"My year as a bone fellow at UCSD was an incredible learning experience. The real strength of the program is the faculty, who are true leaders in their field. Their passion for MSK radiology and for teaching is unparalleled. No one delights more in an interesting case than Dr. Resnick, who will enthusiastically recall a number of papers that have been written on the topic. And not only are the faculty some of the smartest, hardest working people you will ever meet, but they are genuinely nice and fun to work with. My co-fellows, diverse and hilarious in different ways, made the year that much more enjoyable. Overall, it was a great time."

Michelle Omura 2011-2012

 

I am extraordinarily grateful to have had the opportunity to experience musculoskeletal radiology at UCSD. Our fellowship class was special; we were close and evolved together. The academic atmosphere was stimulating and motivating, and the faculty were inspirational. Undoubtedly, one of the most formative years in my life!
 
Ernest Hemingway wrote a memoir about his experiences in Paris in the 1920’s. I share a similar sentiment regarding San Diego and the MSK radiology fellowship at UCSD:
 
"If you are lucky enough to have lived in [San Diego and trained under the guidance of UCSD’s musculoskeletal radiologists] as a young man [or woman], then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for [San Diego] is a moveable feast.”

Dorota Linda 2011-2012

 

My one year spent with the MSK faculty at UCSD was one of the most outstanding educational experiences of my life.  I think that this program has many key attributes that make it one of the very best in the country, including, but not limited to unbelievably dedicated faculty, from the most senior to the most recent faculty additions, wide diversity of rotations and experiences throughout the year, high level educational conferences and lectures, assumption of a high level of responsibility for the fellows during rotations, busy workdays with high volume, no matter which rotation you are on, and several weeks of flexibility in the schedule for each fellow for away rotations, explore other areas of radiology, or self imposed study time.  The varied personalities of the faculty keep things interesting.  Every faculty member is extremely nice and easily approachable, none of whom are mean spirited, pretentious, arrogant, snobby, or worst of all, uninteresting. 

 

The only drawback I can speak of in this program is the salary, which is self evident.  One just has to prepare for a year of low income, either with saved earnings from prior years, moonlighting during the year, or obtaining a loan.  A word of warning though, is that it is a very busy year for most, and I have known many fellows who have moonlighted to make ends meet, which is entirely doable.  But watch out for burnout.  If one can help it, keep the year as simple as possible, as it is already a very intense year, so time off during the weekends and vacation weeks are vitally important to staying healthy and happy.  Besides, this is San Diego, a place that begs to be explored. 

 

I have no regrets coming here for fellowship and being a part of this experience.  Would I do it all over again?  Without a question, YES!

Jimmy Wang 10/2010 to 9/2011

 

Other than worldclass teachers with unbeatable knowledge there would be a few more things you would get out of this program.

I discovered I was pregnant the first day of my fellowship and was pregnant through most of it.  They were very flexible about the schedule, with maternity leave and arthrograms, which I was extremely grateful for, because if they weren’t, being several weeks early, I would have delivered my own baby alone in my La Jolla apartment.

They are all fun loving.  Someone cut out the fellows’ heads, stuck them on the bodies of a rock band and made it into a video.  Was it on you tube?  I think that was you Tudor.  My most favorite rotation was teleradiology, where we not only learned a lot about MSK MR but also heard many fun stories about Dr. Resnick, including one where a “stunningly beautiful” famous Hollywood actress showed up at the front door of his house requesting a radiology consultation.  One word of caution, you would need to prepare some entertaining personal stories if Mini is your attending of the day to keep her awake throughout the day’s work.  And I kept seeing Christine’s two little girls, either in person or on her phone.  They are real adorable!

Couple things I wish were that 1) I had more exposure to ultrasound or CT-guided procedures and 2) I didn’t have to switch to a different rotation every week.

And one thing I regret not doing was to visit the Black’s Beach in Torrey Pines, probably the most infamous nude beach in the country.  

But I had a great year!  Other than sticking myself with a contaminated needle doing a shoulder arthrogram at Del Mar Imaging and almost breaking my back lifting a 3 galloon water bottle while 35-wk pregnant, I would do everything again in a heartbeat.

Eva Yeung 2010-2011 + a bit

 

I can’t say enough good things about this fellowship.  Yes there are challenges as are expected with any medical training environment.  The positive aspects of this fellowship absolutely eclipse the negative.  It is hard to imaging a better group of teachers to work with.  They are amazing radiologists with scary knowledge who are also the nicest people you will meet.  There is no weak link in the chain.  Everyone brings something unique to the educational stew.

