What does your specialty involve?
How do I get into your specialty?
How do I make myself competitive at Foundation and/or Core Training to get into your specialty?
What personal attributes do I need for your specialty?
How competitive is it to get a training post?
How long is the training after FY2 to CCT?
What postgraduate examinations will I need to work for during training?
Do I need to pass any postgraduate examinations at Core level to get into "run-through"?
Is your specialty stressful?
What are the best and worst aspects of your specialty?
I would like to have a family - is that possible while training in this specialty?
Is there any chance of Less Than Full Time Training in your specialty?
Is full time research mandatory duting training?
Are the hours anti-social?
What tips can you give on starting and advancing in your specialty?
What are the chances of a Consultant post after CCT?
What is the dropout rate during training?
Can I spend some of my time training abroad?
Can I work part time or job share as a Consultant?
Where can I get the best information about your specialty and the training programme locally and nationally?

  What does your specialty involve?

Clinical Radiology is an expanding specialty that plays a major role in patient diagnosis, management and treatment across all specialties.  Patients are investigated with the aid of a number of modalities including CT, MRI, Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine and PET scanning as well as conventional X-ray techniques including angiography.  Interventional radiology has a significant role in the management of patients with vascular disease and patients who require image guided biopsy and drainage procedures.  [back to top]

How do I get into your specialty?

It is currently possible to enter run through Radiology training after the FY2 year.  Radiology is very competitive and historically many successful candidates had medical or surgical experience with completion of an appropriate post-graduate qualification such as MRCP or MRCS.  [back to top]

How do I make myself competitive at Foundation and/or Core Training to get into your specialty?

It is important to demonstrate commitment to the specialty and to the Deanery.  Candidates should familiarise themselves with the workings of Radiology Departments for example by undertaking a taster module during Foundation Training.  It is helpful to undertake audit or research that is of relevance to Radiology.  [back to top]

What personal attributes do I need for your specialty?

The attributes that are required for any good doctor are essential for Radiology.  Good hand eye co-ordination and manual dexterity are important for interventional radiology.  Attention to detail is important in all branches of the specialty.  [back to top]

How competitive is it to get a training post?

Entry is very competitive.  Radiology has been one of the most competitive specialties with a ratio of applicants to posts as high as almost 40:1.  [back to top]

How long is the training after FY2 to CCT?

Training to CCT is 5 years following entry to the specialty.  There is currently run-through training.  An additional year of training is required for some sub-specialty posts eg. Neuroradiology and recommended for some other posts.  [back to top]

What postgraduate examinations will I need to work for during training?

The FRCR, details of which can be obtained on the Royal College of Radiologists website - www.rcr.ac.uk .  [back to top]

Do I need to pass any PG examinations at Core level to get into ‘run through’?

This is not essential but may be desirable if not entering Radiology directly after FY2 to demonstrate appropriate career progression.  [back to top]

Is your specialty stressful?

There is a high throughput of examinations and an expectation of accurate and timely reports which may be stressful.  Interventional radiology can be stressful.  [back to top]

What are the best and worst aspects of your specialty?

Radiology is often the specialty which makes “the diagnosis” and this can be very rewarding.  There are close working links with many specialties and Radiology is core to many Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings.  Successful interventional procedures are very satisfying.
Your reports are there as a record and it is impossible to get it right all the time.  There will be times when a diagnosis is missed or an interventional procedure does not go smoothly and that is difficult.  There are controversies about reporting targets and out-sourcing of images for reporting elsewhere.  [back to top]

I would like to have a family –is that possible while training in this specialty?

Yes  [back to top]

Is there any chance of Less Than Full Time Training in your specialty?

Yes – although currently we do not have any such trainees.  [back to top]

Is full time research mandatory during training?

No although research is encouraged.  [back to top]

Are the hours anti-social?

On-call is an essential part of radiology training.  Currently on-call is from home and depending on the rotation it can be quite common to be called in after midnight and to be busy especially at weekends.  Some rotas are partial shift.  At the present time there are no full shift rotations.  [back to top]

What tips can you give on starting and advancing in your specialty?

As in any specialty it is advisable to build a solid grounding in terms of knowledge and experience during the early years of training.  Many trainees will enter Radiology with an idea of their anticipated future sub-specialty interest – often this will change during training so keep an open mind.  Try and pass the different parts of the FRCR exam at the earliest opportunity.  [back to top]

What are the chances of a Consultant post after CCT?

Despite expansion Radiology is still a shortage specialty with good prospects for a Consultant post.  [back to top]

What is the dropout rate during training?

There is a small dropout rate – several trainees having entered Radiology training decide to return to their initial specialty.  This has only been in the region of 1 trainee every 10 years or so and usually happens in the first year.  [back to top]

Can I spend some of my time training abroad?

It is possible to spend time training abroad post CCT.  Time abroad prior to CCT is not encouraged although there may be an opportunity to spend up to 3 months in another centre in the UK during training.  [back to top]

Can I work part time or job share as a Consultant?

Several Consultants work part time.  There are presently no Consultants in Northern Ireland who job share but there is no reason why this would not be possible.  [back to top]

Where can I get the best information about your specialty and the training programme locally and nationally?

Information can be obtained from the Royal College of Radiologists www.rcr.ac.uk or the Society of Radiologists in Training www.thesrt.org.uk
Information about the Training Programme locally including contact details for the Head of School, Deputy Head of School, Royal College Regional Educational Advisor and the designated contact person during the recruitment process can be obtained via NIMDTA.  [back to top]