Abdominal Imaging
The University of Virginia’s one-year Abdominal Imaging Fellowship covers all aspects of abdominal imaging, with a strong emphasis on abdominal MRI as well as image-guided procedures. As part of the Abdominal Section, fellows provides a full range of diagnostic imaging as well as diagnostic and therapeutic procedures related to the chest, abdomen, pelvis, and gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts.
Recognizing the personal commitment required to extend your training and improve your skills, we are firmly committed to providing leading-edge instruction and helping you achieve success in diagnosing and treating disease. Finally, it is our responsibility to help provide guidance in your job search and do our utmost to help you secure the position that’s right for you.
Fellow Testimonials
“This fellowship provides great exposure to MRI procedures in a great location. Not only are the faculty exceptional teachers at the workstation, but the residents, nurses, and techs are very experienced and knowledgeable as well.”
“This program provides a very collegial environment with engaging faculty. The program strengths are definitely the well-rounded exposure to MRI and other procedures.”
“We have moonlighting available to us, which is a great perk of the program. Moonlighting gives us more autonomy to expand our knowledge and skill set, as well as provides extra compensation.”
The Abdominal Imaging section, housed within the Division of Body Imaging, is comprised of eight faculty physicians. The section provides a full range of diagnostic imaging as well as diagnostic and therapeutic procedures related to the chest, abdomen, pelvis, and gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts.
The program is designed to enable the Abdominal Imaging Fellow to accumulate a broad base of medical knowledge, to develop interpretive and technical skills under supervision, and to become proficient at clinical decision-making and consultative services. The fellowship can provide teaching and research opportunities based on fellow interests.
Upon completion of the fellowship, graduates will have a strong foundation to build an academic career in radiology or to enter subspecialized or general private practice. Specifically, the fellowship focuses on providing advanced training in cross-sectional imaging of the abdomen and pelvis with a strong emphasis on abdominal and pelvic MRI. Experience can also be gained in interventional procedures including CT- and ultrasound-guided biopsies; abscess drainages; and if desired, image-guided ablations.
The Abdominal Imaging faculty place a strong emphasis on our role as consultants to referring providers and especially as caregivers to the patients we serve. We also believe that the time spent on every service should be pleasurable and educationally rewarding.
For the last several years, our fellows have been able to secure their top choices for radiologist positions, often in highly competitive markets.
The experience of recent years has shown that most applicants for Abdominal Imaging fellowships are primarily looking for expert-level training in abdominal and pelvic MRI as well as broad exposure to US, CT and image-guided procedures. We use this as a starting point for creating the curriculum of our Abdominal Imaging fellowship.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Rotations on our MRI service will expose the fellow to MRI of the liver, biliary system, pancreas, female pelvis, 3T prostate MRI, rectal cancer staging, and a variety of urological MRI examinations. We use state-of-the-art equipment including several 3 Tesla scanners and a variety of MRI contrast agents. Fellows on MRI will be responsible for protocoling and interpreting MRI studies. Great emphasis will be placed on building an advanced understanding of MRI physics as far as it is relevant for image interpretation. Our world-class research/physics faculty help us to achieve these goals.
Computed Tomography
We run a busy CT service, with scanners located within the University Hospital, two outpatient imaging centers, and the Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center. We use modern CT techniques such as dual energy, iterative reconstruction and other dose-reduction strategies. CT colonoscopies are performed and fellow involvement is encouraged.
Ultrasonography
The ultrasound service covers all areas of abdominal and pelvic ultrasound examinations including extensive exposure to transplant ultrasound. Fellows will also have the opportunity to learn ultrasound elastography as well as contrast-enhanced ultrasound.
Image-Guided Procedures
Our procedure service performs approximately 350 CT- and ultrasound-guided biopsies and drain placements as well as image-guided ablation procedures of renal tumors per month. Fellows will have the opportunity to gain expertise in these areas. It is divisional policy that our fellows have first choice of all procedures over other trainees.
Fluoroscopy
Our division offers the full spectrum of fluoroscopic examinations and procedures. Fellows are not scheduled on this rotation; however, given our very large number of fluoroscopically-guided esophageal balloon dilations, individuals who are interested in this particular procedure or fluoroscopy as a whole will generally have the opportunity to spend time on this service.
Electives
Fellows get up to four weeks of elective time throughout the year that can be spent within the division (thoracic imaging, fluoroscopy, OB/GYN ultrasound) or outside the division (cardiovascular imaging, interventional radiology, pediatric imaging, breast imaging, MSK imaging, neuroradiology, or nuclear medicine).
Conferences and Tumor Boards
There is a dedicated Tuesday morning fellows’ conference with presenters including Abdominal Imaging faculty as well as other radiology faculty and referring providers. Topics are tailored to the fellow level.
Fellows will also participate in UVA clinical conferences and tumor boards. The degree of involvement during presentation and responsibility will gradually increase throughout the year. The following clinical conferences and tumor boards are covered:
• GI Tumor Board, Thursday 7-8 a.m.
• GYN Tumor Board, Wednesdays at 4 p.m.
• GU Conference, Wednesday at 7 a.m. (bi-weekly)
In addition, there is a weekly divisional Wednesday morning conference where interesting cases are reviewed.
Call Responsibilities
Fellows take call every 4th or 5th weekend. Responsibilities are primarily to interpretation of MRI exams with faculty supervision.
