Women make up only 16% of the vascular surgery workforce, yet female vascular surgeons are 2.05 times more likely to leave practice than their male counterparts, according to a study published in The Journal of Surgical Research. Closing that retention gap is the driving force behind a growing partnership between the SVS Foundation and the SVS Women’s Section.
Since 1987, the SVS Foundation has supported more than 37 women vascular surgeons with at least $3,960,500 in funding to advance careers, drive discovery, and strengthen the specialty’s future. Over the past three years, the SVS Foundation has contributed $10,000 annually to support the SVS Women’s Section event at the Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM), in recognition of the section’s partnership on key fundraising initiatives, including the annual SVS Women’s History Month campaign.
In 2023, the two organizations began working together to amplify that campaign, raising funds to advance opportunities for women in vascular surgery and awareness for women’s vascular health. The partnership expanded significantly in 2025 with the launch of the women’s research-focused Vascular Care for the Underserved award — a $20,000 investment drawing eight applications. Katherine M. Reitz, MD, and Natalie Domenick Sridharan, MD were selected for their project, “Linking Reproductive History to Vascular Health: Understanding Peripheral Artery Disease Risk After Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes.” The SVS Women’s Section contributed $7,500.
The partnership is now turning its focus to early-career development and retention. Building on last year’s momentum, the SVS Foundation and the SVS Women’s Section are working together to raise $30,000 to fund a new travel grant initiative that provides women vascular surgeons with access to education, mentorship, and network-building at a critical stage of professional growth.
“We are pleased to partner with the SVS Foundation on several key initiatives that promote opportunities to advance career and professional development programs as well as removing boundaries for women vascular surgeons at all levels,” said Sunita Srivastava, MD, section chair of the SVS Women’s Section, and director of Quality and Radiation Safety Officer in the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “We are excited to support the travel grant initiative, enabling selected female surgeons to explore and participate in clinical and scientific programs designed to propel professional excellence and enhance engagement.”
The travel grants are designed for female vascular surgeons in their first 10 years of practice. Individuals can apply for a $1,000 travel grant to attend VAM 2026 (including the Women’s Networking Dinner), the SVS Leadership Development Program, and the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery Annual Meeting in 2027.
The travel grant initiative will launch in early April 2026 and align with the SVS Women’s Section’s new priorities around career development for female vascular surgeons. Applicants must be a member of the SVS Women’s Section to be eligible to receive an award. The grants will be structured like the SVS Young Surgeon’s Section’s VOYAGE Scholarships.
“This partnership reflects a deliberate, solutions-driven approach to one of the most important challenges in our specialty — retaining talented women in vascular surgery,” said Anahita Dua, MD, a newly appointed SVS Foundation board member and associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. “By aligning resources with mentorship, community, and professional development, we are addressing barriers that directly impact career longevity. Together we are creating infrastructure that supports not just recruitment, but sustained success.”
Donations to the SVS Women’s History Month campaign honor the women who are advancing vascular surgery today while investing in the next generation of female vascular surgeons and leaders in the field. “Let’s break down barriers and promote our female colleagues with real opportunities and financial support,” said Srivastava.