If you get the opportunity, don’t pass it up!

Steve Haltom 2010-2011

 

 

The UCSD bone fellowship was hands down the best educational

experience of my life. 

A few reasons why you should accept this fellowship over others:

 

1) Faculty: You will be blown away by this star-studded cast. They

are the most brilliant, dynamic, entertaining and down to earth

group of individuals I have ever had the privilege to work with.

They are genuine in their concern for you and are consummate

educators. Every readout, lecture, conference or commentary is

jam-packed with pearls and unparalleled insights. They work harder

than their fellows and every faculty member has their own niche of

expertise and research interests that enhance an already

well-balanced fellowship experience. Tudor might even give you free

work out tips (he nearly put one of our fellowship class P90X stars

to shame with his mastery of the push-up).

 

2) The fellows: I was fortunate enough to straddle two fellowship

classes, enabling me to sample a larger group of the clinical and

research fellows. I learned a great deal from both fellowship

classes all of whom were extremely talented, insightful and joy to be around.

 

3) Amazing weather year round.

 

Why you should NOT consider this fellowship:

 

There isn't a good reason not to do this fellowship. However, if

you're in it for the money, look elsewhere. If you have financial

and family considerations during the fellowship, know that there

will be challenging times ahead. Limited internal moonlighting is

available, but I wouldn't count on it to pay all the bills. Save

aggressively prior to the fellowship, sign up for weekend locums

(tough-but it can be done), talk to a group beforehand or get a

loan. Somehow just find a method to support your fellowship year and

I guarantee you will look back and agree that the experience was

priceless. Thanks again to all the bone section staff and fellows!

 

Kamran Ahmed 2010-2011

 

"It was an honour and privilege to have had the opportunity to attend the musculoskeletal fellowship at UCSD.  I will forever be indebted to the faculty for all the knowledge and experience they provided to me.  All of the attending radiologists are extremely knowledgeable and fantastic people who enjoy teaching fellows.  All of this in one of the most nicest cities in North America."  
 

Thanks!

James

 

I had an amazing fellowship with excellent breadth of experience and caring faculty. Experience included dedicated pediatric MSK rotations and ultrasound (with Jon Jacobson) as well as arthrograms and biopsies. I recently had the opportunity to take a kyphoplasty course as well and worked on cadavers. Imaging case conference, sports medicine conferences, orthopedic case conferences, tumor boards, and rheumatology conferences are all regularly scheduled which allows one to pick and choose whatever interests you.

 

There is elective time that is flexible toward meeting your needs and goals.  Being affiliated with UCSD, there is an abundance of research opportunities and opportunities work among world class faculty not just in MSK, but also in Neuro and Body imaging, who are all interested in taking you under their wing if you choose to spend time with them during your elective time. 

I attended many of the MR and MSK courses held throughout the year too. 
 
In one sentence, I would do it all again in an instant.
 
Caroline Yang 2010-2011

 

 

When I applied for an MSK fellowship, I searched for a program with a

good volume & variety of studies, to include attending read-out of

conventional radiographs, to perform my own arthrograms, to take part

in didactic and combined clinical conferences, and to have research

opportunities. This program goes above and beyond to meet the

standards of arguably one of the best MSK fellowships and you will

leave this program on a path to success. Along the way, you will meet

incredible radiologists, researchers and scholars from around the

world. The program is incredibly academic and at the same time

practical and enjoyable. As has been stated previously, it can be a

year of great sacrifice for many fellows and their families as the

year is extremely difficult financially and moonlighting opportunities

in San Diego are sparse; with that being said, do all you can to make

this fellowship year happen for you! In the end, the rewards of

working with Dr. Resnick and his amazing colleagues are endless. Do

not let this opportunity pass you by!

 

Suzanne Shepherd, 2010-2011

 

I came to UCSD for residency with the intention of staying for the bone fellowship, and along every step of the way I knew it was the right decision.

Learning MSK radiology is clearly a lifelong process, but after this dedicated year I can confidently say that all of Resnick's fellows are well-equipped to face any challenge that may arise.

Eric Chang, 2010-2011

 

It has been over a year since I completed the UCSD MSK fellowship.  I am currently in a private practice group that does all modalities.  Every single day of work I benefit from my fellowship.  I read all MSK modalities faster and with more accuracy than I could before my fellowship. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to work with all of the faculty and other fellows at UCSD.  The faculty are really as amazing as the other fellows have commented.  I would definitely do it all again if I had the choice.

