How to Interest Vascular Residents in the Management of Vein Conditions

Getting vascular residents excited about vein disease can be hard, especially when the bulk of their training focuses on arterial care.

Yet, as they enter their careers, they are likely to find that up to 80 percent of their patients need treatment for chronic venous insufficiency-related conditions like varicose veins.

“We are doing our trainees a disservice if we don’t offer a dedicated venous rotation,” said Ellen, a vascular surgeon and program director at Duke University Health System.

The calls most program directors receive from trainees 2-6 weeks after graduation aren’t about endovascular aortic repair, she noted, instead, they are about how to effectively treat varicose veins.

Patrick, a vascular surgeon and program director at Good Samaritan Hospital, goes further, saying calls can become more targeted, with former trainees wondering how to manage perforators, venous ulcers, deep vein thrombosis, and zoned reflux.

“Those are everyday problems and everyday scenarios,” he said that they aren’t necessarily prepared for because the bulk of their training may have been in arterial care.

Enriching trainee education on vein disease, they agreed, equips them to handle such cases and, should they choose to make vein care their specialty, there is a "land of opportunity."

Listen on.

This episode is sponsored by Clear Sky Local, a marketing company that has worked intimately with vein clinics to help them effectively market their businesses and generate new patients. Find out about their patient accelerator at https://clearskylocal.com/