At a Glance
- Academic Affiliation: McGill University
- Hospitals Involved in Training: MUHC (50%), JGH (50%)
- Fellowship Program Director: Dr. Oren Steinmetz
- Positions Available: 1 per year
Background
Endovascular therapy is now the first line therapy for the majority of vascular pathologies. The Division of Vascular Surgery at McGill has become nationally known for their pioneering efforts in endovascular surgery, particularly in regard to endovascular repair for pararenal aortic aneurysms and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms.
McGill Vascular Surgery is a major referral site in the province of Quebec for complex vascular surgery cases of all types, including cases requiring complex endovascular reconstruction. The knowledge base and skill set required for expertise in advanced endovascular aortic reconstruction goes beyond both the training requirements for Vascular Surgery at the level of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada as well as the expertise of most vascular surgery training programs in Canada. A postgraduate fellowship in endovascular therapy with exposure to all aspects of endovascular arterial intervention, including peripheral and aortic pathology, provides an opportunity for skill acquisition which can facilitate expertise in advanced endovascular therapy.
Mission
The mission of this fellowship is to train vascular surgeons in cutting-edge techniques for both aortic and peripheral interventions.
- Aortic expertise: EVAR, TEVAR, fenestrated & branched graft repair, arch endovascular techniques, parallel grafting, custom stent grafts.
- Peripheral expertise: Complex CTO management, advanced imaging (IVUS), calcium management (atherectomy, intravascular lithotripsy).
Read more
The mission of the advanced aortic and peripheral endovascular surgical fellowship is to provide a stimulating environment for vascular surgeons to acquire the clinical, cognitive and technical skills required to incorporate cutting-edge endovascular techniques into their clinical practice. The program is specifically designed to provide advanced training in both aortic and peripheral endovascular procedures, with the goal of developing surgical expertise in both standard and complex techniques.
At the aortic level, the fellow will gain significant experience in standard abdominal and thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR and TEVAR), but also in fenestrated and branched graft repair and aortic arch endovascular repair. This includes the use of custom-made devices, physician-modified stent grafts, in situ fenestration and parallel grafting techniques.
At the peripheral level, the fellow will gain experience in management of complex chronic total occlusions (CTOs) affecting the femoro-popliteal as well as infra popliteal segments, and will have access to advanced imaging technologies with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) as well as calcium management technologies, including intravascular lithotripsy and atherectomy.
Academic & Clinical Facilities
- MUHC – Hybrid OR, Operating Room
- JGH – Hybrid OR, Operating Room
- MGH – Operating Room
Fellow Duties & Responsibilities
- Clinical Role: Primary operator for all advanced cases across sites.
- Patient Care: Pre-op, intra-op, and post-op comprehensive management under supervision.
- Teaching: Mentor residents during advanced cases and simulation labs. Monthly didactic teaching sessions.
- Academic Engagement: Participate in rounds, M&M conferences, and teaching schedule.
Read more
The fellow will act as the primary operator for all advanced cases, working across all affiliated hospital sites. Responsibilities will include the comprehensive management of patients undergoing complex interventions, encompassing preoperative ambulatory evaluation, perioperative care, and postoperative follow-up, all under the supervision of staff members of the McGill Division of Vascular Surgery.
Participation in academic activities, teaching responsibilities towards residents and simulation lab:
During advanced cases, and when appropriate, the fellow will act as senior supervisor of vascular residents. An active staff member of the Division of Vascular Surgery will supervise this activity at all times.
Once every two months, the fellow will be responsible for didactic teaching sessions on advanced endovascular surgery topics during the Vascular Surgery Academic Rounds. These rounds are attended by both active staff members and house staff on the clinic teaching units. The topics will be chosen in discussion and consultation by the program director. The fellow will participate in the weekly Vascular Surgery teaching rounds schedule at a frequency similar to the attending surgeons.
The fellow will be expected to supervise formal endovascular training sessions with more junior trainees using the endovascular simulator.
The fellow will attend monthly morbidity and mortality rounds and be expected to contribute when relevant advanced cases are presented and discussed.
Call Responsibilities
- Call Schedule: 1 weekend/month + 1 weekday as needed.
Rotations
- No fixed rotations. Participation across sites based on OR schedule.
There will be no fixed rotations at the two sites. The members of the Division of Vascular Surgery will decide the schedule based on scheduling of cases. The fellow will participate in endovascular cases across sites depending on the operating room schedule.
Outpatient Clinics
- Focused on pre- and post-operative care of advanced endovascular cases.
Outpatient clinic responsibilities will be under the supervision of the program director but generally will consist of outpatient clinics conducted for pre and post-operative care of advanced cases only.
Research Expectations
- Participate in ongoing and new clinical/basic science research in advanced endovascular therapy.
- Present at national/international vascular meetings.
- Expected to publish in peer-reviewed journals.
- Complete any unfinished projects from fellowship year.
Read more
The McGill Division of Vascular Surgery maintains an active clinical research program across the two training sites. We have participated in several multicenter clinical trials pertaining to endovascular therapy and are currently awaiting approval for other industry- sponsored clinical trials. Our vascular surgery trainees consistently carry out our clinical research projects during the course of their training and have seen these through to completion, presentation at national meetings and publication in peer-reviewed journals. In addition, we supervise medical students and surgery residents in ongoing clinical research projects.
The fellow will be expected to conduct clinical and/or basic science research pertaining to advanced endovascular surgery. Members of the Division of Vascular Surgery will supervise this research. The fellow will be expected to present their work at national and/or international vascular surgical meetings. The fellow will be expected to submit relevant projects for publication in a peer reviewed journal. The fellow is expected to complete any ongoing research that was not completed during the academic year and to ultimately present this at a national meeting.
Conference Participation
The fellow is expected to present at resident research day + at least 1 national meeting.
Read More
The fellow is encouraged to attend and/or submit abstracts to other meetings as appropriate, including:
Support & Resources
- Office Space: Dedicated workspace with computer/internet.
- Library Access: MUHC & JGH medical libraries.
- Administrative Support: Provided via program secretary & residency office staff.
Contact Information
Fellowship DirectorOren K. Steinmetz, MDCM, FRCS(C), FACS Associate Professor, Division of Vascular Surgery McGill University Health Centre-Royal Victoria Hospital Email: oren.steinmetz [at] mcgill.ca (oren[dot]steinmetz[at]mcgill[dot]ca) | Program CoordinatorsKathy Roussis & Julia Boyko Vascular Surgery Residency Program Phone: (514) 934-1934 ext. 37063 |