CIRSE: We are happy to welcome SRMIT BH as CIRSE’s newest group member! Can you tell us about the history of your society?
Bulja: On November 25, 2023, we officially established the Society of Interventional Radiology and Minimally Invasive Therapy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This marks a pivotal step for our healthcare system. The society’s mission is to advance interventional radiology and minimally invasive procedures, ensure continuous education for healthcare professionals, and advocate for the rights and interests of our members.
Our goal is to bring cutting-edge medical techniques closer to patients in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to strengthen the healthcare framework in our region and Europe. We’re incredibly excited about the opportunities this will create for innovation and collaboration in this field of medicine.
CIRSE: What is the training scheme for medical students or radiologists who wish to become IRs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and what was your personal pathway to IR?
Bulja: Currently, there is no structured training programme for medical students in IR in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, we are optimistic about collaborating with CIRSE to raise awareness about the existence of IR and the incredible opportunities it offers for both current and future medical practice.
As an assistant professor of radiology, I strive to showcase the beauty and transformative power of IR to my students, hoping to inspire them to explore this field. On a national level, the ministry of health is working on developing an IR curriculum to establish it as a distinct subspecialty for radiologists.
In the four centres across Bosnia and Herzegovina where interventional radiology departments currently operate within radiology clinics, whether or not an individual trains in IR largely depends on their own motivation to pursue it . Physicians must seek theoretical knowledge and develop practical skills to meet the growing patient demand for IR treatments. This mirrors my own journey to becoming an interventional radiologist, which was similar to the path followed by the other twelve founding members of our society.
Some centres have developed a specific field of IR expertise, such as interventional oncology or peripheral vascular interventions. However, only Sarajevo and Mostar currently have both the staffing and equipment needed to provide comprehensive IR services.