For Interventional Radiology Portfolio Pathway, the safest approach is to treat the application as both a radiology and procedural-patient-care portfolio. You need evidence against the Clinical Radiology framework plus IR-specific evidence for clinical management of patients undergoing procedures and essential image-guided therapy in elective and emergency care.
What makes this route different?
CCT, subspecialty and non-CCT route
Interventional Radiology sits awkwardly in Portfolio Pathway planning because it is not simply a standalone procedural specialty. The IR curriculum builds on Clinical Radiology. RCR guidance says non-CCT specialty applications can include narrower radiology fields such as interventional radiology, but also says applicants must be able to demonstrate practice consistent with NHS consultant work in that specialty.
That means the article's practical advice is deliberately conservative: do not assume a narrow IR procedure list is enough. Build a portfolio that connects IR practice back to Clinical Radiology evidence, the four GMC domains, the relevant Clinical Radiology SSG sections and the IR curriculum.
For the wider evidence framework, read the Portfolio Pathway overview, the Clinical Radiology guide, the four GMC domains, the MSF plan, the audit guide and the structured reports guide.
Why IR is different from Clinical Radiology Portfolio Pathway
Interventional Radiology sits between two evidence worlds: the diagnostic Clinical Radiology foundation and the IR-specific clinical/procedural role.
It may be a non-CCT specialty application
The RCR explains that non-CCT specialty applications can include narrower radiology fields, including interventional radiology. The specialty still has to be consistent with NHS consultant practice.
Clinical Radiology remains the evidence anchor
The GMC tells non-CCT applicants to use the guidance for the closest matching specialty where no separate SSG exists. For IR, that means Clinical Radiology evidence cannot disappear.
IR builds on Clinical Radiology
The IR curriculum expands on diagnostic Clinical Radiology and assumes the generic and specialty Clinical Radiology CiPs 1 to 12 are also met.
CiPs 13 and 14 change the portfolio
IR evidence has to show patient management, image-guided therapy, elective and emergency intervention, consent, complications, MDT planning and aftercare.
Practical consequence: the safest IR portfolio does not ask assessors to choose between "diagnostic radiologist" and "procedural operator". It proves both: broad enough Clinical Radiology capability plus IR-specific consultant-level clinical and procedural responsibility.
The mistake to avoid
Do not present yourself as only a technical operator. The IR curriculum emphasises clinical responsibility for patients, MDT leadership, patient management and image-guided therapy in emergency and elective care. Your evidence should show the full consultant role.
Evidence to plan around
Because there is no separate public GMC SSG named simply "Interventional Radiology", the evidence strategy should start with the closest Clinical Radiology SSG and then add IR curriculum evidence. For a non-CCT IR application, RCR guidance points to the Clinical Radiology CiPs, Good Medical Practice domains, and specifically IR CiPs 13 and 14.
What your portfolio needs to prove
IR CiPs 13 and 14
The two IR-specific CiPs are the difference between a generic radiology portfolio and an interventional radiology portfolio. They are not simply about performing procedures. They are about managing patients under your care and providing image-guided therapy in emergency and elective settings.
The two IR-specific capability areas
Build evidence that shows the clinical decision, the procedure and the aftercare.
Clinical management
Pre-assessment, consent, patient selection, peri-procedure care, complications, escalation, ward review and follow-up.
Image-guided therapy
Emergency and elective intervention for complex pathology, co-morbid patients and multidisciplinary treatment pathways.
Therapeutic planning
Tumour boards, vascular MDTs, hepatobiliary MDTs, trauma, urology, nephrology and acute intervention discussions.
Safe procedural practice
Complications, audit, M&M, infection control, radiation protection, contrast safety and device governance.
Procedural evidence
Procedure evidence needs to be organised by service line, urgency, role and outcome. A raw logbook is only the starting point. The stronger version shows why the procedure was indicated, how the patient was consented, what imaging and access were used, what complications occurred, and what happened afterwards.
The IR procedure spectrum
Use this as a gap-check against your current work.
Procedure evidence with clinical context
- Case indication, imaging, consent and alternatives are clear.
- Role is explicit: operator, supervisor, assistant or MDT decision maker.
- Complications and follow-up are documented.
- Evidence links to clinics, ward reviews and MDT outcomes.
- Observed assessments or structured reports confirm independent practice.
High-volume logbook only
- Large procedure numbers but little patient management evidence.
- No evidence of consent, complication handling or follow-up.
- Limited emergency or complex co-morbidity work.
- No clear diagnostic radiology connection.
- Referees can confirm skill but not whole-role consultant practice.
Evidence your post itself must produce
For IR, a supportive job must generate more than lists of procedures. It needs to give you clinical responsibility, direct consultant observation, emergency work, MDT integration and governance evidence.
What makes a post genuinely IR-friendly?
The right post has to create whole-role consultant evidence, not just a higher procedure count.
Elective and emergency IR
Evidence should include planned lists, urgent intervention, out-of-hours escalation and case prioritisation.
Vascular and non-vascular work
A narrow list can be impressive but fragile. Show range across the IR service lines relevant to your claimed practice.
