Description

Brief Summary

The responsibilities of vascular medicine physicians range from preserving vascular health and treating vascular diseases to advancing vascular science. Vascular disease can take many forms. Common manifestations include vasospastic disease, such as Raynaud's disease and acrocyanosis; thermal disease, such as pernio; and thoracic outlet disease, which may cause arterial, venous, or nervous manifestations. The most common manifestations of vascular disease in our region are peripheral artery disease, aortic disease, chronic venous insufficiency, and venous thromboembolism. These diseases cause significant reductions in the quality and length of life of our patients.

It is the goal of the Vascular Medicine training program to organize the care of these patients to ensure the very best care in the community and to participate in the care of patients with higher acuity and complexity. The management of vascular disease often necessitates highly trained specialists. Advances in imaging techniques, novel antithrombotic and lipid-lowering drugs, and endovascular therapies have increased the range of therapeutic options for patients with vascular disease. There is a significant unmet gap in the provision of vascular medical care, such that expanding the workforce represents the only way forward to address the needs of our local, regional, and national populations.

  Program Highlights

     The nation's only standalone Division of Vascular Medicine — a dedicated academic home for the specialty.

     Dual-pathway eligibility: open to graduates of Internal Medicine residency and to Cardiology fellows who have completed 24 months of core clinical training.

     Cross-disciplinary rotation structure spanning the Noninvasive Vascular Laboratory, Vascular Surgery, Axial Vascular Imaging, Vascular Intervention, Hematology, Rheumatology, Vein Clinic, Outpatient Vascular Medicine Clinic, and Cardiac Surgery.

     Dual board eligibility upon completion — the American Board of Vascular Medicine (ABVM) examination and the Registry Examination for Physicians in Vascular Interpretation (RPVI).

     Nationally recognized faculty led by Division Chief Dr. Joshua A. Beckman, former President of the Society for Vascular Medicine and Chair-Elect of the AHA/ACC Task Force Guidelines.

  Overall Goals

Our fellowship seeks to train talented internal medicine and cardiovascular specialists for distinguished careers in academic vascular medicine. The principal goal of the fellowship in Vascular Medicine is for the trainee to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and therapeutic management of vascular diseases. Emphasis is placed on the ability to provide expert consultation to physicians for patients with either acute or complex vascular disease.

It is expected that trainees will demonstrate academic excellence by successfully completing a significant research project during the fellowship and gaining sufficient expertise in research discipline to position them for pursuit of an academic career. The ACGME has defined six core competencies that describe the development of fellowship trainees from an early learner up to and beyond what is expected for unsupervised practice. Goals and objectives for the year of Vascular Medicine fellowship training are explicitly linked to these ACGME core competencies.

  Job Description — Curriculum & Clinical Training

This is a one-year, non-invasive Vascular Medicine fellowship. Fellows train across the following twelve four-week blocks at UT Southwestern / Clements University Hospital (CUH), gaining hands-on experience in the full spectrum of arterial, venous, and lymphatic disease management. A minimum of 100 physiologic arterial, 100 venous duplex, 100 arterial duplex, and 100 carotid duplex examinations are required, along with completion of a mentored research project intended for journal publication and presentation at a national meeting.

Rounds & Conferences

     Biweekly, CME-credited Vascular Medicine Education Meeting (case-based).

     Multidisciplinary Aorta Conference with Cardiovascular Medicine, Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Vascular Surgery faculty.

     Monthly Vascular Journal Club.

     Bimonthly joint conferences with Hematology, Vascular Surgery, and Rheumatology.

Upon Completion

Graduates are qualified specialists in vascular medicine and are eligible to sit for the American Board of Vascular Medicine (ABVM) examination and the Registry Examination for Physicians in Vascular Interpretation (RPVI).

  Prerequisites & Application Requirements

Candidates should hold an MD or DO degree and be completing or have completed an Internal Medicine residency, with an interest in a career in vascular medicine. Prior subspecialty training in cardiology is not required; however, cardiovascular trainees who have completed 24 months of core clinical cardiology training and wish to extend their clinical and research training to vascular medicine are also eligible. Exceptional candidates who have pursued subspecialty clinical training in fields other than cardiology are also invited to apply.

Required application materials:

     Completion of an internal medicine residency and/or completion of a cardiovascular medicine fellowship.

     Three letters of recommendation (one letter must be from the applicant's current Program Director).

     Current Curriculum Vitae.

  Program Contacts

Division of Vascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine — 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9189

For additional information, please visit our website: Vascular Medicine Fellowship Program | UT Southwestern Medical Center