Program Aims

The Vascular Surgery Integrated Residency Program is designed with the following aims:

• Produce experts in vascular surgery, endovascular therapy, and vascular imaging to address workforce shortages in vascular surgery and provide skilled care to patients and consultation to referring providers in need. Aim for at least 30% of resident graduates to enter academic practice
  • There is a strong societal need for well-trained vascular experts. The addition of a 0+5 training pathway was designed to help meet this need.  Further, resident applicants tend to be well prepared for academic pursuits, engaging in extensive research in medical school, some with advanced degrees and interest in continuing research activities. Such residents are well suited to academic vascular surgery upon completion of training. Our integrated vascular residency program is relatively new, with only 3 graduates at the time of this APE update. Independent proficiency in vascular surgery procedures and clinical skills will be measured by satisfactory completion of ACGME Milestones prior to graduation, board passage rates post-graduation, employment data, and by graduate survey of practice volume and breadth. 
• All residents will have published at least one manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal and/or a book chapter
  • We will place an emphasis on scholarly activity for vascular residents, who have time and opportunity to accomplish this goal during the 5 year training program, including one 4-week block during each year (PGY 1-4) protected from clinical responsibility and dedicated to research and scholarly activity. We have a number of IRB-approved research projects with trainees as investigators. This metric will be measured by tracking publication statistics of each trainee.
• American Board of Surgery Vascular Surgery Board pass rate should be 100% within 5 years of program completion
  • Due to Board exam cycle/dates, it may take up to 2 years for vascular board certification by first-time test takers.  RPVI certification is required prior to Board certification, therefore we will encourage residents to complete RPVI prior to graduation so as to reduce delay to Board certification afterwards.  Other requirements for licensing and board eligibility that must be met during residency (e.g. passage of USMLE Step 3, ATLS certification) will be supported. This metric will be measured by pass rates provided to PD by ABS each year.
• Prepare surgeons who have the skill sets to practice general vascular surgery without restriction of their case complement due to limitations in their training

Unlike vascular fellows, trainees in a residency program have no prior surgical training prior to starting with us. We expect resident graduates to be as proficient and fully independent in endovascular and open vascular surgery as their fellowship counterparts. This metric will be measured based on satisfactory achievement of ACGME Milestones in surgical technique and operative skills prior to graduation, employment/case privileging data and case logs/volume afterwards.