive exposure to pediatric radiology and nuclear medicine. For pediatrics, our residents train at the nearby Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital of Westchester Medical Center. A portion of our nuclear medicine rotations are performed at the University of Connecticut Medical Center. Importantly, accommodations are provided for residents during the latter rotation for convenience.

In the third year, timed ahead of the board exams, our residents spend a pivotal month at the American Institute for Radiologic Pathology (AIRP). The program also finances board review courses in general radiology and physics, ensuring residents are fully exam-ready.

In the fourth year, residents have the latitude to choose elective blocks. These can be directed towards advanced clinical rotations or dedicated research, always with an eye towards maximizing their learning trajectory.

Post their successful CORE board exam, residents may sign up for specialized mini-fellowships, such as Advanced Neuroimaging or Musculoskeletal MRI.

Our rigorous learning schedule is punctuated with twice-daily conferences from Tuesdays to Thursdays and solitary sessions on the bookend days of the week. These blend didactic lectures with case discussions, often featuring guest experts. Furthermore, interdisciplinary conferences with various medical departments, facilitated by our residents, foster a comprehensive learning environment.

We feel that participation in research is a crucial component of residency training. While four years is a relatively short time to become a competent clinical radiologist and to receive board certification, it is also clear to us that participation in research during residency enhances critical thinking and results in a more well-rounded physician. Our formal requirement is that each resident prepare three projects in their four years of training, at least one of which should be a paper suitable for publication, while the other two may be papers or significant QI/PI projects.

Norwalk Hospital supports resident research in the following ways:

-Dedicated research rotations.
-Coverage of travel and lodging expenses for those presenting papers at a conference.
-Access to an Interdisciplinary Research Committee, a network research advisor, a comprehensive hospital-wide research coordinator, a proficient biostatistician, and a robust support team.

Norwalk Hospital resident salaries are highly competitive based on the market trends of the coastal Northeast. This enables residents to afford housing or modern apartments close to the hospital, many within walking distance. Additionally, parking is free at the hospital including a covered parking ramp.

Medical, dental, life, and disability insurance are provided for the house staff and their families.

All first-year radiology residents receive from the faculty a comprehensive set of radiology textbooks deemed important for learning general radiology and passing the CORE exam.

For the American Institute for Radiologic Pathology (AIRP), the department and faculty cover tuition, living, and travel expenses.

A physics review course and a clinical review course for the ABR Core exam are fully reimbursed.

Thank you for your interest in the Radiology Residency Program at Norwalk Hospital. Follow the steps below to navigate the application process:

1. Eligibility: Ensure you meet all eligibility criteria. Applicants should have graduated from an accredited medical school and should meet all other institutional criteria for residency training.

2. Application Platform: All applications must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). We do not accept applications sent via email or postal mail.

3. Required Documents:

-Updated Curriculum Vitae
-Personal Statement detailing your interest in radiology and your choice of Norwalk Hospital
-Three letters of recommendation (with at least one from a radiologist if possible)
-Medical school transcript
-USMLE or COMLEX scores
-ECFMG certificate (for international medical graduates)

4. Interview: Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview. Interviews may be conducted virtually via the Thalamus platform. Further details will be provided to selected candidates.

5. Visiting Norwalk Hospital: While prospective residents may visit the hospital and tour the facilities, visits are not encouraged for reasons of equity. All ranking decisions are made immediately after resident interviews and whether or not a resident has visited the hospital does not play a role in determining match list position.

6. Match Program: We participate in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). Ensure you register for the Match and rank Norwalk Hospital if you wish to join our program.

7. Timeline: Make sure to check ERAS and NRMP for specific deadlines, as they may vary annually.

8. Additional Information: If you have specific questions or need more details, please contact our Radiology Residency Manager at Anila.Dalipi@nuvancehealth.org.

Thank you for considering Norwalk Hospital for your residency training. We look forward to reviewing your application!

Q: What are the most positive features of your program?
A: Among many points:

-Emphasis on resident education
-Outstanding fellowship-trained faculty
-Superior clinical training
-Outstanding board passage statistics
-Community, inpatient, outpatient, and university hospital rotations
-State-of-the-art equipment
-Outstanding outpatient center
-State-of-the-art PACS, RIS, voice recognition, EMR
-Great location
-Congenial atmosphere

Q: Why choose Norwalk for radiology residency?
A: Norwalk, CT, presents a unique environment for residency. The city boasts a rich blend of coastal charm and urban sophistication. With its scenic views of the Long Island Sound, beautiful parks, and a vibrant arts and culture scene, Norwalk offers an excellent quality of life. It’s close enough to New York City for those seeking occasional urban adventures but maintains its distinct character and slower pace. This balance of city life and coastal tranquillity creates a conducive environment for focused learning and relaxation after demanding hospital shifts. The community is diverse and welcoming, providing a range of experiences and interactions that enrich both personal and professional growth.

Q: What kind of applicant are you looking for?
A: Like most programs, we seek applicants who are highly motivated and show a commitment to clinical and academic excellence. Transcripts, clinical evaluations, letters of recommendations, and USMLE scores are all considered. However, since we are a close-knit and supportive department, we also place great emphasis on personality in order to ensure the right fit. We do not discriminate against applicants with unconventional backgrounds or with prior post-graduate training in other fields.

Q: How many candidates do you interview?
A: We interview in the range of 90-100 applicants.

Q: Do you use rankings, USMLE scores, or other cutoffs?
A: No. We consider each candidate as an individual. To do so otherwise would be contrary to the philosophy of our program.

Q: What is the deadline for applications?
A: We have no absolute deadline but submission by November 15 is strongly encouraged.

Q: What becomes of your graduates?
A: Most graduates go on to fellowship training in subspecialties at top institutions. This list includes Yale, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, Stanford, UCLA, Brown, Mt. Sinai, Duke, UCSF, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, etc.