Jeff Hirata, 2008-2009

 

A year in musculoskeletal radiology par excellence. From a purely academic standpoint, the strength of the fellowship lies in its’ diversity: the faculty have diverse interests, the sites provide distinct referral populations, and  there is certainly opportunity to participate with new or ongoing research.  More personally, it was simply a pleasure to come to “work” every day. This was an opportunity of a lifetime to learn and live  and laugh with a group of people who truly enjoy what they do...and do so well.  Bravo!

Matthew Sharp 2009-2010

 

Musculoskeletal radiology taught by the premiere faculty of the world, working with a group of amazing co-fellows and getting to know research fellows from all over the world, all the while living in gorgeous San Diego... what's not to love?  All of the accolades listed below really are true.  You will have a phenomenal year.  The one down side is limited funding through the fellowship, but there are moonlighting opportunities to supplement your income with. 

Maya Borso 2009-2010

 

"As a junior resident at a busy county hospital, I thought I knew well-enough how to interpret MSK radiographs.  As a senior resident, I thought I learned reasonably well how to interpret MSK cross-sectional studies.  Entering the fellowship, my goal was simply to become more proficient at MSK.

This fellowship demonstrated how inept I was, as are most newly board-certified, nonspecialty-trained radiologists.  The experience our fellows received in MSK MR, CT, and radiographic interpretation, guided by many different experts, each with their own interests, is unsurpassed.  Learning from a core of 8 attendings, 6 of whom each have at least 10 years of post-fellowship experience gave a variety of styles to learn from, enhancing the value.  Add to that the knowledge gained from the Rady children's hospital rotation, and the total MSK experience cannot be beat.  Arthrogram experience was excellent--I was able to do 30 shoulders (comfortable using rotator interval, anterior inferior, and posterior approaches), 20 hips, 12 knees, 5 ankles, 3 wrists, 1 elbow, 1 tarsometatarsal, and 1 AC joint.  Biopsy experience was somewhat limited--I did one bone and one soft tissue mass biopsy.  Mini had a biopsy party at her house, which provided a little extra practice and added to the feeling of camaraderie.

The fellows with whom I worked were all excellent, with great personalities.  The attendings, likewise, are fun to work with and down to earth.  All-in-all, the year was one of the best I have ever had.  The low pay and lack of benefits is a big drawback, but the experience is well worth the sacrifice.  I was able to get a competitive and desirable job in a difficult southern California market, largely because of the reputation of the fellowship and the backing of the faculty."

Scott Yochim 2009-2010

 

Having just completed the UCSD MSK fellowship, I am sad to be leaving, and thankful for all that I take away with me. It was a wonderful year--full of learning and growth--and I know I will always look back on this year of training with profound nostalgia. The read-outs were great, the conferences always educational, and the experience overall unparalleled. The atmosphere promotes independent learning and literature review, while there is plenty of amazing teaching, frequent citing of relevant articles, and valuable pearls direct from masters in the field. The faculty are all superb, inspiring radiologists and truly caring individuals whom I have enjoyed knowing and working with. I will miss all of them, and know I will keep in touch and have further interactions with them in the future. The many other clinical and research fellows are also great colleagues and friends to have. If you are interested in MSK radiology, you will love this fellowship for all it offers. At times you will work hard, and at times you will relax. You will be taught, and you will teach. You will receive outstanding training. The year goes by fast…make the most of it!

Amin Matin 2009-2010

 

You should have no hesitations about accepting a position as a UCSD MSK fellow. The volume is perfect to allow one a comfortable transition from fellow to MSK staff member either in an academic or private practice job. You will work with legendary staff members who will teach you daily as there is tons of one on one readout time. There is plenty of time within the schedule to allow for one to read, perform research projects, attend Dr. Resnick`s conferences, and most importantly take advantage of all of what sunny San Diego has to offer. It was a privilege to work with this group of radiologists and a phenomenal life experience which I will never forget. Try your best to get accepted here, accept without hesitation and you will never regret it. Good luck J

Federico Discepola  2009-2010

 

"Hi All!

I echo the thoughts of all those who came before me in encouraging anyone who has the inkling to excel in the field of MSK to attend this fellowship.  You will not find another program that can hold a candle to the staff or the education that you will receive here.  As I have said all to year to anyone who've asked me about my experience, its like having the books speak to you everyday at read out as opposed to you reading the books!  Our attendings are like textbooks in their knowledge (not surprising since they wrote many of those books out there!) and yet are so down to earth that you will never be made to feel inadequate.  On the flip side, the realities are such that you should have a good sized nest egg before arriving since funds will be very limited.  It was a difficult year for me financially but it would not deter me from doing it again, the fellowship REALLY is worth it.

