At the Medical College of Wisconsin, the Division of Vascular & Interventional Radiology faculty currently consists of twelve full-time fellowship-trained, CAQ Board Certified interventional radiologists and a team of Advanced Practice Providers. The residency is based at Froedtert Hospital, but residents also rotate to the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center and the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin for additional training.

We have a well-rounded clinical practice covering the full spectrum of interventional radiology managed by four registered nurses. We believe that our practice has many unique qualities, not the least of which is its relationship with the Division of Vascular Surgery. This relationship allows for the collegial combined medical and procedural care of patients with peripheral vascular disease. We have a hybrid operating room that allows us to do combined vascular surgery/interventional radiology cases in an operating room setting, while maintaining high quality imaging. In addition to performing endovascular procedures such as EVARs, TEVARs, and carotid stents, we also use this room for interventional radiology procedures that require anesthesia support.

We perform all other diagnostic and endovascular procedures except cardiac catheterizations and intracranial neuro interventions in interventional radiology. Examples of such procedures include visceral and renal angiography and interventions, lower extremity revascularization procedures including thrombolysis.

We have developed a very active interventional oncology service providing primary patient-centered evaluation and image-guided therapies including chemoembolization, TheraSphere and SIRSphere radioembolization, DEB TACE, radiofrequency/ microwave ablation and cryoablation procedures. We have an active outpatient clinical practice where we see approximately 140 new patients monthly. Our fellows rotate to the Palliative Medicine Inpatient Service, working exclusively with the Palliative Care Team. We offer other interventional radiology procedures such as inferior vena cava filter placement as well as retrievals, foreign body retrieval, TIPS, transvenous liver biopsies and uterine fibroid embolization.

Our division is fully integrated with the other subspecialties within the Department of Radiology such as digital imaging, chest and GI radiology. We have an active nonvascular service, which performs all percutaneous liver procedures including transhepatic cholangiography, biliary drainage, biliary/ductal dilatation-stenting as well as percutaneous GU procedures.

Residents rotate not only through the active clinical service, but also have the opportunity for training in noninvasive vascular imaging in the Vascular Laboratory as well as experience in CTA and MRA.

At our Outpatient Comprehensive Vein Clinic, we offer a full range of vein therapy procedures such as laser ablations, sclerotherapy and ambulatory phlebectomy.

The residency experience overall is diverse and extensive with each resident having over 1500 patient encounters for the year. In addition to becoming technically and clinically savvy, our residents are exposed to a wide variety of clinical research projects. At the Medical College of Wisconsin, the Vascular & Interventional Radiology Division is currently enrolling in multicenter, prospective randomized control trials. We have a dedicated research coordinator that helps recruit for and run these trials. Because research is so critical to the advancement of our specialty, two of our faculty members have time dedicated to research-only endeavors. Residents are routinely involved both in clinical trials and their own research projects, and often present at national meetings.

Applications for entry into our Independent IR Residency program starting on July 1, 2023, will open on November 17, 2021. Applications are only accepted via ERAS and positions are only offered through the NRMP. Please note that ERAS and NRMP classify the Independent IR Residency as a “Fellowship” for match purposes.

The MCW Independent IR Residency will accept both ESIR and Non-ESIR applicants. If you are an ESIR applicant submitting your application via ERAS, please be sure that you also submit the ESIR Applicant Diagnostic Radiology Program Director Standardized Letter of Recommendation, found on the SIR website.

*Per the Covid-19 recommendations from the Coalition for Physician Accountability’s Work Group, MCW Interventional Radiology has committed to only conducting virtual interviews for the 2020-2021 interview season.

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Froedtert Hospital
Children's Wisconsin
Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center

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As of June 30, 2020, the Vascular & Interventional Radiology Fellowship program has ended and Interventional Radiology residencies will provide the full scope of training for those aspiring to be board-certified Interventional Radiologists. There are several different ways to enter an IR Residency program after medical school, and the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is able to offer all three avenues to aspiring trainees. MCW has been fully accredited for the Integrated Interventional Radiology Residency program as well as the Independent Interventional Radiology Residency program. Additionally, the MCW Diagnostic Radiology Residency program has been approved for ESIR designation.

Integrated Interventional Radiology Residency Program
Senior medical students who are certain they want to specialize in Interventional Radiology are best suited to enter the Integrated IR Residency program directly after medical school. Medical students match into this program during their fourth year of medical school, and begin with a preliminary (internship/PGY-1) year followed by five additional years of residency training. MCW offers an excellent Surgical Preliminary year program, and due to our categorical program status, candidates that match into the MCW Integrated IR Residency will automatically be matched into the MCW Surgical Preliminary program. There is no need to fill out a separate application for MCW surgery or to incorporate them into your rank order list.

Independent Interventional Radiology Residency Program
Residents that complete the Diagnostic Radiology Residency and decide to specialize in Interventional Radiology can enter the Independent Interventional Radiology Residency Program, which replaces the VIR Fellowship program. DR residents match into Independent IR residency positions during their PGY-4 year, and begin their training directly following successful completion of the DR Residency program. The first match for this program at MCW took place in March 2019, and residents began with our program in July 2020.

Early Specialization in Interventional Radiology (ESIR)
ESIR is a training option for Diagnostic Radiology residents and medical students who develop an early interest in Interventional Radiology. ESIR training is not a separate residency program, but rather an ACGME-approved designation within DR residency programs. Interested residents in a DR program with ESIR designation must apply for ESIR after beginning their DR residency. If, after applying, the resident is selected for ESIR, he/she is then able to go directly into the second year of the Independent IR Residency program (upon successful completion of the DR residency). The DR Residency at MCW has been approved for ESIR designation, so this option is available to current DR residents at MCW.

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No, there is not a dedicated research rotation in Interventional Radiology. However, all residents are expected to participate in a research project. Additionally, one of the faculty within the division has established a translational Interventional Oncology laboratory, and regular opportunities to become involved with research projects will be available to residents.

Yes, the program is in full support of opportunities for residents to attend local and national conferences to further their education during their residency. Historically, MCW IR residents have attended and presented research projects at conferences such as the annual SIR, CIO/ISET, WCIO, and SIR Fellows Spring Practicum.

Yes, appropriately qualified applicants with J-1 visa sponsorship through ECFMG will be considered.