The Abdominal Imaging Research (AIR) Fellowship

The Abdominal Imaging Research (AIR) Fellowship at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center is a one- or two-year funded program that provides a medical student or recent medical graduate with an exceptional experience in radiology research with a focus on genitourinary diseases.

AIR fellows will receive training and mentorship from attending radiologists and participate in innovative translational and clinical research projects throughout their research fellowship year. To facilitate this experience, AIR fellows will primarily work with the Computational Abdominal Radiology (CAR) Lab under the supervision of Dr. Roozbeh Houshyar, a board-certified abdominal radiologist, and Dr. Edward Uchio, a board-certified urologist specializing in genitourinary malignancies. AIR fellows will also work with other UCI faculty mentors in the Department of Radiological Sciences. The AIR Fellowship provides scholars with the opportunity to form lasting relationships within the field of radiology and jump start their own career in academic radiology.

AIR fellowship responsibilities and opportunities include the following:

1. Obtain grants and funding.
2. Prepare Institutional Review Board applications.
3. Design and submit study protocols.
4. Prepare abstracts and manuscripts.
5. Present research at regional, national, and international meetings.
6. Mentor and support peers in their research.
7. Organize and lead journal club.
8. Interact with UC Irvine Department of Radiological Sciences attendings, clinical fellows, and residents.

During their fellowship year, AIR fellows may attend multiple professional local and national radiology conferences.

Application Instructions

Applicants need to submit an online application (available below), statement of purpose, curriculum vitae, proof of current enrollment or recent graduation from medical school, unofficial medical school transcript, unofficial USMLE Step 1 score report. The statement of purpose should be limited to 1 page and explain your interest in radiology and how the AIR fellowship will specifically enrich your training. Additionally, applicants will be expected to interview with both the director of the AIR Fellowship and the outgoing AIR fellow.

Important Dates

• May 30th, 2024: All application materials are due, no exceptions. If all materials are not received by this date, the application will be considered incomplete.
• Early June 2024: Selected applicants will be interviewed via teleconference. In-state applicants may opt to interview in-person at the UCI campus.
• Mid June 2024: Offer of acceptance will be extended to one medical student. All other applicants will be placed on a waitlist.
• July 1st, 2024: RAI²D Research Fellowship year begins.

Why AIR?

The AIR Fellowship helps future radiology residency candidates to gain the experiences necessary to become successful leaders in the field of radiology. Notably, all past radiology research fellows have gone on to match at the residency of their choosing and have remained engaged in academic pursuits during residency. AIR fellows form lasting research connections with the UC Irvine Department of Radiological Sciences, as well as prior AIR fellows who are now at other institutions. They continue to collaborate on a variety of ongoing clinical and translational studies.

What prior AIR research fellows have to say:

“My experience during the research year has proved to be invaluable for my training. The research fellowship gave me a strong foundation in clinical research, which has not only served as a springboard for numerous additional projects, but also opened the door to many new opportunities. I am astounded by how fast this lab and its resources have grown, as well as all the new opportunities offered through this fellowship. Furthermore, through my close working relationship with Dr. Houshyar, I gained a lifelong mentor and friend. The lab has had such a positive impact on my training, that I am still actively involved, despite living in Colorado.” – Michael Nguyentat (2015-2016 RAI²D fellow)

“My one-year research fellowship has been a phenomenal experience with the best mentor I could ask for. I’ve learned how to conduct radiological research from start to finish – designing studies, collecting data, analyzing data, efficiently communicating with clinicians, presenting at conferences, and publishing our work. The strongest point of this fellowship was the one-on-one mentorship from Dr. Houshyar, who is not only a highly motivated and knowledgeable attending, but also a very supportive and kindhearted person. This mentorship and these relationships have been invaluable to me, pushing me to grow both personally and professionally. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have done this research fellowship, which played a crucial role in my residency application.” – Sara Fardin (2016-2017 AIR fellow)

“I completed my undergrad studies and attended medical school in a small country called Lebanon. I became interested in radiology during medical school, inspired by a talented radiology chief resident. His breadth of knowledge and ability to produce differential diagnoses based on only an image and a 1-line chief complaint made one thing very clear – radiology is a medium that provides exposure to many areas of medicine and is a daylong adventure where you never know what you’re going to get. I decided to complete a year-long research fellowship conducting clinical, translational, and educational research with Dr. Houshyar – affectionately known as Roo. I went on to lend a hand in managing the lab activities and worked with a group of wonderful students and residents to publish several articles and abstracts that were accepted at multiple national conferences. Roo’s mentorship and guidance were invaluable to my learning and evolution as a researcher and lab manager. He is an early mentor that I hope to model my career after. Thanks to this marvelous opportunity to produce quality work in AI-enhanced medical imaging, as well as the help of many wonderful people I encountered along the way from Lebanon to the USA, I matched into radiology residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 2020. – Chantal Chahine, MD (2018-2019 AIR fellow)

