Education

The Department of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (DVIR) at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) provides a comprehensive range of vascular and non-vascular interventional service. SGH is a 1600 bed acute tertiary hospital, providing cutting edge medical treatment in all spheres.

The Department has access to 8 interventional radiology suites housed under the Division of Radiological Sciences, which are equipped with state of the art machines including the Siemens Artiz Zeego, Siemens and Toshiba DSA with cone beam CT systems, Toshiba hybrid angio-CT systems and Toshiba biplane systems. All IR suites are equipped with Ultrasound scanners for US guided/assisted interventions. DVIR is staffed by 22 Interventional Radiologists and performs about 10,000 vascular and non-vascular procedures a year.

The spectrum of VIR procedures performed include:

Venous access (PICC, tunneled and non tunneled central catheters, ports)
Image guided biopsies (including transjugular liver biopsy) and drainages
Dialysis access / central venous angioplasty, stenting, thrombolysis
Lower limb angioplasty/stenting (including subintimal and infrapopliteal angioplasty, SAFARI technique), thrombolysis and debulking procedures
Aortic stent grafts for aneurysmal disease and dissection
DVT thrombolysis and venous stenting
IVC filter insertion and removal
Embolisation for trauma, tumour, bleeding GIT, PPH, hemoptysis
Testicular vein embolization
Prostatic artery embolization
Fallopian tube recanalization
Uterine fibroid embolisation
Transarterial Chemo-embolisation (conventional TACE, balloon TACE, drug eluting bead TACE) and radio-embolisation (Y90 spheres)
Thermal ablation (RFA; MWA) of liver and lung tumours, as well as benign thyroid nodules
Cryoablation of renal and bone tumors
Vertebroplasty / cementoplasty for augmentation of musculoskeletal tumours
Biliary drainages, dilatations and stenting
Nephrostomies and ureteric stenting
Radiological guided gastrostomy insertion, NJ tube insertion and GI stenting
Fusion and contrast enhanced US guided procedures

Faculty

A/Prof. Tay Kiang Hiong (Senior Consultant and Head of Department)
Prof Tan Bien Soo (Senior Consultant and Chair Radiological Sciences ACP)
Dr Richard Lo Hoau Gong (Senior Consultant)
Dr. Farah Gillan Irani (Senior Consultant)
Dr Sivanathan Chandramohan (Senior Consultant)
Dr Luke Han Wei Toh (Senior Consultant)
Dr Apoorva Gogna (Senior Consultant)
Dr Ankur Patel (Senior Consultant)
Dr Shaun Chan Ju Min (Senior Consultant)
Dr Too Chow Wei (Senior Consultant)
Dr Nanda Kumar (Senior Consultant)
Dr Stanley Loh (Senior Consultant)
Dr Leong Sum (Senior Consultant)
Dr Zhuang Kunda (Consultant)
Dr Jasmine Chua (Consultant)
Dr Kristen Alexa Lee (Consultant)
Dr Alfred Tan (Consultant)
Dr Mark Wang (Consultant)
Dr Alexander Tan (Consultant)
Dr Tan Zehao (Associate Consultant)
Dr Heng Tseng Hui (Associate Consultant)

DVIR Medical Students Electives

Description:

The Department of Vascular & Interventional Radiology (DVIR) invites all medical students to embark on a discovery journey of minimally invasive interventional procedures #MIIP as part of the refreshed DVIR Medical Student Elective.

This updated 2023 curriculum is a kaleidoscope that aims to maximise the experience of the student through 6 exciting themes fashioned in a resource and time efficient manner to allow you to see the best of Interventional Radiology #IRAD in Singapore. Depending on the duration of your time with us, a specially curated program will be tailored by your supervising tutor to your educational needs.

Goals and objectives of elective:

To expose the students to the wide range of imaging guided minimally invasive procedures performed by Interventional Radiologists.
To help the student understand the basis, principles and techniques of the various types of interventions.
To familiarize the student with the workflow of a multidisciplinary team in interventional radiology and how it supports the needs of the hospital.
To participate in a short research or audit project to be completed by the end of the posting.

Types of medical student electives at DVIR

Clinical elective
Clinical plus research elective
Research elective

Electives can either be standalone (i.e. DVIR alone) or in combination with concurrent electives in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology (DDR) and/or Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular imaging (DNMMI).

