The UCSD Health Cardiothoracic Imaging Fellowship is a one-year program tailored for a person considering a career in cardiothoracic imaging. The program is heavily clinically oriented, with clinical rotations comprising 90% of the fellow’s activity, with approximately 10% effort directed toward research. The fellowship includes rigorous training on acquisition, troubleshooting and interpretation of chest radiography, computed tomography/angiography (CT/CTA) and magnetic resonance imaging/angiography (MRI/MRA) across a broad range of pathology at two major San Diego hospitals in the UCSD Health System. Fellows serve as the primary contact for all cardiac imaging studies and function as liaison between ordering physicians, diagnostic imaging staff and teaching staff to ensure safe, effective and efficient functioning of the cardiac imaging service. On a daily basis, fellows interpret a mix of cardiac and thoracic imaging studies.

Fellow responsibilities and autonomy are gradually increased during the year, including acting as primary contact for all daily cardiac imaging studies, assuming the role of primary presenter for imaging findings at oncology board and other multidisciplinary conferences, and taking on a greater role in resident education. During the one-year fellowship, the fellows are encouraged to devise and complete a research project related to cardiothoracic imaging.  In the past, several such projects have been driven by questions that come up during daily clinical readouts. Fellows are encouraged to present at national meetings and/or publish their scholarly activities, and several past fellows have successfully published first-author work in high-impact journals. Some of our faculty are among the leaders in their respective fields including applications of machine learning/artificial intelligence (ML/AI) to image interpretation. Upon completion of the program, the fellow will be able to demonstrate a strong grasp of cardiothoracic imaging including indications, appropriate modality selection, underlying physics principles, image acquisition, and of course interpretation across all modalities including conventional radiography, CT and MR.

We welcome all interested applicants to apply to the Cardiothoracic Fellowship program. At the time of matriculation to the fellowship, you are expected to have completed an accredited radiology residency, be ABR board certified/eligible, and have a valid California medical license.

The dates for the 2026 Radiology Fellowship cycle for academic year 2027-28 appointments are:
November 1, 2025: Applications accepted
January 12, 2026: Interviews begin
March 31, 2026: Interviews are completed
*Applications will be accepted until position(s) are filled.

For further details, please contact Myra Dang (Fellowship Coordinator) at mndang@health.ucsd.edu

https://radiology.ucsd.edu/education/fellowship-programs/cardiothoracic-imaging/index.html