Binh-To Tran" 2009-2010

 

 

I could fill my commentary with superlatives until the page's end, but then nobody would bother to read it.  But the year really is that amazing. When I decided to apply for the fellowship, the former and current fellows I knew gushed so effusively about the program, I started to doubt their sincerity.  Having now finished the year, as Dr. Resnick is fond of saying, I find myself in the uncomfortable position of agreeing with them.  San Diego is gorgeous. My co-fellows were awesome.  The staff are the Jedi of Bone Radiology.  All of the attendings really do bring a different perspective, and while this can initially be overwhelming, it ultimately allows you to decide for yourself which style you prefer.  The staff are all voracious teachers (and learners); I don't think you could get a better educational experience anywhere.  So when you are at conference at 7 am on Friday, or lecture at 9 am on Saturday, just try to remember: people from around the world normally pay money to hear these people lecture.  If you end up doing the fellowship, you will understand why.  

Catherina Fu 2009-2010

 

Despite very high expectations coming into the fellowship, the experience truly exceeded my expectations in almost every category. The knowledge and experience of the bone faculty are unparalleled across the board, and each faculty member brings unique ideas and knowledge to the readouts.  The diversity of experiences provides a tremendous preparation for life beyond fellowship, whether it be academic or private practice.  Above all, it was just a really fun year that I'll never forget.  I would strongly recommend the fellowship for anyone who's interested.

Andrew Knoll 2009-2010

 

My one year MSK fellowship at UCSD turned out to be as good a learning experience for me as I could have possibly hoped for.  The faculty is superb and San Diego is one of the most beautiful locales on the planet.  For those interested in this subspecialty of radiology, you could not find a better fellowship. 

Steve Chan , 2008-2009

 

Dear Mom (Tudor),

I had a wonderful year. All of the faculty are superb and enjoyable to work with.  I feel well trained in MSK imaging and I am sure my excellent training will be an asset to my practice. Thank you all!

John Stassen, 2008-2009

 

"The UCSD musculoskeletal fellowship was an extraordinary year, probably the best of my medical training.  The depth of the faculty here is exceptional and quite unique... their strengths and areas of expertise compliment each other perfectly.  The variety and volume of cases is also outstanding for a fellowship training program."

Thanks

Ben Levine, 2008-2009

 

My thoughts on the UCSD MSK fellowship:
1) a thorough broad-based program covering all major modalities (including some limited ultrasound) and all joints
2) some of the nicest and most educated teachers in the business
3) plenty of research time if interested
4) one of the best cities in the US (my wife desperately wants to move back...)

James Wolff, 2008-2009

 

There are three reasons to do this MSK fellowship: the faculty, the teaching and the fellows.  The faculty is awesome.  Not only are they the most well-known and respected MSK radiologists around, but they are genuine nice caring people.  The teaching I have had this year has been amazing either during readouts or during our twice-weekly conferences.  The fellows, both clinical and research fellows, are a great group of people.  I've had a very rewarding, educational and fun fellowship.  I am definitely happy that I stayed at UCSD for my fellowship. 

Michelle M. Nguyen, 2008-2009

 

This fellowship should be called “Reading out with the Stars”.  It is a privilege to work with and to learn from these extraordinary people. My sincere thanks to all faculty members.

The atmosphere is wonderful , the quality of lectures and conferences is superb. There are 10+ fellows, but you never compete for cases or “attention” –there is plenty of one-on-one teaching and a lot of work and studying to do. If you are considering moonlighting, it can be easily fitted into your schedule, just start looking before you arrive, as it takes time to go through with the paperwork.

Also think of a perfect weather all year round. My family fell in love with San Diego and we miss it already.

I am grateful for the opportunity to complete this fellowship and looking forward to meeting my mentors and co-fellows in the future .

 

Tetyana Gorbachova, 2007-2008

 

"Now that I have been in private practice for 6 months I truly understand how much I learned during my fellowship and how grateful I am to all of the faculty for teaching me."

Darren Buono  2007-2008

 

I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to train at the "bonepit".  It was one of the most fun and enjoyable years of my medical training.  The faculty is what really makes it outstanding.  They have different strengths and interests but they all share an insatiable curiosity and desire to continue to learn more.

