Program Information

Vascular Medicine Fellowship Program

The Vascular Medicine fellowship is a non-ACGME-accredited one-year training program. It is designed for physicians who have already completed internal medicine residency training and are seeking additional expertise in the care of vascular patients. Additional training in cardiovascular medicine is not a requirement. Training is clinically based, with experience in both the outpatient and inpatient settings, as well as in vascular imaging.

Program Goals

Trainees in the Vascular Medicine Fellowship Program are given intensive exposure to all facets of vascular disorders. Specific learning goals for their 12-month fellowship include gaining competence in the following areas:

• Identification and acute and long-term management of patients with atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease (including lower extremity peripheral arterial disease and carotid, renal or subclavian artery stenosis) and venous diseases (including venous insufficiency and May-Thurner syndrome). Fellows will also become proficient in determining appropriate procedures for individual patients.
• Identification and acute and long-term management of patients with lymphatic diseases, vascular wounds and thrombosis. Fellows will also gain an advanced knowledge of hematological testing of thromboembolic conditions.
• Identification, acute and long-term management of patients with non-atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease, including fibromuscular dysplasia, spontaneous arterial dissections, vasospastic disorders, thromboanginitis obliterans, and connective tissue disorders.
• Interpretation of non-invasive vascular studies, including vascular duplex physiological studies and transcutaneous oximetry and carotid IMT studies. Fellows will gain an understanding of the basics of other non-invasive vascular studies, such as CT or MR angiogram, and of invasive vascular imaging, such as peripheral angiograms or venograms.
• Familiarity with, and expertise in, working in a team environment composed of house officers at all levels of training, attending physicians, nurse practitioners, and other ancillary support staff from different departments.
• Knowledge of factors that cause, predispose patients to, or exacerbate vascular syndromes, and treatment options for reducing risk.
• Preoperative evaluation of patients undergoing vascular surgery; peri- and post-operative care of such patients.

Trainees are also expected to conduct mentored clinical research. Additional professional goals include:

– Successful completion of the certifying exam of the American Board of Vascular Medicine (ABVM), which covers:

1. Prevention
2. Evaluation
3. Management
4. Procedures
5. Disease management
6. Basic mechanisms

– Completion of the “Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation” (RPVI) certification in non-invasive vascular laboratory imaging.