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Interventional Radiology
OVERVIEW
Loma Linda University Medical Center offers three accredited training pathways for those interested in interventional radiology. All three training programs are designed to create outstanding interventional radiologists equipped to become pioneers and leaders within this exciting and rapidly evolving specialty.
1) Integrated IR/DR Residency
2) ESIR/DR Training Pathway
3) Independent IR Residency
Our Program at a Glance
- 3 Integrated IR/DR positions per year
- 8 IR faculty
- 8 interventional angiography suites serving adult, pediatric, and neurointerventional patients
- Adult and pediatric Level I trauma exposure
- Integrated IR/DR, ESIR, and Independent IR pathways
- Formal protected post-call recovery day
Summary of significant changes to the block schedules for the 2026-2027 academic year:
- Earlier and more frequent IR exposure
- ICU moved to R3
- Redistributed R4 IR time to accommodate for DR board preparation
- Updated mammography timing to meet MQSA requirements.
- Revised emergency radiology rotations with new “submerge” and “inpatient PM” rotations created to eliminate afternoon/evening weekday calls
Integrated IR/DR Residency
The Integrated IR/DR Residency is a 5-year residency with emphasis on both diagnostic radiology (DR) and interventional radiology (IR), which is started after completing a preliminary year in surgery (preferred), medicine, or transitional year. During the five-year residency curriculum, IR exposure begins early and recurs throughout residency, allowing residents to develop procedural skills, clinical judgment, and familiarity with the IR service before the final two predominantly interventional years.
The program is designed to offer a combination of diagnostic and interventional radiology through a rich educational experience in image-based diagnosis, as well as image-guided procedural education, with a focus on peri-procedural patient management. Education in the integrated program fosters individual development and practice of technical skills, as well as clinical judgment. Selection to these “Advanced” positions (beginning in PGY-2 year, one full year after the match) occurs each March through the NRMP main match. We currently offer three Integrated IR/DR positions per year.
The Integrated IR/DR Residency is an advanced residency that begins after completion of an eligible clinical internship in surgery, internal medicine, or a transitional-year program. Applicants retain the flexibility to complete their clinical year at another institution. Loma Linda University also offers preliminary surgery positions specifically intended for incoming LLU Integrated IR/DR residents.
Early Specialization in Interventional Radiology (ESIR)
Early Specialization in Interventional Radiology (ESIR) is a training option for DR residents who decide they want to pursue a career in IR to expand their exposure to interventional radiology and the clinical management of IR patients. Diagnostic radiology residents who decide to seek training in IR must complete a two-year Independent IR Residency after graduation; however, completion of the ESIR pathway grants the trainee credit for 1 of the 2 required years.
ESIR training is completed within the 4-year diagnostic radiology residency. It requires a total of 11 interventional radiology or interventional radiology-related rotations (minimum of 44 weeks) and an ICU rotation of at least four continuous weeks. ESIR candidates must still complete the required year at an independent IR residency to finish their IR training and be eligible for the American Board of Radiology (ABR) IR/DR Certifying Exam.
Selection to the ESIR Pathway occurs at the end of the PGY-3 year. The program is approved for up to 3 ESIR positions per year, although availability may vary from year to year depending on current program complements.
Independent IR Residency
The Loma Linda Radiology Program offers an ACGME-accredited independent IR residency program (sometimes referred to as a fellowship), for graduates of a DR program. This residency may be 1-2 years in length, depending on whether the trainee completed the ESIR pathway during their radiology residency.
The two years of the Independent IR Residency program are designed to closely mirror the PGY-5 and PGY-6 years of the Integrated IR/DR Residency. The number of Independent IR positions available each year will change depending on the current IR/DR residency and ESIR pathway complements.
Clinical Work
Interventional radiology at LLUMC offers exposure to a wide variety of conditions and procedures. Trainees gain expertise in all of the major pillars of VIR, including peripheral arterial disease, complex venous pathology, interventional oncology, trauma intervention, biliary and transplant interventions, lymphatic disorders, etc. A strong, collegial relationship with the vascular surgery and wound care teams, coupled with shared responsibilities for the vascular case load, offers our trainees a unique opportunity and excellent clinical and procedural training in the treatment of patients with peripheral vascular disease (arterial and venous) and the treatment of lower extremity wounds.
In addition, we have a robust interventional oncology program that includes chemoembolization, radioembolization, cryoablation and RFA/MWA — and we are building a histotripsy program with our surgical colleagues. Our clinic and procedural schedules include a broad variety of treatments, including uterine fibroid embolization, TIPS/DIPS/BRTO/CARTO, IVC filter placement/retrieval, dialysis access interventions, DVT thrombolysis and thrombectomy, blunt and sharp venous recanalization, complex vascular reconstruction and stenting, arterial embolization, endoleak management, and lymphatic treatments including thoracic duct or lymphatic leak embolization and ductal recanalization / angioplasty. Nonvascular interventional procedures include, but are not limited to, biopsy and drainage throughout the body, hepatobiliary interventions including Spyglass-guided stone removal and biliary stenting, genitourinary interventions including access for PCNL, stone manipulation, stenting, stricturoplasty and management of leaks, and interventions of the GI tract including percutaneous gastrostomy, gastrojejunostomy, direct jejunostomy, cecostomy and transesophageal feeding tubes.
