Fellowships in Interventional Oncology Help Meet the Need for Credentialed Practitioners

An uptick in the use of interventional oncology is spurring creation of programs and opportunities for physicians and medical students who want to explore these new, minimally invasive therapies in a structured educational setting. Fellowships now offered at nationally renowned institutions feature study that offers a route to subspecialty training and early career development in chemoembolization, radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, cryoablation, MRI-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation, and other techniques.

Fellows can choose from programs that include exposure to academic, university hospital settings, and/or community radiology settings. Some offer experiences in pediatric radiology under the guidance of dedicated pediatric interventionalists. Potential areas of program emphasis include oncologic imaging and interventional oncology in clinical situations, or research emphasis with opportunities for conference participation. 

At Penn Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, a 1-year fellowship in interventional radiology consists of rotations at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, The Philadelphia VA Medical Center and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). One of the oldest and most sought-after programs in the nation, the fellowship also allots time for electives and research. (For more information, visit https://www.pennmedicine.org/interventional-radiology/academics.html)

“Interventional radiology is a small community,” says Micah Watts, MD, director of the Penn fellowship program. “Well-known physicians who did some of the earliest work are still in active practice here at Penn. Others have stayed on as attendings. That’s a big draw for those considering a fellowship.”

Watts, who completed the Penn fellowship program himself before becoming director, says a fellowship is a way for radiologists to gain more specific training in patient management, important since traditional diagnostic radiologists are typically removed from direct patient care. With fellowship training, he says, comes “the chance to be a doctor again. It’s about practical experience and proficiency in interventional procedures.

“Clinical exposure takes the fellow to the next level, a way for the specialist to survive. Once referred, the patient is ours; we have extensive personal contact. And it’s not geographically limited. We have referrals coming in from all across the country. Radiologists trained in IO can find jobs everywhere. The career outlook is bright.”

And with access to such facilities as CHOP, the Penn fellowship has even greater value added. “Pediatric IR is very rare,” Watts says, “and CHOP is world renowned for its advances in pediatric care. Our fellows work very closely with them; they are literally right across the street.”

Clinical work includes exposure to a wide variety of cases, allowing fellows to gain extensive experience and expertise in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in areas including oncology, liver and biliary tract, venous disease, and women’s health issues. Graduates have gone on to become heads of IR in both the academic and private sectors, successful entrepreneurs, and leading clinicians and researchers in the field. 

At UC Davis Health System of the University of California, a fellowship in interventional oncology, oncologic and image guided cancer therapeutics offers post-resident physician training to translate advances in imaging technology to patient management. (For more information, visit https://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/radiology/education/fellowship_onc.html)

The 1-year program includes required research, conference participation, and separate areas of potential program emphasis in oncologic imaging, interventional oncology, and research emphasis with faculty mentors. The fellowship candidate will have flexibility in matching interests, capabilities, and career aspirations within the program. The UC Davis Cancer Center is one of 50 holding a designation by the National Cancer Institute. Its large clinical trials network includes approximately 150 adult and 50 pediatric trials in effect. 

Other Educational Resources in Interventional Oncology

• Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Oncologic Interventional Radiology Fellowship: https://www.mskcc.org/education/fellowships/fellowship/oncologic-interventional-radiology-fellowship

• NIH Clinical Center/Center for Interventional Oncology Interdisciplinary Training and Education in Interventional Oncology: https://www.cc.nih.gov/centerio/training.html

• University of Washington Interventional Radiology: https://depts.washington.edu/uwvir/prospective-fellows/

• Miami Vascular Specialists Vascular and Interventional Radiology Fellowship: https://www.miamivascular.com/handler.cfm?event=practice,template&cpid=26474

• Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Radiology Vascular Interventional Radiology Fellowship: https://www1.mcw.edu/radiology/education/fellowship/programs/vascularinterventionalradiology.htm#.VMKEBGR4ptk

• The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Vascular and Interventional Radiology Fellowship: https://www.mdanderson.org/education-and-research/education-and-training/schools-and-programs/graduate-medical-education/residency-and-fellowship-programs/interventional-radiology.html

• Johns Hopkins Fellowship in Vascular and Interventional Radiology: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/vascular/fellows/

Training Opportunities for Medical Students

Some medical schools offer IO studies as electives at the medical student level, allowing opportunities for students to become familiar with current IO procedures. Students might scrub in to cases with radiology staff, fellows, and residents; attend case reviews, and perform clinical rounds for inpatients of a radiology service. Course duration varies. Study at student level gives an edge in the highly competitive radiology field.

According to Watts, students are making important decisions earlier in their medical training. “They’re asking themselves what they want, where they see themselves, and then making the match. Exposure as a student can be the first step in an IR career.”

Among medical schools offering IO study opportunities for medical students are the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. At Penn, an elective in interventional radiology integrates the student into a busy IR service. Students work closely with fellows and staff, benefiting from exposure to more than 100 cases per week with a full range of diagnostic and interventional procedures. 

Information about electives at Penn may be found on the website: https://www.pennmedicine.org/interventional-radiology/academics.html. 

Memorial Sloan Kettering’s department of radiology offers a 6-week elective in interventional oncology that introduces students to diagnostic, therapeutic, and palliative procedures for cancer patients in MSK’s Interventional Radiology Service. 

More information is available at https://www.mskcc.org/education/elective/interventional-oncology. 

Other medical schools offering similar courses for students are as follows: 

• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center RAD 5425 https://www.rad.pitt.edu/?division/vascular-interventional-radiology-division.html

• University of Texas Southwestern: RAD 1505 Vascular/Interventional Radiology https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/education/medical-school/departments/radiology/education-training/senior-medical-student-electives/vascular-interventional.html

• Georgetown University: radiology.georgetown.edu 

Suggested citation: Rhodes MK. Fellowships in interventional oncology help meet the need for credentialed practitioners. Intervent Oncol 360. 2015;3(1):E15-E17.