Department of Surgery, UMDNJ-RWJMS

Our Fellowship in Vascular Surgery is designed to provide an outstanding experience to the individual. This is accomplished through a flexible program tailored to the individual background of the applicant. The Fellowship is two years in length, and has been accredited since 1984 without reservations by the Residency Review Committee. We were recently approved again in 2003 without reservation for 3 years. The objectives of the fellowship are available for review.

The strength of the first year is the flexibility to modify the program based on the background and skill set of an individual fellow. The purpose of the first year of the fellowship is to start the processes through which the fellow will develop expertise in the non-invasive diagnosis of vascular disease in the Vascular Laboratory, perform Endovascular Interventions, and experience in both Basic Science and Clinical Research. The large volume of cases performed annually enhances training in the principles and practice of the non-invasive vascular lab. Fellows can take an active role in the interpretation of studies under the guidance of the Faculty. Opportunity exists for fellows to obtain their RVT during the fellowship. Endovascular surgical skills are also acquired during this year from the large volume of endovascular cases performed by our faculty in a well-equipped operating room. These procedures include both diagnostic and interventional procedures including dialysis access rescue, carotid, renal and peripheral angioplasty, and a large AAA stent graft program. The NIH funded research laboratory offers a wide range of opportunity for projects in basic science research ranging from in vitro cell culture to in vivo studies with state of the art techniques. Significant clinical research opportunities exist. In 1998, we established a prospective comprehensive database of all vascular interventions which promotes the ability to perform high quality clinical research. Our fellows have had the opportunity to present their research projects at both the regional and national level in a wide variety of forums including the SUS, SVS, and AAS.

The second year clinical vascular fellow benefits from the over 1,000 major vascular cases performed on the vascular service at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital every year. The service consists of the fellow, a fourth year surgical resident (PGY-4), and a second year resident. The Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is a tertiary care center, which receives referrals from Central New Jersey. During the clinical year, the fellow evaluates and treats a diverse spectrum of vascular pathology. There is an excellent balance of aortic, carotid and lower extremity reconstructions through traditional open and endovascular techniques. A significant number of "index" cases are performed annually including abdominal aortic stent grafts, thoraco-abdominal aneurysm repair and renovascular surgical and endovascular interventions. This broad clinical experience aids in the preparation for fellows to successfully master the American Board of Surgery examination for Added Qualifications in General Vascular Surgery.