Introduction

The Department of General Surgery offers a two-year fellowship program in Vascular Surgery. This consists of two accredited positions per year. This is an accredited program leading to eligibility for certification by the American Board of Surgery. Clinical rotations are provided at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital (SNGH) and DePaul Medical Center.

More Info:

Rotations

Resident Operative Experience Report

Presentations and Current Practice of Recent Graduates

General Description

The Vascular Surgery Fellowship is a two-year program beginning with a four-month focus on research along with an introduction to Clinical Practice and intensive training and responsibility in PVL interpretation. The remainder of the first year is spent on four-month rotations at the DePaul Medical Center teaching site and the Outpatient/Angio teaching service at SNGH. The second year is dedicated to gaining extensive exposure in open and endovascular procedures at the SNGH Consult, VICU/Stepdown, and Outfield services.

Applicants are either American Board of Surgery-certified/eligible in General Surgery or in their final two years of surgical residency at an accredited general surgery residency program. We interview for new vascular surgery fellows during the months of March and April. Applicants are invited for interview and hire by means of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Final selection of fellows happens among the Fellowship Candidate Selection Committee which is comprised of the Program Director, and a number of faculty members selected by the Program Director.

The selection committee makes its decision based on:

1. Candidate’s desire for vascular surgery
2. Content of Letters of Recommendation (3 minimum)
3. ABSITE results to date (including scores current at date of interview)
4. Personal interviews

Additional and/or International Medical Graduates/Practitioners are interviewed if we do not fill our annual complement through the Matching Program. For consideration, non-NRMP applicants must be general or cardiothoracic surgical practitioners who have met one of the following criteria:

• Graduate of a medical school in the United States and Canada accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)
• Graduate of a college of osteopathic medicine in the United States accredited by the American Osteopathic Association.
• Graduate of a medical school outside the United States and Canada who meets one of the following qualifications:
  • Have received a current valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) prior to appointment, or
  • Have a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in a US licensing jurisdiction in which they are training.
• Graduate of a medical school outside the United States who has completed a Fifth Pathway program provided by a LCME-accredited medical school.

The Division seeks individuals who excel in all aspects of their graduate medical training and demonstrate a level of responsibility and work ethic commensurate with vascular surgery fellowship training. To-date General Surgery In-Service Scores are reviewed, as well as USMLE scores and supervisory reviews from applicants’ letters of recommendation. Applicants with a sincere interest in the program are encouraged to participate in elective opportunities and visit the Division of Vascular Surgery to maximize their personal contact with faculty and fellows.

The scope of the program includes experience in all phases of vascular surgery, including, but not limited to, arterial reconstructive procedures, venous disease (operative and non-operative management), vascular access, neurovascular compressive syndromes, renovascular hypertension, vasospastic diseases and endovascular surgery.

Curriculum

Year 1 Vascular Fellow Duties:

• Presenting/participating at vascular conferences: Basic Science, Textbook Review
• Performing PVL reading/interpretation; office-based
• Participating in pre-op and post-op outpatient care
• Participating in/performing endovascular procedures
• Learning optimal vascular pre- and post-operative care
• Shared responsibility of vascular patient care at DePaul Medical Center, in the Outpatient/Angio Service at SNGH
• Cross-coverage on SNGH 4RP, Outfield, and Consult service as necessary
• Clinical coverage of vascular service at DePaul Medical Center and SNGH Outpatient/Angio service
• Coordinating Journal Club activities
• Alterations to the didactic schedule as requested by Program Director
• Assigned weekly readings for textbook review

Year 2 Vascular Fellow Duties:

• Presenting/participating at vascular conferences: Case Conference, M&Ms
• Performing PVL reading/interpretation; hospital-based
• Responsible for all vascular emergency and inpatient, consult and outfield services at SNGH
• Supervising activity and holds responsibility of patient care provided by more junior trainees (General Surgery residents on service)
• Participating in/performing open and endovascular surgical procedures
• Alternating duties as administrative fellow serving in six-month intervals
• Administrative Fellow duties:
  • Call schedule for fellows/chief residents
  • Coverage for vacations and holidays
  • Attending and participating in the Vascular Executive Committee Meeting and the Vascular Surgery Education Committee Meeting
  • Addressing delinquencies by vascular fellows in any administrative duties

Clinical Rotations and Research

Clinical rotations in the vascular surgery fellowship include the fellow fully in preoperative and postoperative evaluation and management during which the fellow acts as an operator or first assistant in the operating room in a large number of vascular procedures. The vascular service performs over 1,800 operations a year; the Clinical Vascular Fellow is the primary surgeon in over 500 cases per year. First-, third- and fifth-year general surgery residents are assigned to the vascular service. The fifth-year Chief Resident has separate clinical responsibilities from the fellow.

All fellows are involved in attendance and research presentation at several regional and national vascular society conferences annually. Additionally all first-year vascular fellows participate in Mock Orals presented at the Southern Association of Vascular Surgery (SAVS) and all fellows participate in the Vascular Surgery In-Training Exam.

For More Information

For more information about the program, visit the EVMS Vascular Surgery Program at Freida Online.

For more information about the clinical practice of our faculty and attendings, visit Vascular and Transplant Specialists.

Jean Panneton, M.D.
Director, Vascular Surgery Fellowship
600 Gresham Drive Suite 8620
Sentara Heart Hospital
Norfolk, Virginia 23507

Phone: (757) 622-2649
Fax: (757) 961-6440

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