Consent, complications and follow-up
Use ward reviews, clinic letters, complication discussions and follow-up plans to prove clinical responsibility.
Referral triage and treatment planning
Show how you help decide whether IR, surgery, oncology, medicine or conservative management is appropriate.
M&M, audit and safety systems
Include morbidity and mortality, device governance, radiation protection, contrast safety, infection control and service review.
Diagnostic breadth is still needed
Maintain evidence of reporting, protocolling, image quality, acute imaging judgement and non-procedural contribution.
The IR job-fit evidence checklist
These are the documents and opportunities your role needs to produce.
Common weak spots
IR applications can look impressive but still feel incomplete if the evidence only proves technical execution. The most common weak spots are missing diagnostic radiology evidence, missing clinic/follow-up evidence, thin emergency exposure, weak complication reflection, narrow procedure mix and vague referee reports.
Whole-role IR consultant evidence
- Procedure logs linked to indication, consent, imaging, complication risk and outcome.
- Clinic, ward, follow-up and patient-management evidence.
- Emergency and elective IR cases, with MDT and referral-triage context.
- Diagnostic radiology evidence showing ongoing breadth and safe imaging judgement.
- Governance, audit, M&M and complication reflection.
Technical-only procedure evidence
- Large procedure numbers with little explanation of clinical decision making.
- No proof of pre-assessment, consent, aftercare or complication handling.
- Weak diagnostic radiology connection.
- Little evidence of MDT role, referral triage or service leadership.
- Referees can confirm skill but not consultant-level whole-role practice.
A 90-day evidence plan
If your current role is strong enough, the next 90 days should turn your work into a readable evidence system.
What to do next
Check route and eligibility
Confirm whether your application is broad Clinical Radiology with IR evidence or non-CCT Interventional Radiology.
Build the procedure index
Group procedures by service line, urgency, modality, role, patient complexity, complication and follow-up.
Fill whole-role gaps
Add clinic, ward, consent, MDT, on-call, governance, reporting and diagnostic radiology evidence.
Brief referees
Choose referees who can comment on technical skill, diagnostic judgement, patient care and governance.
Download the Interventional Radiology evidence map
A two-page checklist for mapping IR procedure evidence, diagnostic radiology connection, clinical responsibility, MDTs, governance and job-fit proof.
Where BDI Consultants fits
BDI Consultants does not sell Portfolio Pathway review packages and this article is not a substitute for GMC or RCR guidance. Our recruitment work is different: we help senior doctors find Consultant, Specialist and senior SAS opportunities where Portfolio Pathway progress is understood rather than ignored.
For Interventional Radiology, that means looking carefully at whether the post gives you elective and emergency IR, clinic and ward responsibility, MDT involvement, diagnostic radiology connection, governance evidence and colleagues who can support structured reports.
Official sources used
| Source | Publisher |
|---|---|
| Portfolio Pathway in Clinical Radiology and non-CCT radiology specialties | Royal College of Radiologists |
| Specialty Specific Guidance for Portfolio Pathway applications | General Medical Council |
| Portfolio application in a non-CCT specialty | General Medical Council |
| Interventional Radiology specialty training curriculum | General Medical Council / RCR |
| Clinical Radiology Specialty Specific Guidance | General Medical Council |
Frequently asked
Is Interventional Radiology a CCT specialty or a non-CCT specialty?
In the UK, Interventional Radiology is a subspecialty curriculum that builds on Clinical Radiology. RCR guidance also says some doctors may be eligible to apply through Portfolio Pathway in a non-CCT specialty such as interventional radiology. The route and evidence strategy need careful checking with the GMC and RCR because the outcome may differ from a broad Clinical Radiology application.
Does an Interventional Radiology applicant still need general radiology evidence?
Yes. The IR curriculum builds on the Clinical Radiology curriculum and says interventional radiologists maintain the general radiology capabilities that underpin therapeutic procedures and diagnostic work. Even if the application is narrow, it must not ignore safe diagnostic radiology, acute imaging and the relevant SSG CiPs.
Which CiPs are particularly important for Interventional Radiology?
RCR guidance points IR applicants to the Clinical Radiology CiPs and specifically to IR CiPs 13 and 14. Those cover clinical management of patients undergoing IR procedures and providing essential image-guided therapy in emergency and elective care for complex patients.
What procedural evidence should I collect?
Collect procedure logs, case mix summaries, consent documentation, complication and follow-up evidence, MDT records, clinic evidence, Rad-DOPS or equivalent observed assessments, on-call or emergency cases, governance evidence and structured reports from consultants who have directly observed your IR practice.
Is a high-volume procedure log enough?
No. Volume helps, but assessors need evidence of judgement, patient selection, consent, complication management, clinical responsibility, team leadership, MDT integration, governance, emergency availability and safe image-guided therapy. A logbook without clinical context is weak evidence.
What kind of post best supports an IR Portfolio Pathway application?
The strongest role gives you consultant-observed IR practice across elective and emergency procedures, pre-procedure assessment, consent, clinics, ward review, MDTs, complication management, on-call work, governance, audit, teaching and enough diagnostic radiology connection to map back to the Clinical Radiology framework.