It starts with Resnick, truly the "Wizard of Os".  I came to the fellowship knowing that he is at the forefront of MSK radiology, but what I learned was that he has an amazing devotion to teaching (even Saturday lectures).  And, this is all conveyed effortlessly with a great sense of humor and humility.  Mini has an amazing eye and a photographic memory.  She really ties the whole picture together and teaches the most clinically relevant pearls.  Tudor impresses you with his knowledge of eccentric diseases and associations as well as all the trauma classifications.  He is always laid-back and can laugh at himself.  Christine has won countless resident teaching awards with her dedication to teaching detailed anatomy.  Her readouts are like reading from a book and she does this all while laughing and wearing her stilettos.  Amil never stops smiling.  He is extremely practical, efficient, and fast!  He can also fix any computer, PACS, or talk station glitch you have.  Lina is a great addition and brings a different perspective as she was fellowship trained with Stoller.

Lastly, it was nice having such a large group of co-fellows to share the experience with.  There was good comraderie, and we had fun exploring San Diego.  I made some great friends.   This fellowship will teach you an amazing amount of bone radiology all while having a blast.

Rosalyn

 

"Reflecting on my fellowship year, itʼs amazing how quickly the year passed.   Musculoskeletal radiology continues to evolve and I feel like I only scratched the surface during the year and was continually reminded of that by DR.  The staffʼs varied interests and the diverse patient populations of the various hospitals provided a balanced, comprehensive experience that cannot be matched.  The faculty consists of exceptional teachers who all have a great sense of humor, especially Dr. Resnick.  They were truly a pleasure to work with and my time at the Bonepit was a blast. "

Tom

 

I am extremely lucky to have been able to learn from the definitive osteoradiologists!  When I was considering different fellowship programs, a major concern was the variety of cases that would be available.  Our rotations include private, public, VA, Children's, Navy hospital and teleradiology settings --  you will see everything here!   It was an amazing experience to be able to work with a faculty that is literally at the forefront of MSK imaging.  Even better, the attendings truly are a pleasure to read with.  Sincerest thanks to the faculty for an incredible year!
 

Grace B

 

I can't say enough about the quality of the faculty at UCSD, they are truly top-notch in every way.  Not only are they amazing radiologists but very fun people to work with and learn from on a daily basis.  The fellowship was a great experience and something I'll remember fondly for the remainder of my career.  Thank so much.   

Craig 2007-2008

 

When considering MSK fellowships I looked all over the country like I'm sure most people do. I really wanted to come to UCSD for the bone fellowship, and am glad that I had the opportunity to do so. Obviously Dr. Resnick is incredible, but I truly believe that the quality of the staff across the board is the best in the country.  Everyone has particular strengths and they all complement each other really well.   But more than, that, everyone is really fun to work with!  If it's not going to be fun and educational, there's no point in doing it.  It was a great year, and being in San Diego is amazing! I don't think there's a better place to live than SD, and to be here for a year during fellowship is a great way to experience it. The minimal funding may be an issue for some, but there are plenty of moonlighting opportunities if you look for them.  And the fellowship experience is well worth the trade-off.  It's not a perfect fellowship, but all fellowships have their pluses and minuses, and I think overall the pluses far outweigh the minuses here.

 

Vaibhav Khasgiwala 2007-2008

 

 

I highly recommend the fellowship for a number of reasons.  The fellowship is really geared toward teaching.  The attendings discuss interesting cases at the Friday morning conferences and there are excellent lectures throughout the year.  The attendings are great teachers with incredible clinical and research experience and practical knowledge.  They are fun to work with and the overall atmosphere is relaxed.  The services are busy enough so that you see a lot of cases, but you are not overwhelmed.  The teleradiology rotation in particular provides a high MRI volume.  Rotations at other hospitals provide a well rounded experience including trauma at Hillcrest and pediatric studies at Children's.  Call responsibilities are light, which allows time to study, do research, moonlight, and/or have fun in San Diego.  I've been very happy with my experience this year.
 
matt  2007-2008

 

 

Great fellowship!  I learned a lot and would definitely recommend it!   In addition to a great educational experience, San Diego is an awesome place to live for a year, especially when you're used to the much cooler, rainier & foggier climate of Nova Scotia, Canada. 

My only caution is to be weary of any attending whose name starts with "T".

Sabrina Covert 2007-2008

 

 

"Some of the biggest names in musculoskeletal radiology are in one place. That place is the bone pit!  You get not only one, but five perspectives that are on the cutting edge of our field.  This improves your standing in MSK radiology and the job market. Basically, this fellowship opens doors to the jobs you want."
 