“My two-year research fellowship has been a career-changing experience. I’ve been involved in every step of radiological research – beginning with obtaining funding, preparing IRB documentation and gaining approval, designing studies, collecting and curating data, analyzing data, presenting at conferences, and publishing our work. Additionally, I’ve had the support and resources to work on projects of personal interest such as designing and implementing a structured research and mentorship curriculum for members of the Computational Abdominal Radiology (CAR) Lab. Most importantly, I am and will continue to benefit from the amazing mentorship provided by Dr. Houshyar and multiple current and past radiology residents and fellows. These relationships are priceless and wouldn’t have been possible without my accepting this fellowship opportunity. I am extremely grateful and am thrilled to be applying to radiology residency in the next cycle!” – Lan Bui (2019-2021 AIR fellow)

“My one-year experience as AIR Fellow in the Computational Abdominal Radiology (CAR) Lab has been a truly invaluable experience that has cemented my passion for radiology. With the guidance of Dr. Houshyar and other great faculty mentors, resident physicians, and collaboration with fellow medical students, I have been able to contribute to meaningful research that I plan on continuing as a resident. Whether it was designing and submitting IRB protocols, overseeing research projects, or managing a diverse team of students and physicians, every aspect of this fellowship has played a pivotal role in shaping my career trajectory. – Sung Mee Park (2022-2023 AIR Fellow)”

UCI Mentors

Roozbeh Houshyar, MD

Associate Professor of Clinical Radiology and Urology, Director of the Computational Abdominal Radiology (CAR) Lab

Dr. Houshyar joined UCI in 2013 and is currently the director of imaging informatics and an associate professor of clinical radiology, focusing on abdominal imaging and ultrasound. While at UCI, he has received multiple awards including recognition as a 2020 top doctor and 2020 super doctor. He holds dual appointments in the departments of radiological sciences and urology at UC Irvine Health. Dr. Houshyar also leads multiple local and UC system-wide initiatives related to quality assurance and regulation in healthcare informatics.

Dr. Houshyar is the principal investigator of the computational abdominal radiology (CAR) lab. His research interests include prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, artificial intelligence in imaging, informatics, and quality assurance. His passions include mentoring, instructing, and working with medical students, radiology residents and fellows in research and clinical radiology. He has received multiple grant awards and published over 100 peer-reviewed articles & abstracts.

Edward Uchio, MD, FACS, CPI

Professor of Clinical Urology, Director of Clinical Research in the UCI Department of Urology

Dr. Uchio is a nationally recognized leader in the management of genitourinary malignancies. His expertise includes all areas of urologic oncology, including the advanced surgical treatment of prostate, renal, testis and bladder cancers. He utilizes laparoscopic, robotic and minimally invasive techniques (Cryo, RFA, HIFU), and newer technologies and therapies only available in clinical trials. Dr. Uchio performs the Artemis MRI targeted prostate biopsy system to diagnose and manage patients with prostate cancer.

Prior to joining UC Irvine Health, Dr. Uchio was on faculty at Yale University School of Medicine specializing in urologic oncology, serving as the Chief of Urology and Director of Urologic Oncology/Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System. He completed a fellowship in urologic oncology at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Bethesda, Md. in 2003.

Kenny Law, MD

Abdominal and Artificial Intelligence Imaging Fellow

Dr. Kenny Law attended the University of Toledo for residency and medical school.  Prior to medicine he attended Washington University in St. Louis and obtained a degree in Computer Science, followed by a brief stint as a software engineer.  His research interests include the application of technology and artificial intelligence to improve the radiology workflow and interpretation.

UCI Faculty

Peter Chang, MD

Assistant Professor-in-Residence for the Departments of Radiological Sciences and Computer Science, Co-Director for the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Diagnostic Medicine (CAIDM)

Dr. Chang joined the University of California, Irvine in July 2018. In addition to his roles at UCI, he is a co-founder of multiple AI startups, including most recently Avicenna.ai, a company focused on deep learning for medical imaging. Dr. Chang’s unique perspective arises from experience both as a radiologist physician and software engineer with expertise in developing deep learning algorithms, working closely with many industry partners including Nvidia, Amazon, and Canon Medical. His work has led to numerous abstracts, manuscripts, five best conference paper awards, two patents/copyrights, and top finishes in various competitions including the international 2016 MICCAI challenge. He is currently a member of national AI steering committees for the RSNA, ASNR, SIIM and ACR.

At UCI, he leads the healthcare AI curriculum which trains the next generation of physician-scientists in understanding and developing cutting-edge AI tools. Dr. Chang is regularly invited to speak at various national and international conferences, providing insight into the strengths and weakness of current AI technology as it relates to clinical problems in medicine.

Daniel Chow, MD

Assistant Professor-in-Residence for the Department of Radiological Sciences and Neurology, Co-Director for the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Diagnostic Medicine (CAIDM)

Dr. Chow joined the University of California, Irvine in December 2016. He completed his medical degree at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2010. He subsequently completed his radiology residency at Columbia University Medical Center through the Leonard Holman Research Pathway. During his residency, Dr. Chow received numerous awards including the RSNA Roentgen Resident / Fellow Research Award, ARRS Resident in Radiology President’s Award, and RSNA Resident Research Grant Award. After completing residency in 2015, he completed his neuroradiology fellowship training at the University of California, San Francisco. After completing his fellowship, Dr. Chow joined the neuroradiology faculty at the University of California, Irvine.

