Breast Imaging Advanced Trainee Grant Program 2024 Round
The Breast Imaging Advanced Trainee Grant Program supports advanced trainees in diagnostic radiology to undertake clinical practice improvement through further training and research related to breast imaging.
About the Grant Program
The Cancer Institute NSW professional development program provides training positions, scholarships and learning opportunities to support and develop NSW healthcare professionals working in cancer control services. One component of the professional development program is the Breast Imaging Advanced Trainee Grant Program.
The purpose of the Program is to support future diagnostic specialists pursuing a subspecialty in breast imaging. The grants aim to give greater depth of expertise in breast imaging and enable each trainee to complete a research or quality improvement project as they complete their specialty and fellowship program with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiology. The Program supports cancer diagnosis improvement, research and best practice and contributes to the retention of highly skilled and motivated radiologists.
Applications for the Breast Imaging Advanced Trainee Grants are invited from:
- Fellows of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiology (RANZCR), and
- Registrars, who have passed Part II of the RANZCR exam and are in their final year of training.
Institutions may apply without an identified trainee, with a view to attracting an approved candidate to the position. During the six, or twelve-month grant, it is expected that a research or quality improvement project will be undertaken. The Program will be offered to institutions within the NSW public sector services and/or hospitals providing and/or linked to the BreastScreen NSW.
Objectives
The objectives of the grant program are to:
- provide opportunity, for specialists early in their career to further develop their breast imaging practice and research skills;
- encourage the development of long-term careers in breast imaging in NSW and in particular, the BreastScreen NSW screening program;
- facilitate the translation of new procedures, techniques or new research outcomes into clinical settings;
- facilitate evidence-based clinical practice and the use of multi-disciplinary care;
- support the development, recruitment and retention of the breast cancer medical workforce in NSW;
- aid the further development of world best practice breast cancer management in NSW.
Applications
Due to recent changes to the Clinical Radiology Training Program in February 2022, the program requirements for trainees (Registrars) have been updated to align to the new program. Refer to the Application Guidelines – RANZCR Requirements for Registrars section for more information.
Further information about the grant program and instructions for how to apply can be found in the Application and Application Guidelines.
Applications close on 15 March 2023.
For enquiries, please email CINSW-Innovation@health.nsw.gov.au.
Testimonials
Development of skills
“In breast imaging I have advanced dramatically in these 6 months. I wasn’t confident in my skills prior to beginning my breast fellowship. I am now confident that I can accurately assess and manage breast studies, correlate multimodality findings, manage cases where results are discrepant, and independently safely perform breast and lymph node biopsies.”
- 2018 Trainee, BreastScreen NSW NSCC
“This [program] has not only helped me develop skills in conducting research, particularly performing statistical analysis…it has also allowed me to develop contacts at HMRI for future research opportunities.”
- 2018 Trainee, BreastScreen NSW HNE
“[I am] much more confident in both breast imaging interpretation and interventional skills.”
- 2018 Trainee, BreastScreen NSW SW
“Breast imaging has significant interaction with the patient which helped me to gain more clinically oriented focus in working up a breast lesion. Also, having the surgeons during the assessment clinics and oncologists/radiation oncologists and pathologists during multidisciplinary meeting has been critical in gaining more clinical knowledge and skill”.
- 2020 Trainee, BreastScreen NSW NSCC
“Being able to undertake the Fellowship has helped me gain not only procedural skills, but also problem-solving skills for breast imaging. My confidence in performing and interpreting breast ultrasound and reading mammogram has improved. I have improved my presentations skills from doing the MDT meetings, and by participating in the meetings, I understand more about the roles of the individual MDT members on the patients' management”.
- 2020 Trainee, BreastScreen NSW SYD
“It is a fantastic program that provides a plethora of experience through the unique combination of BreastScreen and public hospital breast service, supplemented by wonderfully supportive consultants and staff”.
- 2021 Trainee, BreastScreen NSW NSCC
“Prior to fellowship I had limited experience in performing breast interventional procedures, the fellowship provided me with extensive hands-on experience. I also had the opportunity of running a number of assessment and diagnostic clinics during my fellowships which have helped me in improving my mammography and ultrasound interpretation skills. I am also now proficient in performing breast ultrasound. [I have] Improved knowledge about various breast pathologies, their imaging findings and management”.
- 2021 Trainee, BreastScreen NSW SW
Building Advanced Trainees’ clinical skills and knowledge
“[Trainee] has been very keen and involved in all in-house breast imaging procedures including referrals from ED, wards, outpatient requests as well as high risk and multiple fibroadenoma clinics…she proves to be yet another successful trainee of the program.”
- 2018 Supervisor, BreastScreen NSW NSCC
“[Trainee] has become very competent with all breast procedures including biopsies and preoperative hookwire placements under ultrasound and tomo…She has developed maturity with decision making and communicating with complex patients.”
2018 Trainee Supervisor, BreastScreen NSW HNE
“[Trainee], as a direct outcome of the program, became very proficient in all breast intervention, including surgical localisation, ROLLIS seed insertions, VACB and MR biopsy. He also became suitably accurate and efficient in interpreting breast imaging, including breast MRI and tomosynthesis.”
- 2018 Trainee Supervisor, BreastScreen NSW SW
“[Trainee] is now quite comfortable in reporting all breast imaging diagnostic techniques, including breast MRI, and in performing breast intervention (both biopsies and localisations) using tomosynthesis/ultrasound and MRI guidance”.
- 2021, Supervisor, BreastScreen NSW NSCC
Is it worth continuing the Breast Imaging Advanced Trainee program?
“Yes, definitely. Our program provides a broad range [of] experience in breast imaging and population based screening. Our priority is for radiologists to gain clinical skills and knowledge that will guide and assist them in furthering a career in breast imaging radiology.”
- A/Director, BreastScreen NSW NSCC
The Advanced trainee program is an essential tool to recruitment of quality trained breast radiologists where the supply is low compare[d] with demand for Breast Imaging”
- Director, BreastScreen NSW HNE
“Definitely. This is an excellent, well-rounded program with extensive learning opportunity across ALL of breast imaging, including MRI and MR biopsy.”
- Trainee Supervisor, BreastScreen NSW SW
“Definitely, we have had extremely positive feedback from past trainees”.
- Director, BreastScreen NSCC SYD