Vic 2007-2008

 

 

 

"I learned an amazing amount of MSK radiology during my fellowship from the best and brightest in the field.  But most important, you will not find a better group of people anywhere to work with and teach you."
 
I will write more whenever I have time from unpacking. 
 
Darren Buono  2007-2008

 

 

 

The best advice I could give any radiology resident or radiologist is:  Apply to this fellowship every year until you are finally accepted. It was truly an honor and a privilege to work among those regarded as “the best of the best.”It was my greatest accomplishment both professionally and personally. 

 

It is the opportunity of a lifetime and where your career will begin.  Each and every one of the staff are truly unique and amazing  individuals– they are doing the research and writing the textbooks that everyone else in the field is reading.  To be sitting and learning from them was absolutely stimulating.  It is such a friendly environment where everyday was exciting, challenging and a continuous learning process.  When you become a bone fellow you will forever be part of the bonepit family which continues to grow for over 30 years now.

 

Make no mistake –this will be the most fufilling year of your training. You will gain a solid foundation in MSK radiology and learn all of the pearls of bone and joint imaging.  I am forever grateful to those who encouraged me and taught me how to be the best musculoskeletal radiologist that I could be.

 

Stephanie Casey 2006 - 2007

 

This fellowship is tremendous. The depth and breadth of the knowledge of the attendings at UCSD is amazing, and each attending has their own strength, which makes readouts very interesting. The conference schedule is not overly demanding, and the multiple clinical sites give a nice cross-section of imaging (including Peds). This fellowship will give you a thorough understanding of MSK anatomy and its relation to MSK pathology. This is not a procedural fellowship, but you will gain significant experience with intraarticular injections (steroids and arthrography). The best things about this fellowship are the friendly, laid-back attitude of the attendings and the collegiality of working with 12 other MSK fellows. I made friendships with attendings and fellows that will last a lifetime. I would do this fellowship again in a heartbeat.

John Park 2006-2007

Great teachers with excellent lectures. Infinite opportunities for research. Learned a lot - read the entire Resnick compendium from cover to cover several times.  San Diego has wicked weather and it is a great place for outdoor activites.  Learned to wake up at the crack of dawn to work for Don.

Debra Chang 2006-2007

 

It’s one year.  An incredible year when you arrive astounded by how much you don’t know (How many arms to the posterior oblique ligament?  What’s the difference between a tract and a band?  Who is Assake?)…and depart after amassing a vast knowledge base, yet keenly appreciative of how much more there is to learn.   

It all starts with Dr. Resnick, literally.  He is there every morning, often before the fellows arrive.  Dr. Resnick’s clear priority is teaching.  Although he is renowned world-wide, he is physically present and intimately involved with daily activities in the “bonepit”.  He teaches during daily readouts, he prepares lectures (Thurs evenings, Saturday mornings, etc), he even corrects your reports so that you master articulating intelligently!  

The remainder of the faculty within the section is similarly amazing.  Mini will be walking by the room, and casually point out the most subtle but clinically relevant finding.  This is the woman who makes correct diagnoses based on localizer images alone!   Christine will inspire awe with her seemingly endless anatomical knowledge.  She also has an impressive command of wine and couture (which always comes in handy).  Amil is never frazzled, able to multitask and tackle anything with ease.  Tudor knows every associated factoid ever published and is a wealth of resources of any talk, presentation, etc. 

The faculty is truly amazing.  Put them together and you have far more than enough reason to be here.  It’s an honor to work with them and learn from them.  They are incredible radiologists and, more important, invaluable mentors and friends. 

The fellowship also attracts incredible peer fellows.  I have made lifetime friends this past year.  You will have the privilege to learn with people who are dynamic in their own right.  No other fellowship can boast of 10-14 clinical fellows who willingly and competitively sign-on without financial incentive.  That fact speaks for itself.

The tradition is over 30 years old, with clinical and research fellows congregating in beautiful San Diego to learn osteoradiology.  It is a tremendous feeling to finish the fellowship, knowing you have made your own contribution to this long-standing tradition of learning.  

Amy Wu  2006-2007

 

When I applied to the UCSD MSK fellowship, I wrote in my personal statement that I wanted to attend a program that was going to give me excellent training.  I believed at that time, as I do today, that much like an onion, there are multiple layers to training.  It is these layers that separate good fellowships from great ones.  And for the record, I believe that this is one of the great musculoskeletal fellowships.

