Structure of Training
The vascular surgery fellows (PGY-6 and PGY-7) and the senior integrated vascular surgery residents (PGY-4 and PGY-5) are considered the senior trainees in the division. The clinical rotations are divided into 3 month blocks consisting of rotations and the University Hospital (2 senior trainees), the VA Hospital, and Meriter Hospital. Additional one month rotations are done in Rockford, IL and potentially in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as part of a global surgery elective.
The University Vascular Service consists of two senior vascular residents/fellows, a vascular surgery PGY 2 or 3, and a general surgery intern. The service is also supported by 3 inpatient nurse practitioners who also provide weekend coverage. The senior trainees spend 6 months of the year on the University Vascular Service. This service manages all elective and emergent vascular surgery cases done at the University Hospital. The elective cases done at the University Hospital span the range of vascular surgery and include all complex cases such as open thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair, TEVAR, FEVAR, complex lower extremity bypass, carotid endarterectomy, TCAR, and mesenteric arterial interventions. There is one faculty designated each week as the “on service” faculty who rounds on the inpatient service and manages all non-elective consults and admissions to the service. The University Hospital houses our hybrid OR which has the Siemens Pheno system recently installed.
Each senior trainee will rotate for 2-3 months each year on the Meriter Vascular Surgery Service. This service consists of the senior vascular trainee, a general surgery PGY3 who is dedicated to the vascular service, and two APPs each weekday. This service handles elective lower extremity angiography, the majority of the dialysis access procedures, both open and endovascular, varicose vein procedures, and some carotid endarterectomy and lower extremity bypass procedures. This service also handles numerous inpatient consults from the large hospitalist service based at Meriter. Additionally, the senior vascular trainees will also attend clinic at least one day a week at the attached clinic at the UW Health 1 S Park facility. Here they will learn about the medical management of vascular disease, pre-operative workup and long term management of vascular patients. The trainees will also gain experience in interpreting non-invasive vascular lab studies during this time in preparation to take the RPVI exam. The Division of Vascular Surgery will sponsor the vascular fellow to take the Registered Physician Vascular Interpretation (RPVI) Exam by the end of their second year.
Fellows will rotate for three months each year on the VA Vascular Service. While rotating at the VA, they will be in charge of running the vascular service as well as running the weekly outpatient clinic with the support of rotating faculty. A general surgery intern and two nurse practitioners (one inpatient and one outpatient) also support this service. Operations are done four days a week in the hybrid OR which has the Siemens Zeego system installed. Endovascular procedures are performed in the VA hybrid Angio OR suite including EVAR, FEVAR and percutaneous management of peripheral, renal and carotid occlusive disease. All manner of open procedures are performed at the VA including carotid and femoral endarterectomy, aortic reconstruction for occlusive and aneurysmal disease, extra-anatomic bypasses and infrainguinal and infrageniculate bypasses.
Each fellow will be assigned a faculty mentor at the start of their training. The vascular fellows are expected to develop their teaching skills working with junior residents and medical students during their two years of clinical training. Many of our trainees have received medical student teaching awards.
Call responsibility consists of approximately every fourth night of second call from home during the week; the two vascular fellows and senior vascular residents (PGY-4 and PGY-5) share every fourth weekend call from home. The first-year vascular fellow and the PGY-4 vascular resident will attend the UCLA/SVS Vascular Surgery Review Course to obtain additional didactic basic science teaching. The second year vascular fellow and the PGY-5 vascular resident will participate in the Midwest Vascular Mock Oral Boards at the annual meeting.
Please feel free to contact Program Director Dr. Paul DiMusto or Associate Program Director Kyla Bennett directly if you have any questions.