Hear from our residents

Listen to Residents Who Chose Dalhousie Radiology

***Why did you choose Dalhousie Radiology?***

One of the most outstanding aspects of Dalhousie Radiology is the community. The staff, co-residents, and admin come to feel like a family, in true Maritime style. The compassion and camaraderie among the team extends to all its members, and is one of the reasons I was drawn to the program. I was always met with kindness and welcoming. - Dr. Jessica Dobson, PGY1

One of the major reasons I chose Dalhousie was the camaraderie. The residents are incredibly supportive of each other and get along well as a group, and you could tell that residents at every stage were happy and excited to be a part of the program. On top of that, the residents are very well supported by the staff with great relationships between staff and residents as well. - Dr. Morgan Lawley, PGY1

The program - The warmth from the department I felt during my elective was truly unmatched. Our radiology program is a medium sized program but has a small program vibe. The resident culture truly felt like family. The staff were incredibly inviting and loved to teach. Dalhousie Radiology really stood out to me as the place where I would be most happy when ranking.

City of Halifax - Halifax is an absolutely beautiful city to live and work in. Everything is within walking distance if you live on the peninsula which the majority of us residents do! You do not need a car or have to worry about hospital parking again! Both of our main hospitals are within a 6 minute walk of each other!

The Outdoors - If you love the outdoors, Halifax is the place for you! From biking past the beautiful vineyards in the Annapolis Valley, to hiking on the Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia has got it all. Fun fact: NS is the warmest province in Canada. For example, where else in Canada can you *comfortably* surf and skate on the same day? - Anonymous, PGY1

I chose Dalhousie Radiology because of the resident group. I certainly feel lucky to be part of such a great group who are all so knowledgeable and also happy to get together socially after work. - Dr. Curtis Black, PGY2

Our program is made up of high-quality people and having good teammates is very important to me. I also have an exceptional support system of friends and family in the Maritimes. I want to live, work, and start a family here. - Dr. Andrew Fenwick, PGY2

Supportive program, bonded well with the resident group, location. - Dr. Lauren Kiri, PGY2

From the smaller size of the program to regular opportunities to work directly with staff in various subspecialties, Dalhousie Radiology provides a balance between one-on-one teaching and lectures. As the largest care centre in the Maritimes, there is also a breadth of exposure from bread-and-butter cases to more rare and interesting pathologies.  The resident group is extremely collegial, a reputation which is well earned, and are willing to help one another whether it is residency-related or with general life problems we all face! -Dr. Warda Limaye, PGY2

It was all about the people. The staff were welcoming and interested in teaching and the residents seemed comfortable and just generally happy to be there. It felt like the department was a group of good like-minded people that work hard but that also know the value of a few days off with family or friends. - Dr. Max LeBlanc, PGY3

Ultimately, wherever you decide to go in Canada, you’ll be trained to be a competent Radiologist.  However, having done electives across the country during my CaRMs tour, you quickly come to realize that each program has its own unique training style.  The comparatively easy going style of the East Coast was the best fit for me. - Anonymous, PGY3

Dalhousie has a proven commitment to the resident teaching, and faculty dedication to resident training is apparent. Faculty and residents work closely together from day 1 and throughout residency which cultivates an unparalleled culture that allows residents to truly excel.  Additionally, the resident group is cohesive and supportive both in and outside of the hospital, an invaluable part of residency training. - Dr. Ian MacDonald, PGY4

 ***What are the strengths of our training program?***

Dal Rads staff are excellent educators. Our half-days and rounds are well taught and staff are invested in our success. I am also grateful for our program's commitment to balance: there is ample opportunity for social events among our resident group, and we have a significant degree of freedom when it comes to academics such as research and leadership roles. The program is designed such that we feel supported in what we do. - Dr. Jessica Dobson, PGY1

A strength of Dalhousie's program is its size and location. It's the major health centre of the maritimes, so it sees a lot of major cases and the weird and wonderful things that come through imaging. As a smaller centre overall, it makes it easier to develop good relationships with staff, and during your off-service year, you actually get to meet and develop relationships with a lot of the residents and staff from other specialties. I love when the person on the other side of the phone is someone I have worked with and can put a face to the name. - Dr. Morgan Lawley, PGY1

Leadership: You don't get better program directors than ours. Dr. Brown is one of a kind. He has a great sense of humor and truly treats you like a friend. He works closely with Melissa and our chief residents to create the optimal residency experience for all. Melissa, our education assistant, is exceptionally friendly and is always there to assist us in any way she can. I have never met someone who answers emails so fast! Having her and Dr. Brown as our program heads is a blessing and we are well aware as residents of how spoiled we are! - Anonymous, PGY1

One of the major strengths of the training program here at Dalhousie is the faculty support. They are always happy to teach and are very supportive when on call. Knowing there are staff on call who are there when you need them makes all the difference in the world. - Dr. Curtis Black, PGY2

Our small program size fosters collegiality. Friendly interactions among staff and residents make our program enjoyable to be a part of. - Dr. Andrew Fenwick, PGY2

Supportive and approachable staff, medium size centre often with 1:1 staff-resident ratios, lots of hands-on experience with procedures. - Dr. Lauren Kiri, PGY2

The staff are approachable and keen to teach, something that is facilitated by the size of the program. There is a lot of support for trainees, and the program really wants to see us, their residents, succeed. Our relationship with allied health care workers, such as imaging technologists, is also a strength, and when on call they are invaluable resources! Many staff are involved in high-level research, providing residents another way to remain up to date with current evidence and guidelines. - Dr. Warda Limaye, PGY2

It's the value of small. You get to know your fellow residents well through organized (and at times amazingly unorganized) social events. You feel part of a team and know that they have your back and you have theirs. Not to get too personal, but when my wife went into labour a few weeks early with our son (our first), my multiple upcoming call shifts just straight up disappeared. They're a bunch of gems if you ask me. - Dr. Max LeBlanc, PGY3

In addition to the above, the low resident-to-staff ratios are fantastic.  Not only does it allow for more in-depth and personal teaching, but also makes it much easier to quickly become friends with the staff you work with.  The relatively small resident body is also great for building friendships.  Finally, the autonomy we have on call, while initially terrifying, quickly helps you develop both comfort and competence. - Anonymous, PGY3

The People. From faculty to technicians to staff, everyone contributes to the experience of residency training.  The enthusiasm and dedication of those involved in residency education is unparalleled.

The Residents – We have a close knit group of residents that have continually demonstrated a supportive atmosphere. From social outings to covering call when life happens (such as parental leaves!), the importance of this cannot be understated in residency training

The Program – Rotations cover a diverse range of radiology with close working relationships between faculty and residents. The relatively low number of fellows at our institution allow residents to assume a primary role on rotations and is particularly notable for development of procedural skills such as on interventional rotations. Additionally, residents can be involved in many teaching, leadership and research opportunities throughout residency. - Dr. Ian MacDonald, PGY4