The UCSD fellowship to some is called the Resnick fellowship.  Working with Dr. Resnick is an honor.  His fund of knowledge, experience and grasp of the literature is awesome.  But in the end, this is not unexpected.  Most of us who applied for this fellowship expected him to be a master of the trade.  What is shocking, however, is his approachability and dedication to teaching.  Honestly, he is one of the most approachable people I have ever encountered, expert or otherwise.  With respect to his dedication to teaching, it is second to none.  When on the interview trail do not let any program tell you that Dr. Resnick is rarely around because he is off giving lectures.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  He is in the reading room almost every day.  He is giving lectures to the fellows on Saturdays.  He is present and teaching.

It is important to remember, however, that a great fellowship is not made by an individual but rather by a team.  This fellowship has a team of experts that compliment each other beautifully.  You do not need to read out with Dr. Resnick to be learning from an expert.  Having looked at many good fellowship programs, I believe that the depth of experienced faculty (Dr. Pathria, Dr. Hughes, Dr. Chung and Dr. Gentilli) is unique to San Diego.

But still, experienced faculty alone does not a great fellowship make.  The intangibles are the true separators.  All the faculty members at UCSD have a dedication to the fellows that extend beyond the work day.  This is a family that has trained fellows for over 30 years and continues to support them throughout their careers.   I have been to each of the faculty member’s homes for one type of celebration or the other.  Each has either written letters for me or made a phone call in order to get me a job.  They are very proactive in findings employment for their fellows.  Lastly, I firmly believe that the commitment to their fellows’ success is a lifelong one. 

Cheers to great training and a lifelong professional family.

Antoinette Roth Class of 2007

 

The UCSD bone fellowship is a once in a lifetime opportunity that you should not miss out on.  This was absolutely, unequivocally the best year of my training.  It is hard to put in words what it meant to me. It is an experience that I promise you will change the way you practice radiology and that you will remember for rest of your life. You will be overwhelmed when you get here, the staff are functioning at a different level, which is great…..it will allow you to aim high; these people are the mentors you want. The faculty will leave you in awe from the beginning of the year to the end.   Each individual is gifted in his or her own right, but still humble and very approachable (and fun). You will have fun with the faculty each day, they are simply just good people.

This year the 30-year fellowship reunion was held.  The past fellows were all very grateful to the fellowship and their mentors.  Yet, what struck me most was that their relationships with the faculty didn’t end after the fellowship, but continued and got stronger as the years went on. Being a fellow means instant membership to the family.

An important added bonus is, if your year is anything like ours, you will be blessed to have a great group of fellows that will make your experience all the richer.

In short, you will work hard; learn the pearls of bone imaging everyday, every conference, and every lecture.

Bottom line- World class fellowship 

Dan Gill   2006-2007

 

The #1 reason to do the UCSD MSK fellowship is the faculty. It is not  just their unbelievable experience, vast knowledge base, and passion  to teach.  You MSK training will not be complete until Dr. Resnick  laughs (with) you, Mini calls you "kiddo", Christine gives you love life advice, Amil smiles continuously for 1 year, Tudor finds you  free food, and Nataliya reads you out in her special style. The  fellowship really is an experience you will never forget. I've been working for all of two weeks, and I already find my self reminiscing  about my time in the "Bonepit". There is also something special about  sharing the experience with 10 to 12 to 14 other fellows -- and at  the same time joining a fraternity that spans hundreds of fellows over 30 years.

Jimmy Wong 2006- 2007

 

The fellowship is simply amazing.  It must be the best training program in the country.  I'm sure many others are great, but I can't imagine another program with 5 brilliant and dedicated faculty.  There is a lot of individualized teaching, and the lectures are the best I have ever heard.  There is so much knowledge in this group . . . it's scary.  I was still learning on the last day of fellowship.  I could go back for another year and still learn every day.  In addition to the excellent training, the staff is very cool.  They really care about the fellows, and they want each of us to be happy and find a good job.  The job won't be a problem.  Every practice wants a UCSD trained bone radiologist, and it's for good reason.  My advice: don't worry so much about the pay.  It's insignificant.  The depth of knowledge, the experience and the resume boost far outweigh the salary difference.  Moonlight or take a loan if you have to.  It's worth it.  I am very proud to have completed this fellowship, and it can only help for the remainder of my career.

