UPMC Musculoskeletal Imaging Fellowship

Program Overview

The Division of Musculoskeletal Imaging at UPMC offers a one-year non-ACGME fellowship in musculoskeletal imaging and intervention. Our division is integral to the care of trauma patients, athletes at all levels of skill, patients with arthritis, arthroplasties, back pain, and those with bone and soft tissue tumors. The division provides consultative services for international and national athletes, professional sports teams, NCAA-Division I athletes, as well as other local colleges and high schools.

The Musculoskeletal Fellowship provides advanced training in interpretation of musculoskeletal radiography, CT, and MRI, performance and interpretation of musculoskeletal ultrasound, as well as musculoskeletal interventions including arthrography, CT and ultrasound-guided bone and soft tissue biopsies. The Fellowship covers all aspects of orthopedic imaging; including trauma, oncology, sports medicine, rheumatology, musculoskeletal infections, and arthroplasties.

Please visit the UPMC Musculoskeletal Imaging Division Website for additional information about the division and a listing of current faculty.


Program Director: Armando S. Herradura III, M.D. (herraduraas2@upmc.edu)

Program Coordinator: Vivian McBride (mcbrvl@upmc.edu)

Mailing Address:
Department of Radiology
Division of Musculoskeletal Imaging
203 Lothrop St
EEI Suite 700
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Telephone: (412) 648-6062
Fax: (412) 692-2615

Application

Requirements:
    • Society of Skeletal Radiology (SSR) Common Application Form
    • Curriculum Vitae
    • Medical School Transcript – copies are acceptable
    • USMLE/COMLEX Score(s) – copies are acceptable
    • Personal Statement
    • Three letters of recommendation
    • Applicants
        • Are expected to have satisfactory completion of an ACGME accredited diagnostic radiology residency prior to the start of fellowship.
        • Will be required to obtain a full unrestricted license to practice medicine in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania prior to the start of fellowship. See PA State Board of Medicine License Requirements.
        • Are expected to be Board-Certified, Board-Eligible, or have passed the ABR CORE exam prior to the start of fellowship.

Applications and accompanying materials should be submitted to Vivian McBride (mcbrvl@upmc.edu). Once applications are reviewed, interview invites will be sent via e-mail. Interview details will be sent to invited applicants.

Please visit the SSR website for more information about the MSK Fellowship Match. We adhere to all dates listed on the MSK Match Timeline on the SSR website and under Important Dates listed on the NRMP Radiology Match Website.

Application Resources/Useful Links:


Training Sites:

Our fellows train rotate through four primary sites:

    • UPMC Presbyterian & Montefiore Hospitals – Located in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood is the 900-bed Presbyterian Campus of UPMC Presbyterian-Shadyside, the flagship facility of the UPMC Health System. At this location, fellows are exposed to all aspects of musculoskeletal radiology and will see high volumes of orthopedic trauma and spine imaging, rheumatology, and musculoskeletal infections. The fellows perform the whole range of musculoskeletal imaging and intervention including fluoroscopic-guided arthrograms, joint injections, aspirations, CT and ultrasound-guided aspirations, injections, and biopsies, and perform diagnostic ultrasounds.

    • UPMC Shadyside Hospital – Located in the Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh is the Shadyside campus of the flagship UPMC Presbyterian-Shadyside, which has 520 beds. All aspects of musculoskeletal radiology are covered with emphasis and a high volume of orthopedic oncology and arthroplasty imaging. The fellows also perform the whole range of interventions including fluoroscopic-guided arthrograms, injections, and aspirations, CT and ultrasound-guided aspirations, injections, and bone, bone marrow, and soft tissue biopsies, as well as perform diagnostic ultrasounds.

    • UPMC Freddie Fu Sports Complex – Located in the South Side neighborhood of Pittsburgh and is adjacent to the practice and training facilities of the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers football teams. One of first facilities of its kind and a model that others have followed, it is home to the UPMC Sports Medicine Program and contains 34 clinical exam rooms, digital radiography and fluoroscopy suites, MRI, as well as on site physical therapy and rehabilitation areas including a therapy pool and gym. Fellows will encounter high volume sports imaging and will perform fluoroscopic-guided arthrography and injections.

    • UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex – Modeled after the Freddie Fu Sports Complex and located in Cranberry Township, a short drive north of Pittsburgh, the Lemieux Sports Complex is the official practice and training facility of the Pittsburgh Penguins. It contains two full-size hockey rinks, 24 clinical exam rooms, digital radiography, fluoroscopy, MRI, as well as physical therapy facilities including a rehabilitation gym and aquatic therapy. A track and batting cages are also available. The fellows will be exposed to high volume sports imaging and will also perform fluoroscopic guided arthrograms and injections.

The division also covers various inpatient and outpatient sites/clinics remotely including:

    • UPMC Hillman Cancer Center – Located adjacent to UPMC Shadyside is Western Pennsylvania’s only Comprehensive Cancer Center designated by the National Cancer Institute and provides the highest level of cancer care and cutting-edge cancer research.

    • UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital – Located in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood is a 360-bed world-class center for women’s health recognized as a National Center of Excellence in Women’s Heath by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It serves as the primary teaching facility for obstetrics, gynecology, gynecologic oncology, and neonatology for the UPMC Health System and has the largest neonatal intensive care unit in Pennsylvania.

    • UPMC Magee Bone and Joint Center – Provides expertise and specialized care for patients with bone and joint disorders, particularly affecting the hips and knees. The fellows will encounter high volumes of arthroplasty imaging.

    • UPMC Bethel Park/South Hills – is the site of multiple outpatient orthopedic, sports medicine, and various medical clinics

    • Various orthopedic, sports medicine, and other medical clinics in the Kaufmann and Falk Medical Buildings

Conferences:

Fellows are expected to attend and participate at the various weekly and monthly conferences/labs, including:
    • Orthopedics-Pathology-Radiology Tumor Board
    • Orthopedics-Sports Medicine Conference
    • Orthopedics-MRI Correlation Conference
    • Rheumatology-Radiology Conference
    • MSK Radiology Division Conference
    • MSK Ultrasound Hands-On Conference
    • Fellows also attend the MSK didactic series for residents. If not on-site, the fellows have the option to attend virtually through Microsoft Teams.

Call

Fellows participate in weekly call coverage for emergent procedure requests with faculty supervision and equitable division of call between fellows. Additional details will be provided during interview days.

Benefits

Fellows are considered clinical instructors and are employed by the physician practice of UPMC, the University of Pittsburgh Physicians (UPP). Therefore, fellows receive the same benefits as attending physicians including vacation days/personal time off, paid holidays, health, dental, vision insurance, and retirement benefits. The fellows also receive the same amount of continuing medical education (CME) funds and time off for CME. Additional funds/support can be requested from the radiology department to support presentations at national/international conferences.

Information about fellow salary and detailed information about benefits will be provided during interview days. Paid moonlighting opportunities are also available within the department to augment the fellow salary.

After Fellowship:

Our fellows have pursued both academic and private practice after fellowship:
    • 2022-2023
        • Sophie Darwiche, MD

    • 2021-2022
        • Blase Prosperi, MD

    • 2020-2021
        • Ryan Anderson, MD

    • 2019-2020
        • Stephen Kwak, DO
        • Zachary Mikes, DO
        • Ian Russell, DO

    • 2018-2019
        • Jean-Victor Bonnaig, MD
        • Thomas “Andy” Elkins, DO
        • Carrie Gomez, DO
        • Lawrence “Larry” Mumie, MD

    • 2017-2018
        • Damian Clossin, MD
        • Ramanujan Prativadi, MD
        • Jason Rothschild, MD
        • Justin Winn, MD

    • 2016-2017
        • Armando Herradura, MD
        • Joseph Livingston, MD
        • Michael Nemer, MD
        • Jeffrey Poot, DO

    • 2015-2016
        • Matthew Harper, MD
        • Jennifer Koay, MD
        • Paul Rotolo, MD

    • 2014-2015
        • Shima Goswami, MD
        • Vincent Lee, MD
        • Kimberly Leeman, MD
        • Lamar Robinson, MD
        • Jorge Rodriquez, MD