Why Residency Programs Are Building NIIC Into Their Curriculum

Residents in imaging intensive specialties, such as radiology and pathology residents work within an increasingly complex technology environment. PACS, DICOM, AI, interoperability, workflow, data, and cybersecurity all shape modern imaging practice, yet many residency programs do not have the faculty time or resources to build a comprehensive imaging informatics curriculum on their own. 

That is where the National Imaging Informatics Course (NIIC) can help. 

For more than 10 years, programs large and small have trusted NIIC to strengthen resident education. Supported by RSNA, DPA and AAR, NIIC provides an affordable, reliable way to add structured imaging informatics education without building a course from scratch or coordinating multiple guest lecturers. 

“This course should be a mandatory portion of every radiologist’s training.”
— Radiology Resident NIIC Alum 

Built for Today’s Residents 

Designed especially for third- and fourth-year residents, NIIC is an expert-led course that connects the technology residents use every day with the larger imaging ecosystem. In recent years, programs have integrated the NIIC as early as year two.

Residents gain practical knowledge in PACS, DICOM, workflow, interoperability, data, AI, and cybersecurity, while strengthening competency in non-interpretive board content and understanding how technology affects clinical care and operations. 

As one NIIC alum shared: 

“The Boards included more informatics than I thought they would. I’m glad I took the NIIC!” 

Another called it an “incredible course to build a foundation of informatics knowledge,” while one participant said NIIC “opened a whole new world for me professionally.” 

A Practical Addition to Your Residency Curriculum 

Programs including Emory, Yale, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, and the University of Rochester are among the residencies that have enrolled trainees in NIIC. 

The format is designed around residency schedules: 

• Five days of live virtual learning 

• All sessions recorded 

• Three months to complete coursework 

• Two years of access to course resources 

Programs can enroll individual residents or incorporate NIIC more broadly into an informatics rotation or residency curriculum. 

Fall 2026: September 28–October 2
Spring 2027: April 5–9 

Members of SIIM, RSNA, DPA, and AAR receive a 10% discount. 

The goal is not to turn every resident into an informaticist. It is to ensure they understand the systems behind imaging and are prepared to practice in an increasingly technology-driven environment. 

Enroll Your Residents for This Academic Year