Rick Arigo  2006- 2007

 

The bone fellowship at UCSD rocks!  I've been learning from the bone faculty here for the last 5 years, during residency and fellowship.  The fellowship experience, however, has been amazing, both educationally and otherwise. I have to thank the bone faculty for their unsurpassed dedication and commitment to all of the fellows- these guys truly have love for the game.  In addition, it's surprising to most that our world class bone faculty are such unassuming, approachable, and genuinely fun people.  They really are!  

I don't think any normal person would regret doing this fellowship.  I will  really miss my training experience at UCSD and I look forward to revisiting my old stomping grounds in the future!

Nick Panchal 2006- 2007

 

 

My MSK fellowship year in San Diego was fantastic both personally and professionally.  The chief thing was a breeze thanks to Mini’s keen advice and a very easy going/forgiving set of classmates.  The faculty are undoubtedly some of the best MSK rads around and they are soooo much fun to work with.  Dr. Resnick, of course, is incredible.  Not only has he read everything, but he wrote most of it.  And----he trained the people that wrote the rest of it.  One can’t help but marvel at his dedication to the field of MSK radiology.  That said--Mini, Christine, Tudor, Amil, and Nataliya are all awesome.  Mini is one of the most clinically minded radiologists with which I’ve had the pleasure to work.  Not only does Mini know all of the anatomic minutia and “alphabet soup” diagnoses but she distills these down to a manageable/teachable framework of what is clinically relevant. Christine is the Elle Woods of radiology; an incredibly talented superstar radiologist with a splash of high fashion.  Christine is so well spoken that her read outs are like lectures (fun ones).  Tudor is the King of Hillcrest and Friday afternoon Scripps lunch and his superior skills in trauma radiology are frequently called upon by both fellows and faculty; as I can personally attest to.  Don’t let Amil’s peaceful façade fool you; he is probably one of the smartest people on the planet--It’s hard to disagree with a guy who knows the normal measurements/angles of every bone and joint out to 3 standard deviations.  Nataliya is very well read and taught me a great deal as well this year.  Nataliya’s read outs are bolstered by the confidence that comes only with having seen Dr. Resnick’s lecture series 8 times—most of which she can undoubtedly recount verbatim. 

On a personal note, I am incredibly grateful to my wife Heidi for enduring a very busy year in the Chest section and for bringing our new little guy Charlie into this world—what a blessing.  Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla, a cold beer at Lahaina after work, wrestling with Matt, Jong’s stories, Alison’s flounce, Nomi’s incorrigible comments and emails, watching Tiger golf while on a lunch break-----I’ll always have fond memories of my time in sunny San Diego and the Bonepit.      

Charles (Chuck) Kenney 2005-2006

 

The MSK fellowship this past year has been an incredible learning experience!  All the faculty have an amazing fund of knowledge and a passion for teaching.  I felt like I was still learning even in the last days and weeks of fellowship.  In addition, they are all incredibly kind people that made the year a  lot of fun.  I regard the faculty not only as role models but as friends.  Thank you all for a great year!

Weiling Chang 2005-2006

 

This past year has truly been a wonderful educational experience. You'll see a great variety of pathology, obtain a great fund of knowledge, and become proficient in a vast array of musculoskeletal procedures. But I believe what sets this fellowship apart is the faculty. They provide such a comfortable, relaxed and fun environment for learning without the egos you might encounter elsewhere. Thank you Don, Mini, Amil, Tudor, Christine and Nataliya for a great year! 

Ray Hong 2005-2006

 

The UCSD MSK fellowship has been, bar-none, the best year of my medical training.  i have learned a phenomenal amount of information from some of the friendliest and most knowledgeable people in their field.  the atmosphere here in UCSD is one of intense passion and commitment to teaching bone radiology.  this is a world-class fellowship with world-class attendings.  special thanks to don, mini, tudor, amil, christine, and nataliya for making this year so wonderful!!!

 

Alison Nguyen  2005-2006
 

I had my eyes set at the San Diego MSK fellowship long before finishing residency. I thought that after all the years of training I should not let one more year of money strain get in the way of the best training possible. I was absolutely right. I can't say it was very easy living in San Diego for a year without funding but I can assure you it was totally worth it. I have been working as an attending now for two years and the debts have been paid and forgotten. The experience at UCSD I will have forever.

The staff is what really makes it so special. Working with people that blow your mind every day with their knowledge and are still down to earth, friendly and laid back made going to work a pleasure.

I learned without being overworked which is key because you need to have some time to enjoy San Diego and the surrounding area. What a great place to be. I still miss it every day, the beaches, the food, the views, the people...
 

Hope it helps. It is all true.

 

Jose deLima 2002-2003