Clinical Fellowship in Radiology

The fellowship offers training in multimodality thoracic and cardiovascular imaging (radiography, CT, MRI). Fellows join the daily tasks and activities of the Cardiothoracic Radiology and Imaging team, where currently there are eight Consultant Cardiothoracic Radiologists and five Imaging Cardiologists. In addition, three specialist radiology trainees and two-three specialist cardiology trainees rotate in the department.

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital (LHCH) provides medical and surgical adult cardiothoracic services to the people of Merseyside, North Wales, Isle of Man, parts of Lancashire and Cheshire. This catchment area has a population of 2.8 million people.

The Trust provides a full range of diagnostic cardiac and pulmonary facilities. LHCH Radiology department has two dedicated Cardiovascular MRI scanners (Siemens 1.5 T Aera, Siemens 3T Vida) and two dedicated Cardiothoracic CT scanners (Siemens Dual Source Definition Flash and Siemens Somatom Force). Siemens Colour Doppler is used for ultrasound studies, which are performed by LHCH radiologists. The department is fully digital with Carestream PACS integrated with HSC CRIS with digital dictation and voice recognition systems.

The fellowship incorporates dedicated hands-on sessions of cardiac CT and cardiac MRI (including adenosine stress procedures) for a variety of clinical indications, including congenital heart disease.  

Fellows rotate through the various clinical assignments of the Radiology and Imaging Department. Training in thoracic and cardiovascular imaging incorporates including digital inpatient and outpatient chest radiography, thoracic CT, dual energy CT of the thorax, thoracic MRI, thoracic intervention (thoracic biopsy), cardiac CT, cardiac CTA and cardiac MRI.

In addition to the clinical experience and daily teaching, the fellowship also provides didactic teaching in form of teaching sessions, Radiology Events and Learning meetings as well as multiple regular multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, among them:

• Cardiac MDT meeting
• Chest MDT meeting
• Lung Cancer MDT meeting
• Congenital Heart Disease MDT meeting
• Aorta MDT meeting
• Structural Heart MDT meeting
• Inherited Cardiac Conditions MDT meeting

The Department maintains a library of imaging and clinical textbooks in thoracic and cardiac imaging. Fellows can borrow and use these resources. There is a teaching file directory with relevant publications and interesting cases. Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital has Library Service, available to all staff.

Depending on the experience in NHS service, annual leave entitlement is as follows:  27 days on first appointment to the NHS, 32 days after five year’s completed NHS service. Fellows are eligible for up to 30 days study leave per annum pro-rata in agreement with the Clinical Lead. Most commonly, part of the Study days is incorporated into the weekly schedule as self-study sessions, with the rest available for educational events.

Fellows receive Consultants’ and Radiographers’ feedback and mentoring throughout the fellowship year. Fellows have appointed Educational Supervisors with whom they meet at induction, at mid-year and in the end of the fellowship, to ensure educational goals are being met and to adjust the program based on career objectives when appropriate. Fellows’ schedules are formally reviewed every four months. Fellows also formally evaluate the the program and the degree to which educational objectives are being met twice a year.

The team regularly participates in the activities of RCR, BSTI, BSCI/BSCCT, ECR, ESCR, ESTI, RSNA, ESC, among others. There are opportunities for the Fellows to undertake scholarly activities, including educational exhibits and review articles. Fellows are expected to participate in on-going research and audit projects as well as teaching in conjunction with staff. Fellows have departmental support for presentation of research at major medical meetings.

The Radiology and Imaging Department currently have the positions filled until 2021/2022 academic year.  For the 2021 academic year openings, interested candidates are encouraged to follow the job advertisements on the LHCH website from 2021 spring onwards. Eligible candidates will be either senior trainees (pre-CCT or equivalent) or junior board-certified radiologists (post-CCT or equivalent).

In addition to the Clinical Fellowship, LHCH Radiology accepts several Visiting Honorary Fellows per year (self-funding).

Queries can be emailed to Radiology PA Ms Jaqueline Monaghan Jacqueline.Monaghan@lhch.nhs.uk with the following:

1. Current Curriculum Vitae
2. Personal Statement or Letter of Motivation, specifying the type of Fellowship
3. Two letters of recommendation, of which one must be from the current supervisor.