IR for someone interested in diagnostic imaging

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

summarizer

New Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Hi everyone,


Hope everybody's staying safe. I was just messaging to ask if anyone could speak to jobs out there that exist for someone who is interested in IR but also in reading a lot as well. I'm an MS-4 currently interviewing for DR programs and am definitely interested in the interventional side (actually did a sub-internship in it and loved it) but would personally have a difficult time giving up reading diagnostic work.

Are there jobs out there that are 50/50 DR/IR or even 60 DR/ 40 IR? (like doing a lot of reading and quicker, lower complexity cases) I love the idea of being such a well-faceted radiologist. I guess from what I've heard from the fellows these jobs exist in private practice, but was wondering if people had more anecdotes/perspectives.

Thanks so much!
 
Last edited:
I think thats the norm for most IR jobs, maybe closer to 60/40 IR/DR. Even in academics, 100% IR is the minority. ymmv though
 
Agree. On the the private practice side that's the norm, not the exception. Most community IR's will do some degree of diagnostic work. In my multi-specialty group its common for the IR folks to have 1-2 days in a DR seat per week. Even on their IR days, they're reading the list between cases.

Are you particularly interested in the types of procedures done in a VIR residency/fellowship: e.g. trauma endovascular work, PAD, interventional oncology, possible neuro onc, etc?

There are some procedure-heavy body fellowships that do a good spectrum of CT and US-guided procedures: lung bx's, liver/renal bx's, bone bx's, drain placements, etc...

In some places a general rad will do light IR stuff like PCN's and port/perm-a-cath placements in addition to the common procedures like LP's, thyroid FNA's and thora/para's.