Preparing Students for a Vascular Surgery Residency

Medical students may choose to rotate with vascular surgery service as an elective during their general surgery core clerkship while at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. Case Western Reserve University students and visiting medical students are welcome to participate in a one-month-long acting internship in vascular surgery at UH Cleveland Medical Center.

Vascular Surgery Acting Internship

This surgical acting internship (AI) is offered at UH Cleveland Medical Center in vascular surgery. During the internship, the fourth-year elective student will:

• Actively participate in the assessment of selected patients on the vascular surgery service
• Be responsible for preoperative and postoperative care
• Assist with the operative procedures
• Rotate on vascular surgery inpatient service at UH Cleveland Medical Center
• Take one weekend on-call shift during their month under the supervision of the resident on-call for that night
• Participate in regular surgical conferences

The diagnosis and management of patients will be overseen by vascular surgery staff and will be supplemented by educational activities and conferences on a daily basis. This AI is for students interested in doing a vascular surgery residency.

The Vascular Surgery Acting Internship Objectives include:

• Students will enhance their physical examination with particular attention to the vascular system.
• Students will gain experience with and basic understanding and interpreting non- and interventional vascular studies, including vascular lab studies (ultrasound and noninvasive physiologic studies), CT scan, MRI, and angiography.
• Students will improve knowledge of common vascular pathologies, including carotid artery stenosis, aortic aneurysm and peripheral vascular occlusive disease.
• Students will build on core surgical clerkship skills and improve basic open and endovascular surgical skills.

Vascular Surgery Interest Group

The Vascular Surgery Interest Group (VSIG) at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine increases awareness of the field of vascular surgery among medical students and residents. We provide opportunities for students to gain exposure to the field through research and clinical activities, and we help students improve their basic surgical skills. We hope that through the opportunities and mentorship provided by this group, students will gain a deeper understanding of the field and will develop the tools they need to pursue a career in vascular surgery.