Training Facilities and Responsibilities
The year is split into 2-month blocks. A total of 8 months is spent in our high volume University hospital setting – a tertiary care center, level I trauma center, and stroke center of excellence. The UF Health Shands Hospital is nationally ranked in the top 50 by US News & World Report in 9 Adult Specialties including #25 in the nation for Ear, Nose, & Throat, and as the #1 Hospital in Florida for 2020-21.
The UF hospital complex includes 3 separate bed towers, the newest of which is the Heart and Neurovascular Medicine Tower providing dedicated space for neuromedical specialties. Since the opening of this tower in 2017, the volume of neuroradiology studies has continued to increase. In addition, a new satellite ENT and ophthalmology clinic was opened off campus in 2020 with new CT and MRI scanners installed on site.
There is a diagnostic radiology residency at UF with an average of 11 residents per training year. Fellows assist with both formal noon conferences and informal resident training in the reading room.
The other 4 months of training take place at the affiliated Veteran’s Affairs Hospital System which is also a local referral center for all of North Florida and South Georgia. Brain, head and neck, and carotid Doppler studies acquired systemwide from 2 hospitals and 3 satellite outpatient clinics are all interpreted on site in Gainesville. PET/CT for head and neck complaints and dementia are also interpreted by the neuroradiology service. There are 6 fellowship-trained neuroradiology attendings who rotate coverage of the service, one of whom also currently serves as chief of staff for the hospital! There is one first-year resident on rotation allowing for some informal teaching opportunities.
State of the Art Equipment
We have access to high-end cross sectional imaging at both UF and the VA. The UF scanners are summarized here through 2019, inclusive of the three main hospital towers, the Kanapaha ED, Springhill ED and outpatient clinics, the Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute, and the UF Medical Plaza.
We have most recently added additional CT and MRI capability concurrent with the opening of new outpatient UF ENT and ophthalmology clinics at the Oaks Mall site.
Functional MRI is performed under the direction of Dr. Ibrahim Tuna in consultation with our neurology and neurosurgical colleagues prior to tumor and epilepsy surgeries.