Division of Vascular Surgery
Residencies and Fellowships
Fellowship Program
The UPMC Division of Vascular Surgery has had a successful two-year fellowship program in vascular surgery since 2001, but realized a major accomplishment this year in being named as one of only three sites in the country to secure ACGME accreditation for a five-year vascular surgery residency program and the only site to be given two slots. The five-year residency program is one of two new training paradigms approved by the ACGME that leads to certification in vascular surgery. It is designed to shorten the overall duration of training and to provide more concentrated time to include the evolving new techniques within vascular surgery. The program is selected by fourth-year medical students in the standard matching program. The first two years of the program are devoted to core surgical training, during which time the residents complete general surgery rotations. The remaining three years are devoted exclusively to vascular surgery training. We were granted two slots for the program, and our first two residents began in July 2007. The division also offers a three month mini-fellowship to train board-certified surgeons in endovascular treatment of vascular disease.
The vascular surgery fellowship is an ACGME-approved, two-year program for two fellows per year offering clinical experience including the core service rotations, endovascular interventional experience, a clinical non-invasive vascular laboratory, education, and clinical research. The cores of the service rotations are at UPMC Presbyterian and UPMC Shadyside hospitals, where the fellows are challenged by a vast array of vascular surgery cases. Additionally, fellows spend time at UPMC Passavant. All 13 vascular surgeons hold privileges and participate in the provision of care at these institutions. The vascular surgery fellows manage the core vascular surgery clinical service at each hospital. General surgical residents rotate on the services and share in call responsibilities. All patients admitted to our service are assigned to an attending vascular surgeon. The patient populations are a mixture of elective, scheduled admissions from the office, and urgent transfers. Fellows have an opportunity to attend clinic virtually any day of the week at UPMC Shadyside and can work with all surgeons in the group.
The operative experience is one rich in exposure to the treatment of the following illnesses: aortic disease, aneurysms, carotid artery stenosis, peripheral arterial disease, renal arterial stenosis, leg ulcers, traumatic injuries to the arteries and veins, and leg claudication. The vascular surgery fellow will acquire an operative experience in excess of 300 cases per year. The fellows are given a gradual increase in direct responsibility for pre- and postoperative patient care, and for the performance of surgical procedures under the direct supervision of the attending vascular surgeons.
Director
Michel S. Makaroun, MD
Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery
Director, Vascular Fellowship Program
UPMC Presbyterian, A-1011
200 Lothrop St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-802-3028
Fax: 412-291-1669
e-mail: makarounms@upmc.edu
Contact:
Sherry Steppling
Fellowship Coordinator
UPMC Presbyterian, A-1011
200 Lothrop St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: 412-802-3031
Fax: 412-291-1669
E-mail: stepplingsw@upmc.edu
Vascular Conferences
An academic conference is held on a weekly basis, which includes topics for educational review, lectures by visiting professors, and case presentations. The conference is approved for one hour of Category I CME credit by UPMC. In addition, a bi-monthly Basic and Clinical Research Conference, supported by topics related to bench research and clinical trial investigations, is held. Morbidity & Mortality Review and Journal Club also are included in the curricula. On a business level, coding and reimbursement meetings to keep abreast of the latest issues are held on a regular basis.
Fellowship Research
In our current two-year program the vascular surgery fellows are encouraged to participate in clinical research projects throughout their educational experience. Recently we have had fellows competing at and winning competitions at the ISES meeting, the Maimonides (New York) fellows’ meeting and the Lifeline Award from the Society for Vascular Surgery. Some of these projects have gone on to become landmark papers. The scope of research currently available in the division includes clinical trails, clinical reviews, bioengineering, molecular biology, gene therapy, methods of inhibiting neointimal hyperplasia, and other aspects of vascular biology.
Fellows entering into the five-year program as interns will have the opportunity to do two years of research in the division of vascular surgery. This can be in one of the basic science labs devoted to vascular research, in the biomechanical engineering lab run by Dr. David Vorp, or by doing clinical research. The University of Pittsburgh has been designated as a center for development of translational research and as a location to foster young physicians in clinical research.
Currently three members of the division have NIH grants investigating various aspects of vascular diseases. The division also employs three vascular research coordinators who are working on active prospective trails. The vascular surgery resident has the opportunity to become familiar with the current ongoing trials, methodology used, and statistical methods of analysis in order to carry out independent investigations in the future.
Benefits
- competitive salary
- health, dental, and life insurances
- three weeks of vacation per academic year
- financial support for one scientific meeting
- holiday time off
- professional liability insurance
- long-term disability insurance
Applications
An application for the vascular surgery fellowship must be submitted. Click on the printable application form below, complete, and forward to our program coordinator. Please note that our program does participate in the NRMP. Our deadline is March 1, 2008.
Completed applications can be mailed to:
UPP Vascular Surgery
UPMC Presbyterian, Suite A-1011
200 Lothrop St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
If you need additional information, you may contact:
Sherry Steppling
412-802-3031
e-mail: stepplingsw@upmc.edu
Our interview schedule is a one-day process scheduled on Wednesdays to incorporate vascular conference. Dates for this year's interviews will be posted in the near future.
NRMP Home Page
Printable application in PDF format
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Medical Student Electives
Medical Student Coordinator
Kathy Haupt
412-647-5314
Fax: 412-647-4889
e-mail: hauptkg@upmc.edu
All requests for fourth-year electives for visiting LCME applicants can be processed only through the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine website. This website explains the different electives available in the Department of Surgery and how an application can be processed on-line.
To access an application or for further information go to:
http://www.medschool.pitt.edu/somsa/
If you have difficulty with the application, contact Ms. Joanne Colligan via e-mail at: joanne@medschool.pitt.edu or by phone at 412-648-8935.
Course descriptions and program requirements are subject to change.