Residents and Medical Students
Members Only Login
Print this pageOn the Cutting Edge - October 2007
October 2007
Welcome to the On the Cutting Edge, an e-newsletter from the Society for Vascular Surgery reporting new training programs, up-to-date 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.
Now on iTunes: Podcasts for Medical Students and Residents
View Podcasts.
Latest News from the Journal of Vascular Surgery
Carotid Stenting Leads to More Microembolic Events
More than 700,000 strokes occur in the United States each year, resulting in major disability and more than 160,000 annual deaths. As the third leading cause of death in the United States, strokes most frequently result from acute ischemia, 20 percent of which are due to atherosclerotic occlusive disease in the carotid artery.
"While carotid endarterectomy (CEA) has been considered the gold standard for the surgical treatment of symptomatic or high-grade carotid occlusive disease, numerous trials now suggest that carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) may be just as effective as CEA in the management of specific subsets of high-risk patients," said Jason T. Lee, MD, assistant professor of surgery in the division of vascular surgery at Stanford University Medical Center in Stanford, Calif. "We need to be careful about selecting the appropriate patients for carotid stenting."
Screening Aids Early Detection of Vascular Disease
Vascular disease frequently shows no symptoms until it is at such an advanced stage that it is difficult or impossible to treat. Narrowing of the carotid or lower extremity arteries and enlargement of the main artery in the abdomen (abdominal aorta) are some examples of this "silent" disease.
Non-invasive ultrasound testing has been used to quickly and accurately detect these vascular problems, and "screening;" events have become popular tools for early diagnosis and to increase public awareness about these problems.
"Most screenings programs involve multiple locations on a single date and do not explore the local community impact of screening," said Jon A. Hupp, MD, The Vascular Institute at Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis, Md.
Dr. Hupp and a team of researchers evaluated the economic and community impact of the Dare to C.A.R.E (DTC) program: a large, single center, continuous vascular screening and education program in Annapolis. Over 12,000 people were tested between mid 2000 and 2006. Details of the program were published in the August 2007 issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery.
Find more Journal of Vascular Surgery articles.
New Online Mentor Match-up Service Available
A new online Mentor Match-up feature that matches medical students and general surgery residents with vascular surgeon mentors is available on www.VascularWeb.org in the Residents and Medical Students section. The vascular surgeon mentors will answer any of your career and technical questions, and support you through your studies. You can define the criteria most appropriate for your mentor including location and gender. A list of mentors matching your criteria will then be provided.
Vascular Surgery Career Events
Interested in speaking with a vascular surgeon at an upcoming medical career event? Mark your calendar:
SVS members will attend the following events and answer your questions about vascular surgery:
October 20, 2007
American Medical Student Association Region 4 Conference Exhibition Fair
Noon - 5:30 pm
Chicago, Ill.
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 career opportunities in vascular surgery. Email studentresident@vascularsociety.org.
Upcoming Research Awards
The Resident Research Prize is intended to motivate physicians, early in their training, to pursue their interest in research and offer the opportunity to present their research at the Vascular Annual Meeting. The Lifeline Research and Education Committee will select one recipient for the Resident Research Prize each year.
The Resident Research Prize consists of a $5,000 award and one-year complimentary subscription to the Journal of Vascular Surgery. The prize- winning work will be presented at the Vascular Annual Meeting and will be considered for publication in the Journal of Vascular Surgery.
Student Research Fellowship
The Lifeline Student Research Fellowship stimulates laboratory and clinical vascular research by undergraduate college students and medical school students registered at North American Universities. Each award will consist of a $3,000 student stipend and a two year complimentary subscription to the Journal of Vascular Surgery. The American Vascular Association will grant a maximum of 10 awards per year.
SVS Vascular Surgery Networking Sections for Medical Students and General Surgery Residents
Medical students and general surgery residents now have direct access to valuable career resources by joining the SVS Medical Student Section or the SVS General Surgery Resident Section. The Sections serve as a platform for medical students and general surgery residents to network with similarly interested students or residents. Section Members receive numerous benefits such as various SVS e-communications, the SVS Pulse, the Resident/Student e-newsletter: On the Cutting Edge, access to the online edition of Vascular Specialist, and monthly podcasts on vascular surgery topics.
Join the Sections.
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
© 2008 VascularWeb. All rights reserved. Use of the VascularWeb site constitutes acceptance of all of the policies, rules and regulations for the site.
© 2008 VascularWeb. All rights reserved. Use of the VascularWeb site constitutes acceptance of all of the policies, rules and regulations for the site.