Print this pageVascular Surgery resident & Student Newsletter
On the Cutting Edge is an e-newsletter from the Society for Vacular Sugery reporting new training programs, up-to-date vascular research and other vascular-related information for students and residents.
To be included on the e-newsletter distribution list, send your email address to studentresident@vascularsociety.org.
View previous issues:
October 2006
November 2006
May 2007
October 2007
December 2007
Welcome to 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.
New Podcast Topics Posted
- Diverse and Exciting Vascular Opportunities
- Infinite Research Opportunities
- Choosing the Right Speciality
Podcasts Coming Soon...
- The Past, Present and Future of Endovascular Aneurysm Repair
- Open Vascular Surgery: A Mainstay of Vascular Care
- Endovascular Therapy and the Diabetic Foot
Latest News from the Journal of Vascular Surgery
Largest Study of Women's Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Published
Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are formed when a weak area of the aorta expands or bulges; sometimes they contain clots which can travel throughout the body and block other blood vessels. Also, AAAs can rupture and require surgical repair.
Most studies assessing the prevalence and associated risk factors for AAA have focused on men. However a new study in the October 2007 issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery presented the largest screening study ever done on women with this disease.
"We found AAAs were more likely to be found in women 65 years and older with a history of heart disease or tobacco use," said senior author K. Craig Kent, MD, chief of vascular surgery at New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. "Our results showed that females who are current or former smokers are four times more likely than non-smokers to have aneurysmal disease; also, women with a prior heart attack, heart bypass surgery or coronary
angioplasty are 3.6 times more likely to have an aneurysm."
Read the article summary.
Carotid Endarterectomy Better for Treating Carotid Artery Stenosis
Carotid artery stenosis, when a main artery in the neck narrows from plaque or a clot and blood flow to the brain is reduced, can lead to an ischemic (mini) stroke. Two methods that have been used to repair the artery, before or after a stroke: carotid endarterectomy (CEA), or carotid artery angioplasty and stenting (CAS).
In a recent study published in the December 2007 issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery, researchers from the division of vascular surgery at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester, Mass., reviewed the discharge abstracts of 259,080 patients who had carotid artery stenosis revascularization to compare both procedures. Authors used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (which has 100 percentage of abstracted discharge data from a national survey of 20 percent of all nonfederal acute-care hospitals in the United States) to obtain patient information for the calendar years 2003 and 2004. Comorbidities and postoperative complications were reviewed for each group.
"Although CAS is an attractive option for some because it is minimally invasive, our results show that CAS was significantly and independently predictive of in-hospital mortality compared with CEA," said Mohammad H. Eslami, MD, assistant professor of surgery in the division of vascular and endovascular surgery at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. "In patients who were preoperatively symptomatic and had CAS revascularization, there was a seven-fold increase in mortality and four-fold increase in postoperative stroke compared with those who had CEA surgery."
Find more Journal of Vascular Surgery articles.
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.
Update on Vascular Surgery Integrated Training Programs
Last year the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education approved the Primary Certificate in Vascular
Surgery, which eliminates the requirement for certification in general surgery prior to certification in vascular surgery.
The 0+5 track 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.
The 3+3 track is for residents who currently match during medical school. Residents receive three years of vascular surgery training following three initial years of preliminary general surgery training at the same institution. Eligible for board certification in vascular surgery only.
This new certification program translates to more training options; there will be more time available for training in areas such as non-operative prevention, diagnosis, and management of vascular disease; shorter training periods; and more freedom of choice as to when you may decide to enter vascular surgery.
Current 0+5 programs include:
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
- Mount Sinai School of Medicine
- SUNY at Stony Brook
- University of Michigan
- University of North Carolina Hospitals
- University of Pittsburgh Center Medical Education
- University of South Florida
Current 3+3 programs include:
- University of Rochester Medical Center
Please note that ACGME approves new vascular surgery integrated programs twice a year. We are expecting additional programs to be added during March and December 2008.
View a Listing of All Vascular Surgery Training Programs.
Upcoming Research Awards
Resident Research Prize
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.
Resident Award Information.
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.
Student Award Information.
New 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.
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, advance notice of scholarships and awards, the opportunity to help plan the student and resident educational programming for upcoming Vascular Annual Meetings, monthly podcasts on vascular surgery topics, and much more.
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.
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.