Interventional radiology residency

The Spectrum Health/Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Interventional Radiology Residency is a six-year program providing comprehensive diagnostic and interventional educational experiences in all areas of radiology. We offer a broad exposure to all image-guided procedures with exceptional opportunities in oncologic, musculoskeletal, vascular, thromboembolic and palliative/pain intervention.

Our case volume to trainee ratio is optimized to provide residents with the volume of cases and the hands-on experience needed to excel as attending physicians. We accept three residents into the program each year. The six-year program includes an integrated intern year modeled after our preliminary general surgery residency program.

Congratulations on choosing interventional radiology as your specialty! Since the first angioplasty was performed more than 50 years ago, interventional radiology has been at the forefront of medical innovation and remains an exciting, challenging and ever-evolving field. I consider myself very fortunate to be part of such a dynamic specialty which provides a diverse array of procedures and clinical challenges.

The interventional radiology program at Spectrum Health, in partnership with Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, offers an exceptional breadth and depth of training experience in interventional and diagnostic radiology. Full spectrum clinical care is at the heart of our practice which encompasses two large hospitals (including a Level 1 trauma center), a dedicated pediatric hospital, an interventional radiology outpatient clinic and a separate outpatient cancer center. Graduates have the skillset needed to succeed in a long and rewarding career in any practice setting.

Spectrum Health is the largest hospital system in West Michigan, providing care to a diverse patient population across a 13-county area. As the largest metropolitan area in West Michigan, Grand Rapids combines many of the amenities of a big city with the charm, affordability and relaxed nature of the Midwest.

I appreciate your interest in our program and look forward to meeting you.

Jim Morrison, MD, MBI
Program Director, Interventional Radiology Residency

Mission Statement

Educate residents to excel as patient-centered interventionalists and physician leaders who work to improve the health of their community.

Program Aims

1. Physician leaders who prioritize a team centered multidisciplinary approach
2. Experts at minimally invasive image-guided intervention utilizing a comprehensive clinical care approach
3. Participate in research projects with the expectation of presenting findings at national meetings and at least one published manuscript
4. Be well trained in all six domains of ACGME core competencies
5. Achieve a first-time pass rate of 100% on all board examinations

Faculty

The interventional radiology faculty consists of 14 full-time interventional radiologists with over 100 years of combined experience. Faculty come from diverse backgrounds and have trained at top institutions across the country. Under the direction of Interventional Radiology Section Chief Manish Varma, MD, MBA our IR practice is a unique private practice and academic hybrid which prepares trainees for any career path they choose beyond residency.

Facilities

All clinical rotations will occur within Spectrum Health facilities.

Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital is a 679-bed non-profit acute care teaching hospital in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. It serves as a Level 1 trauma center that provides radiology residents with most of their emergency radiology exposure as well as the high-risk OB referral center for West Michigan and the West Michigan regional burn center. In addition to cardiac transplantation, Spectrum Health has also been recently approved for lung transplants. On average, 350,000 studies are performed annually.

Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is home to West Michigan’s only full-service pediatric radiology department. Located in downtown Grand Rapids, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is the only free-standing children’s hospital in West Michigan. It has the only Level 1 pediatric trauma center in the area and in 2020-21 was nationally ranked in eight specialties.

The Spectrum Health Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion received the American College of Radiology’s Breast Imaging Center of Excellence Award and is where residents complete rotations in PET.

Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital is a 410-bed non-profit acute care teaching hospital with an active medical staff of 240 physicians in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. It houses an arthritis institute, which focuses on reconstructive surgery. Residents complete most of their fluoroscopy rotation here, where there is a substantial bariatric surgery population.

We also utilize the American Institute for Radiologic Pathology (AIRP) for a required rotation in the third year to focus on additional pathological study. The program will assist with logistics and accommodations during this away rotation.

During the interventional radiology residency at Spectrum Health, there are ample research opportunities. Our affiliation with the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine allows you to take advantages of the many combined institutional resources. Our high volume lends itself for abundant opportunities for case reports and/or case series studies. Those who are more academically orientated may join one of our faculty on larger longitudinal studies. The scholarly activity support team provides resources to residents and faculty in all areas of research and scholarly activity.

Residents present their research at major national meetings including Radiological Society of North America, American Roentgen Ray Society, American Society of Neuroradiology, and Association of University Radiologists. Residents are also encouraged to present their work at subspecialty meetings and the Grand Rapids Citywide Research Day hosted by Spectrum Health. Our program provides financial support for residents to attend any meeting at which the resident is the primary presenter of an oral presentation or educational exhibit.

The scholarly activity support team provides support to Spectrum Health residents in all areas of research and scholarly activity (e.g., quality, educational, surveys). To access more details, including templates (e.g., study protocol, poster), help request forms and other contact information, contact the Spectrum Health Office of Research and Education Scholarly Activity Support.

Interested applicants should submit their applications via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and register for the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

Application Requirements:

• Three letters of recommendation, preferably at least one from a radiologist
• Personal statement
• USMLE/COMLEX Step 1 score
• USMLE/COMLEX Step 2 scores (consideration given for those impacted by testing restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic)
• U.S. work authorization or be eligible for J-1 status

All visiting medical student applications must be submitted through the visiting student learning opportunities program. For more information on visiting medical student opportunities, please visit our Visiting Learner page.

For more information on our program, please contact our program coordinator Wendy Schmit.

Spectrum Health provides a comprehensive and very competitive benefits package for our residents, staff and their families. In addition, our program provides educational monies to support your ongoing education. Download our salary and benefits document to learn more.