A radiology case log for attending applications breaks your recent case volume into modality, subspecialty, and complexity — never a single lifetime total. Search committees and credentialing offices use it to verify you can do the specific job you're applying for, and a log that only shows total volume without categories gets set aside faster than one with fewer cases and clearer breakdowns.
- A radiology case log breaks volume into modality, subspecialty, and complexity — a single case total reads as filler.
- Match the log format to the employer: academic programs want teaching cases flagged, private practice wants steady volume, teleradiology wants turnaround.
- Cover the most recent, consistent stretch of practice you have rather than your entire career — recency signals current skill.
- Pair the case log with a competitive radiology CV so committees see volume and trajectory in the same packet.
- RadBoard aggregates 5,000+ radiology positions from 20 sources, useful for checking which subspecialties are in demand before you build the log.
Why this matters
A CV tells a hiring committee where you trained and when. A case log tells them what you can actually read, at what pace, and in what subspecialty — the thing credentialing committees and department chairs need before they grant privileges. Skip the log or hand over a vague summary, and you push that verification burden onto references and a slower interview process.
Most radiologists applying for their first or second attending job in 2026 already have a competitive radiology CV built. The case log is the document that backs up the claims on that CV with numbers a committee can check against their own volume expectations.
Getting this wrong is common. Fellows and early-career attendings often submit a single aggregate number — "read X thousand studies during fellowship" — with no modality split. Employers can't tell from that whether you've read 200 prostate MRIs or zero. The fix isn't more cases. It's better categorization.
How to prepare a radiology case log for attending applications
Build the log in this order:
- Pull raw volume from your PACS or RIS reporting tool. Most systems export by date range, modality, and CPT code — start there instead of reconstructing volume from memory.
- Sort by modality first, subspecialty second. CT, MRI, ultrasound, plain film, and nuclear medicine each get their own row; within each, break out the subspecialty reads (neuro, MSK, body, breast).
- Flag procedure-based work separately from diagnostic reads. If you did biopsies, drains, or fluoroscopic procedures, list those as a distinct line — mixing them into diagnostic volume understates both.
- Add a complexity or acuity note where it matters. A committee hiring for a Level I trauma center cares whether your emergency reads included polytrauma CTs, not just total ED volume.
- Cap the time window to your most recent, consistent stretch of practice. Show a period long enough to demonstrate steady volume and short enough to stay current — dated case data from early residency does more harm than good on its own.
- Cross-check against the job's stated case mix volume expectations before you submit. If a listing specifies a subspecialty focus, your log should answer that question in the first few rows.
- Format as a single table, not prose. One page, sortable columns, no narrative — committees are scanning, not reading.
What goes in a radiology case log
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Modality | Confirms breadth (CT/MRI/US/plain film/nuclear medicine) |
| Subspecialty | Matches you to the employer's actual clinical need |
| Time period covered | Signals recency and consistency of volume |
| Procedure vs. diagnostic split | Prevents undercounting procedural experience |
| Setting (inpatient/outpatient/ED) | Tells the reader what environment you're used to |
| Complexity notes | Distinguishes routine reads from high-acuity work |
The table is the whole document. Anything you'd want to say in a paragraph belongs in the complexity notes column instead.
Why radiology case log format varies by employer
The same log doesn't work for every application. A few things shift the expected format:
- Academic programs want teaching and research-relevant cases flagged separately from clinical volume.
- Private practice groups care about sustained throughput more than case rarity — they're staffing a reading room, not building a subspecialty program.
- Teleradiology employers weigh turnaround time and after-hours coverage alongside case count.
- Interventional roles need a procedure log distinct from diagnostic reads — case counts and procedure counts answer different questions.
- Hospital-employed positions often want ED and inpatient volume broken out from outpatient reads, since call coverage is part of the job.
- Locum tenens and per diem roles benefit from a log organized by assignment, since each contract is evaluated somewhat independently.
Build one master log, then reorder the rows per application so the employer's priority sits at the top. That takes ten minutes per submission and it is the difference between a log that gets read and one that gets filed.
Match your case log to open roles
Search 5,000+ radiology positions from 20 sources and see what each employer actually asks for.
Do you need a case log for teleradiology jobs?
Yes, most teleradiology employers in 2026 still ask for a case log, but the emphasis shifts from setting to speed and consistency. They want steady volume across a defined shift structure and confirmation you can hit turnaround expectations on high-volume modalities like CT and X-ray, not a breakdown of rare procedures.
How far back should a radiology case log go?
A radiology case log should cover the most recent, uninterrupted stretch of your practice rather than your entire career to date. A short window undersells consistency; a window stretching back to early residency dilutes the log with volume that no longer reflects your current pace or subspecialty focus.
Is a case log different from a procedure log for interventional radiology?
Yes — a procedure log for interventional radiology tracks specific interventions (biopsies, drains, ablations, embolizations) by CPT code and complication rate, while a diagnostic case log tracks read volume by modality. Dual-trained physicians applying for combined roles typically submit both documents, not one merged list.
FAQ
What is a radiology case log for attending applications?
A radiology case log is a structured breakdown of your recent case volume by modality, subspecialty, and complexity, submitted alongside a CV during job applications. It lets hiring and credentialing committees verify clinical experience without waiting on reference calls.
Does a radiology case log need to include RVU data?
Only if the employer asks for it directly — most case logs focus on case counts and categories, not compensation-linked RVU figures. If a group's listing mentions RVU-based compensation, adding volume context can help, but it is a secondary detail.
How long should a radiology case log be?
A radiology case log should fit on one page as a table, not a narrative document. Committees scan it alongside a CV and cover letter, so length beyond a page usually gets skimmed rather than read.
Can a fellow without attending experience submit a case log?
Yes, fellows applying for their first attending role submit fellowship and residency case data, broken down the same way an attending's log would be. The categories matter more than the title of the position the cases were read under.
Does a private practice group want a different case log than an academic program?
Yes, private practice groups weigh steady throughput and subspecialty fit, while academic programs want teaching and research-relevant cases flagged separately from routine clinical volume. Build one log and adjust the emphasis rows for each application type.
Should a teleradiology case log include turnaround time?
Yes, teleradiology employers in 2026 typically want turnaround time noted alongside case volume, since coverage speed is part of the job requirement. Volume without a turnaround reference tells them less than pairing the two.
Is a procedure log the same as a diagnostic case log?
No, a procedure log tracks interventional work by CPT code and outcome, while a diagnostic case log tracks read volume by modality and subspecialty. Dual-trained candidates usually submit both as separate documents.
How far back should case data go on a radiology job application?
Case data should cover your most recent consistent stretch of practice, not your full career history. Older volume from early training dilutes the log without adding proof of current skill.
One last thing
The most common mistake isn't underreporting volume — it's presenting one undifferentiated total and expecting the reader to assume breadth. A log with 40% fewer total cases but a clean modality and subspecialty breakdown reads as more credible than a bigger number with no structure behind it. Build the categories first, then let the volume speak.
Before you submit, check the log against what employers are asking for in 2026. Reviewing RadBoard's private practice radiology job interview guide alongside the log keeps your materials consistent from case log to interview answers — the same numbers should come out of your mouth that appear in the table.