Our division provides full interventional coverage for Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, the only major pediatric hospital in the region. Our trainees gain unique experience in both routine and rarer, complex pediatric procedures like the embolization of vascular anomalies, lymphatic embolization and ablation of osteoid osteomas and other tumors. We staff a dedicated pediatric angiography lab two days a week, with additional pediatric interventions sprinkled throughout the daily schedule in our adult IR rooms.
Although the majority of their time is spent at Loma Linda University Medical Center in an academic university hospital setting, our trainees are also exposed to an outpatient IR experience at Loma Linda University Surgical Hospital and gain valuable experience caring for military veterans during their time at the Loma Linda VA hospital. The high case volume and early, progressive trainee autonomy ensures a plethora of training opportunities and ultimately maximizes comfort with a large variety of techniques and patient management scenarios.
Interventional Call
For DR residents, all IR call is taken during rotations on the IR service. For IR/DR and ESIR residents, the majority of IR call is taken during rotations on the IR service with additional sporadic call when off service.
Residents completing weekday overnight IR call remain on the consult service through the morning handoff at 8:00 AM and then receive a protected day off free of clinical duties after completing overnight tasks.
Weekend call is predominantly the responsibility of IR/DR and ESIR residents. First-year residents are paired with a senior resident for quarterly weekend buddy-call, transitioning to senior call after completion of the third IR block. During the weekend, the resident team is responsible for rounding on any IR admissions and consults with ongoing clinical needs, then discussing and managing those patients with the on-call attending.
Over the course of training, senior residents are given increasing decision-making autonomy with an attending physician always available for guidance. On-call procedures are generally limited to urgent or emergent cases, most commonly bleeding and sepsis from a variety of etiologies. As a Level 1 trauma center, we play a critical role in the non-operative management of traumatic hemorrhage.
Educational Conferences
In addition to the daily radiology lecture schedule, weekly IR-specific conferences include liver tumor board on Tuesdays, IR didactics on Wednesdays, and a monthly clinical and case conference with nearby Kaiser LA (VISLA). Residents present cases at the monthly Morbidity and Mortality conference, which helps trainees and attendings learn from complications and past mistakes and to strive for better outcomes in patient care. Journal Club takes place monthly at a nearby restaurant; residents take turns analyzing and presenting articles, gaining valuable insight on how to critically review the literature. Every morning, the residents and attendings on service discuss all planned procedures for the day, providing an opportunity to discuss clinical management, varying technical approaches, and evidence-based medicine. Residents are allowed time off to attend one educational conference per year with additional time and financial support granted to residents who have accepted abstracts, posters or oral presentations.
Facilities
Loma Linda University Medical Center currently has 8 interventional suites for IR, neuro IR and pediatric interventions, equipped with high-quality ultrasound machines, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and intracardiac echo (ICE), 3D cone beam CT and roadmap capabilities. We possess a CT suite dedicated entirely to cross-sectional procedures such as biopsies, drains and ablations, with access to several more CT and MRI scanners throughout the campus for interventional use. Three additional ultrasound procedure rooms are utilized for procedures not requiring fluoroscopy or CT. Workstations are available in a common work area for reviewing studies and staffing consults. Attending physician offices are immediately adjacent to the procedural area and outpatient clinic space is just one floor below. Jeffrey L. Pettis Memorial Veterans’ Hospital and LLU Surgical Hospital are located within 3 miles of the main hospital with multiple rooms dedicated to IR procedures at each. Additional information about our facilities may be found here.
Applicant Information
Integrated IR/DR residency program
- Accepted only through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)
- Requires 3 letters of recommendation: one must be from a radiologist (preferably an interventional radiologist)
- Interview slots will be offered in October
- Interviews will take place in December and January.
Independent IR residency (fellowship) program
- Accepted only through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)
- Both ESIR and non-ESIR applicants will be considered
- Requires 3 letters of recommendation: one from an interventional radiologist and one from your diagnostic radiology program director with information regarding ESIR pathway participation, if applicable
- Interview slots will be offered in December or January
- Interviews will take place in February and March
How We Conduct Interviews
Interviews will be conducted in a hybrid fashion, with some conducted virtually and some in person. Candidates will receive equal consideration during the ranking process regardless of their chosen interview format.
Need more information?
Feel Free To Contact Us
Program Coordinator
Erica Bouit
Program Director
Kyle J. Cooper, MD, FSIR, RPVI
Program Director, Integrated and Independent IR Residencies
Associate Director of Interventional Radiology for Operations
Associate Professor of Radiology