His work has led to several grant awards, over 40 peer-reviewed publications, 6 book chapters, and over 50 abstracts. Dr. Chow provides his expertise to several professional organization with a focus on clinical applications for artificial intelligence tools. Dr. Chow works regularly with students and other researchers by providing guidance and assistance in designing studies that seek to leverage artificial intelligence for biomedical applications.

Current and Prior Fellows

Michael Phillipi (2024-2025 AIR fellow)

Michael completed his undergraduate degree in Business Economics at the University of California, Los Angeles before beginning his medical education at the California University of Science and Medicine, School of Medicine. Throughout his pre-clinical years, Michael retained a strong interest in conducting clinical research. Michael later discovered his interest in radiology during his neurology clinical clerkship. Through his position as a fellow in the Computational Abdominal Radiology (CAR) Lab during his research year, Michael is able to further explore research opportunities in the field of radiology. He is currently conducting clinical and translation research under the guidance of Dr. Roozbeh Houshyar.

Erwin Ho (2023-2024 AIR fellow)

Erwin received his undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at the University of California, San Diego and is completing his medical education at the California University of Science and Medicine, School of Medicine. He decided to pursue the AIR fellowship under the mentorship of Roozbeh Houshyar, MD, after his exposure to radiologic imaging during his clinical rotations. For his research year, he conducted clinical and translation research with the Computational Abdominal Radiology (CAR) Lab. Erwin is currently completing his 4th year of medical school and applying to the 2025 Match for a position in a diagnostic radiology residency.

Sungmee Park (2022-2023 AIR fellow)

Sungmee completed her undergraduate degree in Biology at University of California, Los Angeles and is currently pursuing her medical education at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. From 2023 to 2024, she held the position of AIR fellow, conducting clinical, translational, and educational research under the guidance of Roozbeh Houshyar, MD, within the Computational Abdominal Radiology (CAR) Lab. During her research year, she honed her skills in research design and statistical analysis, obtained her first research grant, and presented her research at multiple radiological scientific conferences. As research fellow, Sungmee established RODI, the Radiology Outreach and Diversity Initiative, a task force aimed at increasing diversity in radiology by engaging students from underrepresented communities. In her future, she plans to participate in similar endeavors that promote diversity and inclusivity in healthcare and Diagnostic Radiology.

Thanh-Lan Bui (2019-2021 AIR fellow)

Lan completed her undergraduate studies and Master’s in Education at Stanford University and attended medical school at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. She became interested in Radiology during her third-year clerkships after rotating for a month with the department. She completed a two-year research fellowship conducting clinical, translational, and educational research with Dr. Houshyar and the Computational Abdominal Radiology (CAR) Lab. Her accomplishments during her research years include designing and implementing a curriculum to advance research skills for medical students and residents, contributing to multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals including 2 as first author, and presenting her research at the ARRS, SAR, and AUR annual conferences. Following her research fellowship, Lan began her residency at the University of Washington Department of Radiology, where she is currently an R2.

Chantal Chahine, MD (2018-2019 AIR fellow)

Chantal attended medical school in Lebanon and completed her residency in diagnostic radiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She completed a year-long research fellowship conducting clinical, translational, and educational research with Dr. Houshyar and also helped manage the research lab. She was involved with publishing several articles and abstracts that were accepted at multiple national conferences. She has a particular research interest in AI-enhanced medical imaging. She is currently continuing her training as a fellow at the University of Pennsylvania.

Sara Fardin, MD (2016-2017 AIR fellow)

Sara attended medical school at Tehran University of Medical Science, completed her diagnostic radiology residency at Tufts Medical Center, and completed a fellowship in neuroradiology at Mass General Hospital. She completed a year-long research fellowship conducting clinical and translational research with Dr. Houshyar. Her accomplishments during her research year include, but are not limited to, three published articles in peer-reviewed journals and multiple abstracts, which were accepted to the RSNA and SAR annual meetings. She currently practices as a radiologist at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Massachusetts.

Michael Nguyentat, MD (2015-2016 AIR fellow)

Michael completed his undergraduate studies at Claremont McKenna College and attended medical school at UC Irvine. He completed his radiology residency at the University of Colorado where he was a Chief Resident, and a fellowship in Abdominal Imaging at the Stanford University School of Medicine. He became interested in Radiology during his third year of medical school and completed a year-long research fellowship conducting clinical, translational, and educational research with Dr. Houshyar. During his research year, he learned how to design and conduct research projects, became fluent with statistical methods and analysis, wrote and obtained his first research grants, and presented his research at the RSNA, SAR, and SABI (formerly SCBT-MR) annual scientific meetings, all of which led to several publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. He currently practices with the Newport Harbor Radiology Associates.