We employ a graduated call system. To maximize patient safety and education, residents do not take call in the first six months of PGY-2 so as to allow completion of core rotations necessary for call competence. Residents provide radiology call coverage at the Foothills Medical Centre.

In November and December, PGY-2 residents are transitioned to call, by working a number of "Buddy Call" shifts with a more senior resident. This allows for residents to understand the logistics of call.

Starting in January of their PGY-2 year, “junior residents” (i.e. those in the second half of PGY-2 and first half of PGY-3) start taking call. For the first calendar year of night shifts, junior residents are supported and supervised by an in-house Body staff. Neuro staff are available for support from home on an as-needed basis. Overnight call becomes more independent in the second half of the PGY-3 year with overnight Body case reviews at 3:00AM for the second half of PGY-3 with the transition to independent overnight call with 07:00AM reviews in PGY-4.

Monday through Friday

• Noon Start: Residents work 12:00PM to 5:00PM on their home rotation, and then work 5:00PM to 9:00PM covering after-hours inpatient and ED US/CT examinations.
• Extended Stay: Residents work 8:00 AM to 5:00PM on their home rotation, and then work 5:00PM to 9:00PM covering after-hours inpatient and ED US/CT examinations.
• Night Call: Residents have a pre-call day off, and then work 9:00PM to 8:00AM overnight covering after-hours inptient and ED US/CT examinations. Night shifts typically range in continuity from 2 to 3 nights in a row. Residents have a post-call day off.
• In-House Neuro and Body staff are present for support and supervision until 11:00PM.

Saturday, Sunday, and Named Holidays

• Day Shift (8:00AM to 8:00PM or 10:00AM to 10:00PM): Two residents work the day shift, providing coverage for inpatient and ED US/CT examinations.
• Night Call (8:00PM to 8:00AM): One residents works the night shift, providing coverage for inpatient and ED US/CT examinations.
• In-house Neuro and Body staff are present until 11:00PM.

As a Tertiary Level Hospital, Level 1 Trauma Centre, Cardiovascular and Neurosurgery Referral Centre, Stroke Intervention Centre, and with the on site Tom Baker Cancer Centre the Foothills Medical Centre is a busy facility. Residents can expect to see a wide range of pathology on call.

While the bulk of call coverage consists of CT interpretation, and ultrasound to a lesser extent, residents may also occasionally perform and interpret fluoroscopy studies, and assist with nuclear medicine studies as needed.

Morning rounds:

Every Monday (7:00 to 8:00AM) encompassing general radiology
Once a month on Wednesday (7:30 to 8:30AM) for Obstetrical / Maternal Fetal Ultrasound

Noon rounds: daily with the exception of Thursdays (reserved for Academic half day). May be staff, fellow or resident led and include topic or systems didactic rounds, case rounds, peer learning (morbidity & mortality rounds) and grand rounds.

Multidisciplinary / Tumour Board rounds: vary rotation to rotation. Examples include: Breast Tumour, Thoracic Oncology, Interstitial Lung Disease, Chest Case, Neuroendocrine Tumour, Pancreas Tumour, Hepatobiliary Tumour, Neuro Oncology, Endometriosis/Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery, Stroke, NeuroVascular Intervention, Sarcoma Tumour, Head & Neck Tumour, Pediatric Oncology, Pediatric Neuro Oncology, Fetal Diagnosis & Therapy, etc.

Special PGY-1 introductory lectures – in the last month of PGY-1, there is a two-week series of noon lectures specifically designed to prepare the incoming residents for the start of their PGY-2 year as a radiology resident. In addition, noon rounds for the month of July and August are wholly dedicated to junior lectures. That is, residents in PGY-3 and higher organize and teach their juniors with a focus on high yield anatomy and topics to ease the transition from off-service into Radiology.

We have a well-established in-house and external visiting professor program in place to enhance teaching. Intensive teaching is provided over a 1 to 1.5 day period by local experts or visiting luminaries in the field of Diagnostic Radiology from across Canada and the USA. There are between 4 to 6 external visiting professor sessions throughout a given academic year and 3 to 5 in-house visiting professor days.

We are a high volume centre which ensures variety and undoubtedly prepares us for practice. At our facilities, in the 2015/2016 fiscal year, we performed:
142,863 CT Scans
76,850 MRI Scans
81,372 Ultrasound Scans
14,439 Interventional Therapeutic Procedures
17,710 Nuclear Medicine Scans
5,156 PET Scans
536,786 Radiographic/Fluoroscopic studies.​