Breast Imaging Fellowship

Program Director: Dr. Janine Katzen jak9072@med.cornell.edu

Associate Program Director: Dr. Katerina Dodelzon kad9090@med.cornell.edu

NRMP Program Code: 1492R02F0

Overview

This fellowship offers advanced training in breast imaging in our state of the art, high volume Womens’ Imaging Center and outpatient David H Koch Center. Fellows develop expertise in all imaging modalities required to provide the complete spectrum of care.  This includes screening, diagnostic imaging, image-guided interventions, and image-guided localizations. Fellows are exposed to high volumes of examinations and procedures.  Annually we see over 40,000 mammograms with digital breast tomosynthesis, over 1000 MRIs, and over 7,000 biopsies and procedures are performed including MRI guided and I-125 seed localizations, with steadily increasing caseload.  Fellows have the opportunity to not only collaborate but to lead multidisciplinary conferences with breast surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, genetic counselors, and pathologists.

Rotation Breakdown

The fellowship is designed with the potential to spend up to 40 weeks in breast imaging, with flexibility based on each fellow’s interest.

• The current proposed curriculum is as follows (subject to change):
• All blocks are 4 weeks.
  • Seven blocks of breast imaging
  • One block of multidisciplinary breast care (one week each with Breast Surgery, Breast Oncology, Breast Pathology, and Radiation Oncology).
  • Three blocks of body imaging with an emphasis on Body MRI
  • Two blocks of elective (could be used for breast or body imaging)
• Blocks on breast imaging include:
  • Screening Mammography
  • Diagnostic Mammography
  • Breast Biopsies (Stereotactic/Tomosynthesis/Ultrasound)
  • MRI/MRI biopsy
  • Localizations (predominantly radioactive seed localization)
  • Ultrasound/Same Day Screening Mammography
• During initial rotations on breast imaging, fellows rotate through each block for one week at a time.  Thereafter, fellow makes their own schedule which moves between each rotation on a daily basis.  For example, Screening Mammography on Monday, Biopsy on Tuesday, MRI/MRI biopsy on Wednesday, etc.

Education & Mentorship

Optimizing the educational experience of our fellows is our priority. Each fellow is paired with a faculty mentor to provide guidance during the year.  Our breast imaging section is very active in research and interested fellows will have the opportunity to work closely with any faculty of their choosing on research, educational or QI projects.

In addition to research opportunities, our focus is to provide a broad spectrum of educational experiences, these include didactic lectures, small group conferences, and computer based learning modules.  These include:

• Introductory Fellow Lecture Series
  • Weekly didactic lectures beginning in July and extending into January 
  • Include lectures from Breast Imaging Faculty, Breast Surgeons, Breast Pathologists, Radiation Oncology, Plastic Surgery, and Patient Survivors.
  • Weekly interesting case conference for residents
    • Fellow led conference for residents
    • Share 2-3 interesting cases seen over the past week
    • Build your educational skills
    • Opportunity to create a vast personal teaching file
• Radiology-Pathology Correlation Conference
  • Bimonthly conference
  • Predominantly fellow run
  • Radiology Fellows submit cases to Pathology Fellows for review
• Journal Club
  • Bimonthly conference
  • Fellow run
  • Paired with interesting case conference
• Controversial Topic Debate
  • Three times/year
  • Topics have included: Screening Mammography, Preoperative Breast MRI, Management of DCIS
  • Multidisciplinary colleagues attend and participate in engaging discussions
• Teaching Files
  • Enriched Mammography screening teaching file with screen detected cancers mixed in with normal cases
    • Viewed independently on mammography workstation
  • Interesting MRI case file
    • Viewed independently remotely or at a workstation
• Monthly Grand Rounds
• Annual John A. Evans Alumni Day Symposium: Fellows are provided coverage and funding to attend the annual day-long course and reception, which addresses current hot topics including innovation and challenges within radiology. Recent course topics have included artificial intelligence, physician wellness, radiologist visibility, social media use, and global health.
• NYRS Annual Meeting: Fellows are provided coverage and funding to attend the multi-day educational conference.

Interdisciplinary Conferences

• Multidisciplinary Conference
  • Monday and Thursday
  • Radiology, Surgery, Pathology, Radiation Oncology, Medical Oncology, Genetics, Gynecology
  • Discuss all preoperative and postoperative breast cancer patients
• Breast Cancer Conference
  • Wednesday mornings
  • Run by Medical Oncology
  • Discuss challenging patient management
• Breast Cancer Tumor Board
  • Bimonthly
  • Didactic lectures given on a rotating basis by all subspecialists

Vacation/Conference Time

• Each fellow is allotted 20 days of vacation (which can be taken by the day or the week), 5 days of conference time, with additional time allotted for interviews.

Benefits

• A competitive salary with opportunities for moonlighting and extra compensation are available, subject to change.
• A generous book fund is provided, with additional conference funding available.
• Additional wellness benefits include ClassPass subscriptions and several social events that occur throughout the year, ranging from monthly happy hours to welcome and graduation receptions.

Faculty

Section Chief: Michele Drotman, MD

Elizabeth Arleo, MD

Kemi Babagbemi, MD

Christine Chen, MD

Shanon Connolly, MD

Michael DeStefano, MD

Katerina Dodelzon, MD

Carolyn Eisen, MD

Deepti Gupta, MD

Maya Hartman, MD

Janine Katzen, MD

Allison Levy, MD

Rachel Marcus, MD

Geraldine McGinty, MD

Anika McGrath, MD

Eralda Mema, MD

Alexis Nees, MD

Melissa Reichman, MD

Fellowship Positions

We have 3 positions per year