6 themes of DVIR elective posting:

Introduction to IR

Description: Wholesome introduction to the department, the program outline and expectations

• Pre-posting and post-posting survey

• DVIR Welcome and walkabout

• "Introduction to IR" presentation

• DVIR quiz with feedback

• Self-directed learning through our notion portal

IR Daily

Description: The IR experience outside of the procedure rooms. Beyond being a skilled technician and understanding our clinical role in the management of our patients.

DVIR Clinic sit In
ADR Clerk-In with MO, Resident and Fellow
Ward MO shadow with MO, Resident and Fellow
Diagnostic Vascular Radiology Reporting
Attendance at Inter-Professional Educational Sessions, M&M, Audits and MDT sessions

Scrub up

Description: The highlight of the posting has to be getting scrubbed up for the heat of IR action in procedure suite

General IR: Biopsy, Line insertion (PICC, CVC), Drainages
Vascular: Peripheral Angioplasty, Dialysis Access Interventions, Venous Intervention
Interventional Oncology: TACE, SIRT, Ablation, Malignant Stenting
Pain: vertebroplasty / cementoplasty, nerve root block
Emergency: Haemorrhage Embolisation, Stroke
How to gown up and down
Handling of basic IR kit
Understanding Radiation protection
Role of the IR nurse and radiographer

DVIR tutorial

Description: A short focus 15 – 20 min one to one tutorial complimenting the “Scrub UP” case.

To reinforce the practical experience with theoretical knowledge
Shared resources on Notion
More tuition style than plenary

Special sessions

Description: Unique sessions working collaboratively with other specialties

NeuroIR: A chance to see stroke thrombectomy, management of aneurysms
Heart Centre / OT5: See the teamwork between cardiothoracic surgeons and Vascular surgeons in the deployment of TEVARs and EVARs

Research & Audit

Description: For the budding researchers, an option to participate in a DVIR led research project or audit

Data collection
Spearhead a small project
Review article write up

How to apply & contact information

Led by a dynamic educational team of young consultants and supported by senior consultant colleagues, our 22 member strong consultant body hope to share with you our passion in what we do day to day. Drop an email to Dr Leong Sum (leong.sum@singhealth.com.sg) or Dr Alfred Tan (alfred.tan.b.c@singhealth.com.sg) for more information.

Local medical school students (e.g. Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Duke-NUS medical school and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine) should apply via their respective internal medical school application process for electives.

Overseas medical students can find more information on how to apply at the SGH Associate Dean’s Office website.

DVIR Trainee Positions available:

Medical Officer (3-6 MO’s at any one time)

3 months of VIR combined with 3 months of Diagnostic Radiology

Application via MOHH

Further information can be obtained from:

http://www.physician.mohh.com.sg/

Mopex MO DVIR contact: Dr Mark Wang (mark.wang.q.w@singhealth.com.sg)

Singhealth Residents

4 months VIR posting (combined with Changi General Hospital) for R1-R4

3 – 12 months VIR posting for R5 applied via Residency Advisory Committee

Further information can be obtained from:

http://www.singhealthresidency.com.sg/Pages/DiagnosticRadiology.aspx

Singhealth Radiology Residency IR Core faculty contact: Dr Jasmine Chua (jasmine.chua.m.e@singhealth.com.sg)

MO / Singhealth Residents Posting Scope and Content

Broad exposure to Vascular and Interventional Radiology (as well as diagnostic radiology)
Involvement in pre-procedure rounds (including imaging review, consent and preparation), post-procedure rounds, management of complications and clinic follow up
Opportunity to develop basic skills in image guided intervention, assist and observe in more complex advanced procedures
Opportunity to learn normal radiological anatomy, develop basic skills in vascular cross sectional imaging (CT and MRI)
Opportunity to participate in research project leading to presentation and publication
Weekly basic lectures in Interventional Radiology for trainees
Weekly DVIR Interprofessional Continuing Medical Education
Weekly multidisciplinary meetings (Hepatobiliary, Vascular, Urology meetings, tumour boards)
More focused individualised training program for residents who aspire to a career in interventional radiology
Extended duties (i.e. out of office hours and Saturday) will be rostered
Trainees are expected to maintain a training logbook

Fellowship

12 monthly fellowship positions available (up to 3 paid positions at any one time)

Observership positions available (1-6 months maximum duration)

Application via PGMI

Further information via DVIR Fellowship page

Training & Education