The path to subspecialization By Martin Geza Radvany, MD, FSIR
My journey to neuro IR subspecialization
medical student and was surprised how much I enjoyed the imaging aspect of the specialty. During my third year of medical school, I accompanied one of my patients to the radiology department for a biliary drainage procedure— something I had never heard of. As soon as I saw image- guided surgery, I was hooked. I had found the specialty I wanted to pursue and it probably had something to do with the IR attending at the time, who happened to be Robert L. Vogelzang, MD, FSIR.
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I pursued my radiology residency at Tripler Army Medical Center while serving in the U.S. Army, where I was first introduced to neuroangiography and neurointerventional radiology (NIR). When I decided to pursue formal fellowship training, NIR was not one of the available choices, but I was fortunate to complete an IR fellowship where fellows performed a significant amount of cerebrovascular angiography and intervention (i.e., epistaxis, trauma, vascular malformations and carotid stenting). As a junior attending, I continued to expand my knowledge of equipment and techniques collaborating with other specialists.
During my time as a practicing IR, I was fortunate to become acquainted with several neurointerventionalists who were willing to share their knowledge and provide guidance when I encountered challenging cerebrovascular cases. They encouraged me to pursue an NIR fellowship, but the military denied my request for NIR fellowship training. So after completing a 16-year military obligation, I returned to The Johns Hopkins Hospital as a civilian to complete a formal NIR fellowship. I went from being the chief of the interventional radiology service at an academic Level I trauma center to being a full-time student. During the fellowship I realized how well the skills I had acquired as an IR prepared me for NIR training.
hen I entered medical school at Northwestern University, I had visions of becoming a surgeon. I was introduced to diagnostic radiology during an elective as a first-year
Martin Geza Radvany, MD, FSIR, during his internship at Tripler Army Medical Center, posing in front of the Napali Coast. 1991.
After joining the NIR faculty I had the ability to focus my practice. I appreciated the fact that IRs were performing stroke interventions but there was a clear need for readily accessible continuing stroke education. With the advent of the IR Residency, a new radiology pathway for IRs interested in NIR fellowship training was also needed. As a dual- trained IR/NIR, I hope to continue collaborating with other specialties and improve stroke education and training for interventional radiologists.
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