Breast Imaging Fellowship
Columbia Radiology’s one-year Breast Imaging Fellowship provides comprehensive training in screening and diagnostic mammography, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, contrast-enhanced mammography, and image-guided procedures. Fellows train at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, a major academic referral center with a high-volume outpatient practice serving a diverse patient population, including many patients at increased risk for breast cancer.
The Division of Breast Imaging combines advanced imaging technologies, multidisciplinary clinical care, and an active research program, providing exposure to routine and complex breast imaging. With one fellowship position each year, the program offers individualized training in a close-knit, collegial environment, with consistent access to cases and procedures and close mentorship from dedicated faculty.
Clinical Services
The Division of Breast Imaging provides high-volume screening and diagnostic services, performing more than 35,000 mammographic examinations and 3,500 breast MRI examinations annually. Services include digital mammography and tomosynthesis, breast ultrasound, contrast-enhanced mammography, standard and abbreviated breast MRI, and image-guided biopsies and localization procedures.
Learn more about the Division of Breast Imaging and meet our faculty.
Clinical Experience
Fellows interpret screening and diagnostic mammography, tomosynthesis, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, contrast-enhanced mammography, and outside imaging consultations. They also perform the full range of image-guided breast biopsies and localization procedures. Clinical responsibility and autonomy increase progressively throughout the year, with attending supervision and support.
Fellows prepare and present imaging cases at the weekly multidisciplinary breast conference and participate in regular teaching and case-based conferences.
Elective time is flexible and tailored to each fellow’s interests and career goals. Fellows may pursue research, gain exposure to breast pathology, breast surgery, medical oncology, or radiation oncology, or spend time in other radiology subspecialties. Those considering positions that include general radiology or call responsibilities may use elective time to refresh or expand those skills before graduation. Additional clinical exposure is available through NewYork-Presbyterian’s regional hospitals and Columbia’s outpatient facilities.
Schedule
The fellowship follows a rotation-based schedule with dedicated service assignments. On most clinical days, the fellow focuses on a single area, such as diagnostic imaging, screening, breast MRI, or image-guided procedures, allowing for concentrated experience and continuity throughout the day.
Fellows receive 23 vacation days and 2 personal days, which may be taken as individual days or in blocks. The fellowship has no separate after-hours coverage and no overnight or weekend call responsibilities.
Facilities
Fellows train at Columbia’s dedicated Breast Imaging Center in northern Manhattan. The center includes mammography and ultrasound suites, dedicated reading rooms, and both prone and upright stereotactic biopsy capability.
Dual-workstation reading rooms allow fellows and supervising attendings to review cases side by side. Fellows formulate their initial interpretations and management recommendations before discussing each case with the attending, facilitating direct, case-based teaching. Separate workstations are available for interpreting screening examinations performed at the Avon Foundation Breast Imaging Center and NewYork-Presbyterian’s regional outpatient sites throughout Westchester County. Screening callbacks are reviewed with the assigned attending at the end of the day.
Breast MRI and MRI-guided procedures are performed at Columbia’s recently renovated MRI Center.
Research and Innovation
The Division of Breast Imaging has an active program in translational, clinical, and population-based research. Areas of investigation include advanced breast MRI techniques, contrast-enhanced mammography, imaging biomarkers, artificial intelligence, integration of imaging with molecular and liquid-biopsy data, and health equity. Faculty leads federally funded, foundation-supported, and industry-partnered studies, including multicenter collaborations through the Computational Biomarkers Imaging Group and the multidisciplinary Center for Innovation in Imaging Biomarkers and Integrated Diagnostics.
Fellows may use their protected academic time to participate in research, with mentorship tailored to each fellow’s interests and career goals.
How to Apply
Our fellowship program participates in FellowshipsCAS, a centralized application service for fellowship programs. Applications for the upcoming cycle will be submitted through FellowshipsCAS. The application will open on October 1. The application deadline for this program is December 1, 2027.
To start your application or return to an existing application, please visit: FellowshipsCAS | Applicant Login Page
If you have questions about how to complete the application or need technical support, please visit the FellowshipsCAS Applicant Help Center. This site includes FAQs, guides, and contact information for applicant support.
U.S. Applicants must be board-eligible or board-certified in diagnostic radiology and eligible to obtain a license to practice medicine in New York State before beginning the fellowship.
Interview
Selected applicants will be invited to interview virtually between January and March, 2027.
NRMP Match
The Columbia University Breast Imaging Fellowship participates in the Radiology Fellowship Match, sponsored by the Society of Breast Imaging and managed by the National Resident Matching Program (NMRP). Applicants must register separately with the NRMP to participate in the Match.
Breast Imaging follows the NRMP all-in Policy. Accordingly, Columbia fills its available Breast Imaging Fellowship position through the NRMP Match and cannot extend any offers to candidates outside of the match.
Questions?
Please email questions to breastfellowship@cumc.columbia.edu.