Residents and Medical Students
Members Only Login
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
August 2008
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.
What I Love About Vascular Surgery
By Cynthia K. Shortell, MD, Chief, Vascular Surgery, Director, Center for Vascular
Diseases, Duke University Medical Center
When I was a fourth year medical student at Cornell University Medical College, I fell in love with vascular surgery. I'm sure it wasn't the "pre-rounds" at 4:30 am to take down dressings on foot wounds before the attendings and Chief Residents came around.
During my two week elective at New York Hospital, I had the good fortune to work with two vascular surgeons who inspired me then, and have continued to inspire me since that time, Dr. Malcolm Perry and Dr. Michael Silane.
These two dynamic surgeons conveyed their enthusiasm for vascular surgery in an infectious manner, and allowed me to see the intellectual, technical, and professional challenges and rewards offered by this unique specialty.
When students and residents ask me today why I chose vascular surgery and whether I would choose it again, it is those same characteristics of my profession that I still invoke.
On an intellectual level, vascular surgery is endlessly stimulating. For any given patient, there are often a half-dozen options for therapy, and one must weigh many different factors in making a good decision.
From a technical standpoint, vascular surgery runs the gamut from the excitement of an open aortic procedure, to the fine detail required in a carotid endarterectomy or tibial bypass.
On a personal and professional level, our patients are almost always sick and complicated, presenting not only surgical challenges, but medical and ethical challenges as well.
In addition, the opportunity to care for patients on a long-term basis, a feature unique to vascular among surgical specialties, allows us to form lifelong bonds with our patients that are often quite profound. My medical student days predated the development of endovascular therapies, and the advent of these less invasive techniques has only served to amplify the factors that attracted me to the specialty in the first place.
The variety of treatment options is now even greater, and patients who were not previously candidates for therapy can now be helped.
The range of technical expertise accessible to the modern day vascular surgeon has become even greater as well, and our ability to provide the full spectrum of care to our patients is enhanced. We see the patient in clinic, do the non-invasive testing, the diagnostic imaging, and the therapeutic intervention.
Following completion of training, the vascular surgeon can avail him or herself of the full range of vascular therapies, or can choose a subset to specialize in.
In addition, there are a wide variety of practice types to choose from, from private practice to full time academic, and everything in between.
When I think back to my medical student days, I remain grateful to Drs. Perry and Silane for sharing with me their zeal for the field I love. I feel tremendously fortunate for that my work still excites me after 19 years of training and practice.
Stinky feet notwithstanding, I wouldn't trade it for anything.
New Podcast Topics Posted
Did you know that SVS posts a new podcast 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:
- Educating America About Venous Disease
- Training Paradigms and Workforce Needs in Vascular Surgery
- Endovascular Treatment of Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysms
Reception for Residents and Students at ACS
The Society for Vascular Surgery will be hosting a reception for medical students and residents interested in vascular surgery during the upcoming American College f Surgeon's Meeting.
Please join us on Monday, October 13, 2008 at 6:00 - 7:00 pm in the Grand Ballroom A, Third Floor, in the Hotel InterContinental San Francisco.
The reception is a great opportunity to network with vascular surgery program directors, current vascular surgery residents and other colleagues interested in vascular surgery.
View the "How to Review A Scientific Paper for JVS" Multimedia Presentation
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
Latest News from the Journal of Vascular Surgery
The Guidelines for Hospital Privileges in Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Surgery: Recommendations of the Society for Vascular Surgery, were recently published in the Journal. The guidelines address the following topics:
- Definition of vascular surgery
- Pathways to training and certification in vascular surgery
- Training requirements for vascular surgery residents
- Training requirements for new procedures for credentialed surgeons
- Requirements for hospital privileges
Research News
The American Venous Forum's National Venous Screening Program, having finished its second year (November 2006 to the beginning of 2007), reported an increase in participation from 17 to 83 medical centers and 476 to 2,234 individuals screened in a total of 40 states. Respondents were screened as to their risk of developing a life-threatening blood clot in the veins (venous thromboembolism or VTE) if they were placed into a high risk situations such as prolonged bed rest or major surgery. Interestingly, a significant proportion of individuals were found to be at a high or a very high risk for developing VTE if placed in a high risk situation.
Read more.
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
In 2006 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. 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:
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
- Indiana University School of Medicine
- Mount Sinai Medical Center
- Stanford University Medical Center
- Stony Brook University
- 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
Please note that ACGME approves new vascular surgery integrated programs twice a year. We are expecting additional programs to be added December 2008.
For more information on 0+5 tracks, as well as the traditional 5+2 track, visit:
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.
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.