Academics

Vascular Surgery Fellowship

The Walter Reed Vascular Fellowship is a two (2) year fellowship, which trains U.S. Military General Surgeons in clinical vascular surgery to include clinical and basic science research, noninvasive vascular laboratory testing, diagnostic arteriography, percutaneous catheter based interventions, endovascular surgery and conventional open vascular surgery. The fellowship is currently open to applicants from the United States Army who are in the fourth or fifth clinical year of a General Surgery residency or have completed General Surgery residency. It is hoped that applicants from the United States Navy and Air Force will be consider for training in the near future.

The first-year fellow begins training in endovascular surgery. During April of the first year, the fellow travels for three months to the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio for additional training in open aortic procedures and complex endovascular procedures such as fenestrated aortic and thoracic endografts. The first-year fellow will also supplement the endovascular experience by participating in index open vascular cases not covered by the second-year fellow. During July and August of the first year the fellow interviews with staff from Walter Reed and the Uniformed University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland to pick a research project of interest and develop a research protocol. Weekly outpatient clinics during the first year are devoted to the clinical diagnosis and management of arterial, venous and lymphatic diseases. Additional training with hands on noninvasive vascular testing under the direction of vascular staff and registered vascular technicians is encouraged when the operating schedule permits. Didactic training during the first year consists of attendance and presentation at the Monday academic day schedule. Fellows are expected to prepare for and present during conferences every week. The fellow also attends Wesley Moore’s Annual UCLA Symposium: A Comprehensive Review and Update of What's New in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery in the fall of the first year.

The second year of the fellowship concentrates on the conventional open vascular surgical techniques to include the pre and post-operative management of vascular surgery patients. Endografting techniques are included in both years. The second-year fellow, however, is the operative surgeon for endograft procedures with the first-year fellow frequently assisting. The vascular surgery fellows may act as teaching assistants for residents other than general surgery chief residents. Completion of the research project initiated during the first year should occur by December of the second year with submission for presentation and publication. By the completion of the fellowship the fellow is required to take the exam for certification as a Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation (RPVI). The second-year fellow travels to Toledo, OH during January and February to gain additional experience with open aortic and distal bypass surgery at the Jobst Vascular Institute. The Jobst program has a close academic association with the Section of Vascular Surgery at the University of Michigan and The University of Toledo Medical Center. The vascular surgery fellows participate in the University of Michigan vascular conferences, journal clubs, and basic science conferences. Fellows must complete the application for board certification in vascular surgery by the American Board of Surgery. Upon completion of the fellowship, the new vascular surgeons will assigned to a military medical center where they will provide vascular specialty services for active duty, dependent and retired Department of Defense beneficiaries and serve as educators for general surgery residency programs at those institutions.

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(301) 295-4779

Location

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