Jose I. Almeida, MD

A colleague had this to say: “Jose has dedicated his life to advancing phlebology education for all who seek it - regardless of their medical backgrounds.”

Where do you see the specialty of phlebology in 5 years? 10 years?

The specialty should continue to evolve into a cohesive organization, with a clearly recognized scope of practice by the general public.

A decade ago, few would have foreseen the crossover in types of vein treatments being offered at other specialty practices. Where do you think the next big movement is going to be and how will it affect vein practice?

More free-standing vein centers with a clear mission - the comprehensive care of the venous patient- will be present in all urban, and perhaps rural, areas.

In your opinion, which area of research is yielding the most advancement in the field?

Endovenous thermal and chemical ablation

What technological advances are contributing to the quality of vein treatment that most excite you?

ultrasound

How does the current state of health insurance affect you{r practice} and what are the pitfalls?

The mission of insurance carriers is to make money - a direct conflict of interest with patient care.

Are you involved in leading or teaching educational symposiums at clinics, hospitals, universities, etc? Please share your experiences.

Course director for the International Vein Congress (IVC) and the Venous Masters Practicum (VMP): hands-on training in the Dominican Republic.

Have you been actively involved in any public awareness campaigns? Please give us the details on how the campaign was structured, examples of campaign materials and the response received from the community in which you practice.

We provide free care for patients who participate in clinical trials and educational meetings. These have been numerous during the past 10 years.

You are well-known in your field of work. What is something about you that would surprise your colleagues?

I am a 3rd degree black belt in karate, 1st degree black belt in taekwondo, and a competitive bodybuilder.

What made you decide to work in phlebology and what do you wish you had known before you did?

It is the most underserved area of vascular surgery. I wish I new earlier how much fun it was.

If you could share one bit of advice with a rookie, what would it be?

Keep patient satisfaction at the forefront and everything else will fall into place.

If you could do anything else for a living, what would it be? Why?

Particle physicist- seems to be where many of the answers are to life's mysteries are.