As the leader in multi-specialty venous education, the American Venous Forum (AVF) Residents & Fellows Course boasts the most comprehensive fellows program focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of venous disease.
Founded over 15 years ago by Drs. Bill Marston, Tom O’Donnell, and Steve Elias, the course was brought under the AVF aegis five years ago. This course is given two times a year— the first is in the spring, which is hosted by Steve Elias at the Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, and second is in the fall at a new location each year.
This December 7-9, 2018, participants will once again gather to exchange invaluable information, techniques, and advancements in venous management at this fall’s Resident & Fellows Course at UT Health San Antonio.
With a small, intimate group of fellows from across the country, the AVF Residents & Fellows Course provides didactic and hands-on components that add to the overall educational experience. The course goal is to educate and update the fellows on the latest theories and developments in the clinical practice of vein disease management.
Industry Participants
From the beginning, the essential element in program development has been those industry participants who have provided generous education and support. By partnering with the AVF, industry representatives provide new research, product development, and technical savvy to strengthen content development, which is the hallmark of this program.
Denysse Castaneda, global product marketing manager, and Allison Nash, senior manager of fellows relations from Philips, share that, “Volcano, now Philips, has supported the AVF Fellows Course since its inception. We understand that fellows have not historically been exposed to all methodologies from their training institutions, and programs such as this fill the education gaps.
In addition, the symbiotic relationship provides the industry with early access to fellows in training, individual hands-on training, and partnership/collaboration with teaching faculty and societies. The course strengthens our relationships with the AVF, allowing us to identify faculty that we don’t know and learn about new potential faculty members for medical education.
Some of Castaneda and Nash’s favorite elements of the course include the case-based discussions that propagate numerous questions and interest. “We love seeing the enthusiasm and energy of the attendees. They want to learn more and soak in all of the information.”
Susan Smith, medical affairs manager at Boston Scientific, agreed: “Since 2015, Boston Scientific has supported the course. We are committed to providing quality education programs that allow participants to learn technical skills, increase their clinical understanding of venous disease in an effective learning environment, and interact with expert faculty and other attendees during the sessions.”
In addition, Smith adds, “the fellows who attend these courses will soon be adopting techniques for treating venous disease, and Boston Scientific wants to support them as they begin their new clinical practices.”
Attendance
So, why attend and what should you expect to get out of the course?
“Gaining experience and confidence in the diagnosis and treatment of venous disease during a fellowship varies from institution to institution,” says Smith. “The AVF Residents & Fellows program exposes the attendees to a comprehensive overview, along with interaction with faculty and industry. This enables them to return to their own institutions with more disease state awareness, as well as the knowledge needed to treat venous disease with contemporary technologies. The faculty is always very motivated to educate and broaden the understanding and need for effective treatment options for these patients.”
Dr. Golta Rasouli and Dr. Sean Mazloom, previous participants, share that, “The AVF Fellows Course was very well-structured. It was taught by many experts in the field who were genuinely interested in helping residents and fellows from various backgrounds. This shows the importance of a multi-specialty approach to treating patients with venous disorders. The active participation of attendees, group-based learning, and the case studies that were presented were invaluable. We highly recommend this course to any fellow who is interested to learn more about venous medicine and surgery.”
Course Description
The fall, 2018 course is hosted by Lori Pounds, MD, RVT, FACS, an associate professor of vascular and endovascular surgery at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio and chief of vascular surgery at Audie L. Murphy Veterans Hospital in San Antonio. She is the founding and current program director for the Vascular Surgery Fellowship.
Course specifics will include:
• Anatomy and pathophysiology of venous disorders and noninvasive diagnostics
• Chronic venous insufficiency (superficial and deep)
• Pregnancy, upper extremity venous issues, acute DVT, and wound care
• Future of venous disease
• The business of venous disease
Registration is Now Open!
The Resident & Fellows Course is still accepting registrants. Don’t miss this opportunity to attend this unique, non-CME learning experience. The course is funded through a grant program that covers registration and travel expenses. To learn more, visit www.veinforum.org and scroll down for upcoming events.
If you are interested in supporting this course as an industry partner, contact Jeffrey Mendola at [email protected].
The fall Fellows Course will be held December 7-9, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. The spring Fellows Course will be held May 19-21, 2019 in Englewood, New Jersey.
Visit www.veinforum.org for more info.
