Residents and Medical Students

Provided by the
Society for Vascular Surgery®

On the Cutting Edge - February 2009

 

February 2009

Welcome to On the Cutting Edge, an e-newsletter from the Society for Vascular Surgery reporting new training programs, vascular research and other vascular-related information for residents and students.

If you have any comments or suggestions for making this newsletter more effective, please email studentresident@vascularsociety.org.

2009 Vascular Annual Meeting

General surgery residents and medical students can learn more about the latest treatments and research in vascular disease by attending the 2009 Vascular Annual Meeting in Denver, June 11-14.

Free Registration
There is no registration fee for residents or students to attend the meeting. Visit VascularWeb.org to register or for more details.

Travel Scholarships
SVS is funding travel scholarships for medical students and general surgery residents in the amount of $1,000 each. These scholarships provide aspiring surgeons with an opportunity to learn more about the latest treatments and research in vascular disease by attending the 2009 Vascular Annual Meeting.

At the Vascular Annual Meeting, trainees will be able to attend all scientific sessions and network with leaders in the field. SVS leadership will host a welcome reception on Wednesday, June 10 and provide educational programming designed exclusively for students and residents on June 11-13.

The call for applications is now closed.

Educational Program
The student/resident educational program will be open to all interested students and residents attending the meeting, not just the scholarship recipients. A great educational program is planned and more information on topics and speakers will be available in the coming months on VascularWeb.org.

View a schedule of the Vascular Annual Meeting educational program on VascularWeb.org.  

Latest News from the Journal of Vascular Surgery

Peripheral Artery Pain Can Be Relieved by Community Exercise Therapy
In a new study from The Netherlands, published in the February 2009 issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery, researchers have found that intermittent claudication can be reduced through community supervised exercise therapy (SET) programs in regional physiotherapeutic practices.

Community programs were found to be as just as effective as a hospital-based SET; can be made available to more people; and save time and money for patients who do not wish to travel to a hospital two to three times per week for treatment.

Read more.

Endovascular Repair Results in Decrease of Total Aneurysm Deaths
Elective repair for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is on the rise, yet total AAA-related deaths continue to decline since the introduction of endovascular repair (EVAR), according to an ongoing, long-term research report from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

This study has been updated with the most recent AAA data Nationwide Inpatient Sample database using ICD-9 diagnosis and procedure codes thorough 2005. It evaluates the overall annual number of aneurysm repairs, AAA-related deaths and mortality rates for both elective and rupture repair, rupture diagnoses without repair, and the
effect of EVAR on the annual volume of aneurysm repair and its impact on rupture occurrence.

Complete details of the research are published in the March 2009 issue of the Journal.

Read more.

Find more Journal of Vascular Surgery articles.

Resident Profiles

The first in a series, these profiles showcase current general surgery residents who will start a vascular surgery fellowship program July 2009.

Name:

Heather A. Hall, MD

Medical School: Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine

General Surgery Residency Program/PGY: Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital/
PGY-5 (PGY-6 including research year)

Vascular Surgery Fellowship Program: The University of Chicago

How did you get interested in vascular surgery?
My first introduction to vascular surgery was via a mentor I stumbled across during medical school. I was looking to do surgical research and a project investigating neointimal hyperplasia piqued my interest. It was a great lab to work in as a medical student. The research got me reading and exposed me to the discipline early. I was able to get some real data and present at local and even international conferences. My interest held through medical school and residency and I will be starting vascular fellowship this July.

What role have mentors played in your decision to choose vascular surgery?
Just look at how I became interested in vascular surgery - mentors are crucial to finding your way in medicine and surgery.

After your fellowship, do you plan to enter academia or private practice? Do research?
It may be too early to tell, but academics is appealing. Although clinical practice is at the core for me, an academic tract would allow me to mentor others in their professional development and continue research as part of my career.

Where do you see the vascular surgery specialty in five or ten years?
It is changing at such a rapid pace. I am proud of the specialty for seeing the changes coming, particularly with endovascular therapies, and having the foresight to govern and train its members as the technologies emerge. Vascular surgery is unique in that it often provides continuity of care as well as multidisciplinary care for the majority of patients, a broad range of surgical and non-surgical approaches to each problem and each individual patient, and a high level of job satisfaction.

