Peer-to-peer coaching program created to strengthen wellness support

The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) and the Academy for Surgical Coaching are developing a first-of-its-kind coaching program that strengthens wellness support for vascular surgeons. Studies show they—along with physicians across specialties—are experiencing an increase in burnout, anxiety, depression and…
Ramped-up productivity incentives and a deadly down slope

The healthcare system always conducts a “root cause” analysis when a medical error occurs. It looks for a systemic problem to address in order to prevent a recurrence. Although multidimensional, we have failed to address one of the root causes of…
‘Grit matters in vascular surgery’

“This is what happens to you when you show grit: You end up being elected president of the American College of Surgeons.” Those were among the words delivered by Gilbert R. Upchurch Jr., MD, in his presidential address at the…
Study: 40% of vascular surgeons report suffering chronic work-related pain

A majority of vascular surgeons are in pain after a day of operating—with open and endovascular surgery identified as the types of intervention causing the greatest level of suffering from work-related discomfort, according to a study recently published in the…
Vascular surgeons: Avoiding burnout and achieving wellness

Coaching, institutional and cultural changes, advocacy, identifying issues and banding together all can play a part in vascular surgeons’ avoiding burnout and achieving wellness. These were among the themes to come out of Invited Session 6, “Enhancing wellness in times…
Time, money and marginal utility

Like most older surgeons, my residency and trauma fellowship years at Grady Hospital— part of Emory University School of Medicine—remain a blur. With frequent, every-other-day 24-hour call, this coincided with the first three years of my oldest child’s life. As…
SVN to host virtual annual meeting July 15

The Society for Vascular Nursing (SVN) 38th Annual Conference—a virtual meeting—will be held from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Central Daylight Time Wednesday, July 15. In addition to live presentations, including the keynote address, SVN also is offering a number of…
Alarming rate of suicidal ideation among female vascular surgeons warrants urgent intervention, researchers find

Gender-based differences driving career dissatisfaction and burnout exist, viewers of the SVS ONLINE (June 20–July 2) virtual conference heard during the William J. von Liebig Forum, the first scientific session, held on opening day. And an “alarming rate of suicidal…
Burning issue: Surgeon wellness occupies central role in ONLINE agenda

As in the past few years, wellness and burnout—and how to mitigate them—remain topics of education and discussion at Society for Vascular Surgery meetings. This year, with the world in the midst of a global pandemic, is no exception. The…
Advocating for our members

COVID-19 has altered almost all of our lives to a degree previously unimaginable. Millions of Americans continue to lose their jobs, hundreds of thousands have contracted the disease and thousands have succumbed to this virus. In hard-hit states such as…

