Rotation Descriptions
During the two-year vascular surgery fellowship, fellows’ time is evenly divided among three sites: Boston Medical Center (BMC), the VA Boston Healthcare System (West Roxbury campus), and St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center. Fellows spend four months of the year at each site. The VA Boston is a longtime partner of BMC, while St. Elizabeth’s became a clinical and academic affiliate of the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine in 2021.
Throughout the fellowship program, trainees have the opportunity to develop and hone their technical skills and surgical judgment through active participation in all aspects of patient care and clinical rounds. They complete fellowship training confident in their ability to independently practice as vascular surgeons in the setting of their choice.
Boston Medical Center
At BMC, fellows see the full range of vascular surgery cases. BMC is the busiest level 1 trauma center and emergency department in New England. The hospital is equipped with complex open surgical capabilities and a state-of-the art advanced hybrid operating room. Additionally, BMC serves as a major vascular referral center, increasing trainee exposure to high-acuity vascular problems.
VA Boston Healthcare System
As a referral center for all VAs in New England, the VA Boston has one of the most complex patient populations in the VA system and a very high patient volume. In addition to open surgical training, the VA Medical Center at the West Roxbury Campus is equipped with a state-of-the-art advanced hybrid operating room, allowing for treatment of peripheral arterial disease, complex aortic diseases, carotid stenosis, and acute and chronic deep venous diseases.
St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center
St. Elizabeth’s is a 308-bed community hospital in Boston’s Brighton neighborhood, which serves as a referral center for an eight-hospital community health system. It provides fellows with exposure to both open and endovascular procedures on a very busy, high-acuity service in a community environment.