What would you recommend residents and students interested in vascular surgery do to strengthen their profile before they apply to programs?
Build a solid foundation in medical school, find good mentors and seek out research opportunities. Whether it be clinical outcomes or basic science, you will get exposure to the breadth of vascular surgery and meet leaders in the field along the way.

Podcasts and Multimedia


Podcasts
SVS posts a new podcasts each month on  iTunes in the Science & Medicine podcast section. These podcasts address a broad scope of vascular surgery topics and career opportunities. The most recent podcasts include:

  •  Infrainguinal Bypass Surgery Has Significant Perioperative Morbidity
  •  Structuring Your Practice: How to Optimize Time and Revenue

Listen to the podcasts.

Multimedia Resources
Watch the free video presentation of the "How to Review A Scientific Paper for JVS: A View from the Editors' Desk" session from the 2008 Vascular Annual Meeting to:

  • Learn how to read and review a scientific paper
  • Assess the strengths and limitations of a research study design
  • Review the statistical analysis of presented research data
  •  Write a better review for both the editors and the authors

View the presentation.

Update on Vascular Surgery Integrated Training Programs


In 2006 ACGME approved the Primary Certificate in Vascular Surgery, which eliminates the requirement for certification in general surgery prior to certification in vascular surgery. You now have the option of more than one training pathway.

0+5 track - The vascular surgery integrated track is for trainees who match during medical school. Three years are devoted to vascular surgery and two years to core surgical training. Core surgery rotations may occur throughout the first four years of training. Eligible for board certification in vascular surgery only.

Current 0+5 programs include:

  • Cleveland Clinic Vascular Surgery
  • Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
  • Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Indiana University School of Medicine
  • Mount Sinai Medical Center
  • Northwestern University
  • Stanford University Medical Center
  • Stony Brook University
  • NEW - University of Arizona Health Sciences Center
  • NEW- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Program
  • University of Cincinnati Medical Center
  • UMass Medical School
  • University of Michigan Medical Center
  • University of North Carolina Hospitals Program
  • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
  • University of Rochester Medical Center
  • University of South Florida
  • Yale University School of Medicine

Please note that ACGME recently approved additional 0+5 track programs - we will continue to update VascularWeb.org as program information becomes available.

For more information on 0+5 track, as well as the ESP 4+2 track and the traditional 5+2 track, visit:

Find a training program. 

How to apply. 

2009 Research Initiatives in Vascular Disease Conference


The 2009 SVS Research Initiatives in Vascular Disease Conference will be held April 28, 2009, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C.  The one-day conference is designed to encourage interaction between vascular surgeon investigators and scientists from other vascular biology-related disciplines and stimulate interest in research
among trainees who are aspiring academic vascular surgeons.

Registration
Residents and students can attend the meeting for $50. Register today.

View the educational program.

Upcoming Research Awards


View more vascular research awards.

Find A Vascular Surgeon Mentor


Need some guidance on a career in vascular surgery? Have you tried the SVS online Mentor Match-up feature that
matches medical students and general surgery residents with vascular surgeon mentors?

We have over 120 vascular surgeon mentors ready to answer any of your career questions, and support you through your training.

Find A Mentor.

Networking Sections for Medical Students and General Surgery Residents


Get direct access to valuable career resources by joining the SVS Medical Student Section or the SVS General Surgery Resident Section. The Sections serve as platforms for medical students and general surgery residents to network
with similarly interested students or residents.

Learn more about the Sections.

Speak to A Vascular Surgeon

Need more insight on career paths in vascular surgery? SVS will connect you with a vascular surgeon to speak directly
with about the career opportunities in vascular surgery.

Email studentresident@vascularsociety.org for more details.

 © 2009 Society for Vascular Surgery

Society for Vascular Surgery - 633 N. St. Clair, 24th Floor; Chicago, IL 60611; Phone: 312-334-2300 or 800-258-7188; Fax: 312-334-2320; Email: vascular@vascularsociety.org
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