Teaching and Formal Learning
The fellows are expected to participate in the education of the radiology residents and medical students who rotate through their areas on a daily informal basis. Fellows can attend the 12:15 p.m. residents’ conference if related to abdominal imaging. Each fellow usually gives 1-2 residents’ conferences per year. Fellows do not independently staff daytime services.
Salary and Benefits
Our fellows receive an annual salary that is competitive with what is offered by other institutions. They receive medical and dental care benefits for themselves and their immediate family. Additionally, malpractice insurance is provided at no charge.
Our fellows receive an annual stipend to cover expenses related to attending meetings or buying books. Each fellow is encouraged to attend one educational meeting of their choice.
Additional significant educational benefits are offered by the University of Virginia that can be used to take UVA courses.
Vacation and Leave Policy
Fellows have 22 days of vacation time (plus additional time off during Christmas or New Year’s), and up to 5 days of meeting time to be spent at national radiology meetings.
Optional internal moonlighting opportunities are available within our department, including the interpretation of overnight ED studies. Most MSK and some other clinical instructors participate, but it is optional. Participating instructors are given a home workstation, which allows for this coverage to largely be done from home if desired. Participants are also pardoned from regular daytime clinical duties. Subspecialty faculty are available for backup coverage should a question arise overnight. Various advanced imaging studies or complicated cases where a subspecialty read is necessary can receive a preliminary report overnight with final read by a subspecialty attending in the morning. Subspecialty services are also available for urgent overnight procedures, such that the clinical instructors can focus on diagnostic studies. The program has helped our fellows to maintain and further develop general radiology skills for both boards preparation and practice, while also increasing their confidence in independent image interpretation. Notably, contributing to this coverage also supplements income by approximately $15,000 / week.
For an updated list of division and departmental faculty, click here.
Applying for 2027-2028 Positions
As a non-match fellowship, our program complies with the timeline established by the Society of Chairs of Academic Radiology Departments (SCARD). Our program cannot accept applications or offer an opportunity to interview until November 1, 2025. Applications may be uploaded to Interfolio ahead of time, but will not be reviewed until November 1.
Exceptions to the SCARD embargo include:
- Applicants whose spouse/domestic partner is also applying for a medical fellowship in the same year
- Internal candidates
- Military candidates
- International candidates – international candidates are defined as applicants from programs that are neither ACGME or RCPS programs (i.e. Canadian applicants are NOT excluded from the embargo.)
Interviews will begin January 12, 2026 and end March 31, 2026. A personal interview is required for all applicants. Interviews will be conducted virtually for this cycle upon the recommendation of SCARD.
To apply for this position, please go to https://apply.interfolio.com/172548. For full consideration, applications must include a curriculum vitae; a cover letter/personal statement; three current letters of recommendation; USMLE Transcript which includes Step I, II, and III scores (or equivalent); and ECFMG (if applicable).
Acceptance into the program will be on a rolling basis. Per SCARD guidelines, noon eastern standard time on January 26, 2026 is the first day offers may be made. Applicants have until noon eastern standard time January 28, 2026 to accept or decline any offer made before January 28. For any offer made on or after January 28, the candidate has a one-day grace period (noon eastern standard time) to accept or decline the offer.
For questions about the position or fellowship, please contact Karen Hyde via email at grm4na@uvahealth.org.
Additional Application Information
Applications from graduates of non-US radiology programs are considered on a case-by-case basis if the duration of the completed training is at least five years, including one year of clinical training in the U.S. Please note that for international graduates, recommendation letters must be from radiologists in the U.S.
Fellows are selected on the basis of their medical training, general and academic achievements, and personal qualities. International medical graduates need to have a permanently validated ECFMG certificate and have passed USMLE I, II, and III. They will be offered a visa for the duration of their fellowship.
The University of Virginia is an Equal Opportunity employer.
For Residency and Fellowship Applicants Requiring Visa Sponsorship
Institutionally, we sponsor the J1 clinical visa. Decisions about sponsorship of other visa type are made at the department level. All graduates of international medical schools must hold a valid certificate issued by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) to be appointed as a resident or fellow following the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
Pre-Employment Drug Testing and Background Check
Resident/fellow appointment is conditional based on the approval of the Clinical Staff Credentials Committee (CSCC) and the Clinical Staff Executive Committee (CSEC) and based on successful completion of credentialing, including but not limited to our review and acceptance of information from the criminal background check, successful completion of the pre-employment drug screen, passing applicable medical licensing exams (USMLE, COMLEX or MCCQE), receipt of a Virginia Medical License (if applicable), honest and accurate completion of all required paperwork and training modules prior to Orientation. For more information, please see the sample GME Contract linked here.
Contact Us
A.J. Pesch
Associate Professor of Radiology
Director, Abdominal Fellowship Program
AJP8X@uvahealth.org
Karen Hyde
Fellowship Program Administrator
GRM4NA@uvahealth.org
Tiffany Steward
Verification Coordinator (view more info here)
TIM9T@uvahealth.org
[For US Postal service delivery]
University of Virginia
Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging
Box 800170
Charlottesville, VA 22908
[Physical address (for all other forms of delivery)]
University of Virginia
Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging
1215 Lee Street
Charlottesville, VA 22908
The University of Virginia School of Medicine is accredited by The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). The University of Virginia is an Equal Opportunity employer.