This sounds like a specific change to one hospital's residency program -- it's not representative of what's happening nationwide.
As you may know, matching into radiology involves simultaneously applying for an internship year (medicine, transitional, or surgery). A few radiology programs have simplified matters by linking a preliminary year (internship) to the residency so you'd only have to match to one program. Typically, such internships avoid nastiness (e.g. excessive ward/ICU months) and allow a little exposure to rads as an intern. These programs are the exception, not the rule.
For 99% of us, we'll match into a prelim year independently of 4 year radiology programs. Don't worry, your residency won't be any longer than 4 years no matter where you match, but many programs automatically offer fellowships (usually an additional year) to people who match. A few university programs and research tracks require you to spend a fellowship year at the hospital where you match.
One word of advice -- consider applying to prelim programs in one geographic area (e.g. near where you went to med school). Otherwise, you'll spend oodles of money and time interviewing around the nation for internships when you may not get radiology interviews at nearby programs. Lots of people applied for internships all over the map this year, and it only complicated an already complex and expensive process.
Good luck,
doepug (MS IV)
