Fellowship Program
Introduction
The residency in general vascular surgery is one of a selected number of fellowship positions within the Department of Surgery. It is a program complementary within the educational process for the residency in general surgery. The fellow also has teaching responsibilities within the general surgery program. Additionally, this fellowship is unique and encompasses both a component of vascular surgery as well as endovascular and interventional radiology experience.
The goal of the vascular residency is the education of clinically competent vascular surgeons who will devote the majority of their time to the specialty of vascular surgery. It is anticipated they will be able to move on to make career contributions to the academic foundations of the discipline.
Program Design
The vascular surgery residency is a two year accredited fellowship. Curriculum contains didactic teaching, operative experience, endovascular experience, vascular laboratory experience, clinical and ambulatory care experience, basic science research, and resident instruction. The program for the vascular surgery resident encompasses two years. The first year is devoted to basic science research, education in the basic science of the vascular surgery discipline, vascular laboratory training including the performance of non invasive vascular testing such as ultrasound and pulse volume recording, and also endovascular training.
Since many new vascular residents have not received their general surgery training at Albany Medical Center (AMC), the first year of the vascular fellowship provides a clinical introduction to the teaching staff and the ways of the Department. ) In addition to the duties listed above, the vascular surgery resident will also have clinical duties including some on-call responsibility. However, the focus of the first year is on basic science, vascular lab, and endovascular experience.
The first year will also be a period when the resident can consolidate preparation for Part One of the American Board of Surgery credentialing examination. Readings in the basic sciences applicable to vascular surgery will be assigned.
The second year is the core of the RRC-approved fellowship which is entirely clinical in scope and is limited to patient care activities at AMC. The resident is responsible for participating in selected operative cases, running a service, preparation of conferences, timely performance of vascular consultations, and participation in office hours for the vascular surgery practice, which will include offices that will provide pre and postoperative care for the vascular surgery patient, patients with primarily venous pathology where laser therapy, sclerotherapy, and evaluation of patients with venous ulceration will be provided. In addition, there is also participation in offices focused on wound healing. The second year also provides a block of time for more advanced endovascular learning. Readings are assigned in selected areas, usually based on the themes engendered by sequences of cases prepared by the resident for vascular conference, but also based on a standard text of vascular surgery. The second year also provides ample time for clinical research and preparation of manuscripts related to clinical vascular surgery.
Publications and Meetings
The vascular surgery group at AMC has a long and successful history of participation in regional, national and international vascular societies and in publishing fundamentally important studies within the discipline. The vascular resident is expected to join in this endeavor by attending meetings with the faculty and by joining in the writing of several papers. There is full access to computerized data bases, word processing equipment, access to the internet and web-based information as well as editorial assistance is provided.
Conferences
Conferences are an integral part of the education of our residents; they are required and monitored. The main focus for the general vascular surgery resident is preparation for a weekly vascular surgery conference held at AMC. This is a joint conference involving both vascular interventional radiology and vascular surgery. The conference is primarily clinical, covering cases selected for thematic content but also provides an opportunity for meeting for journal club and critical review of the current literature. It is also a forum for monthly morbidity and mortality conference related to both vascular surgery and vascular interventional radiology. Discussions are of the basic science pertinent to vascular surgery and interventional radiology and also provides an opportunity for the first year resident to present research work done during that year.
Conferences also include weekly grand rounds and weekly general surgery morbidity and mortality conferences at AMC.
For information and applications, please direct inquiries to:
Dhiraj Shah, MD, Director
Vascular Institute (MC157)
Albany Medical College
47 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, New York 12208-3478
