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In this issue:
JUNE 2024 Volume 20 Number 6
2 F rom the editor Malachi Sheahan III ruminates on a developing “House of Cards”
12 A dvocacy SVS PAC and advocating for excellency in vascular healthcare
10 C orner Stitch Women in leadership: It matters to trainees too, says Saranya Sundaram
15 Innovation ‘The forgotten stepchild of vascular surgery’: Pushing forward venous disease
THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE VAM 2024
Presidential welcome
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CRAWFORD FORUM
It is with great excitement and anticipation that I welcome you to the Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM), taking place from June 19–22 in the city of Chicago. This year’s meeting promises to be an exceptional convergence of the brightest minds and most dedicated practitioners in vascular surgery (writes Joseph L. Mills, MD). VAM 2024 is not just another conference—it’s a dynamic gathering where innovation meets expertise. Over four days, we will offer premier educational sessions, groundbreaking research presentations and interactive panel discussions. This year’s program is designed to ignite your curiosity and fuel your passion for excellence in vascular care. As we look forward to the meeting, we also mark the end of an era for two of our distinguished colleagues. Andres Schanzer, MD, who has been an integral part of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) Program Committee for the past decade and served as the VAM program chair, will be concluding his term. Likewise, William Robinson, MD, who has been a cornerstone of the Postgraduate Education Committee (PGEC), will be finishing his term. Their contributions have been invaluable, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for their dedication and leadership. One of the highlights of VAM will be the inaugural SVS Keynote Speaker Series, headlined by Karith Foster, the CEO of Inversity Solutions. Her insights
Verified vascular! Quality care in vascular disease will form a central backdrop to this year’s Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM). By Kristin Spencer and Bryan Kay
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T
he Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) and American College of Surgeons (ACS) Vascular Verification Program (Vascular-VP) will be a central focus on VAM 2024 opening day as the topic of the E. Stanley Crawford Critical Issues Forum. The Crawford Forum, traditionally put together by the SVS president-elect, drills into the existential issues facing vascular surgery, with quality in vascular care being an ever-increasing priority for the SVS. This year’s incoming President Matthew Eagleton (pictured inset, above), MD, has assembled an experienced cast of speakers under the moniker: Quality Care
Everywhere. Following a short introduction from Eagleton, Clifford Y. Ko, MD, the director of the Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care at the ACS, will open the session with an overview of the ACS’ quality initiative, quality campaign, and its collaborations with specialty organizations. Anton N. Sidawy, MD, a former SVS president and one of the driving forces behind the VascularVP, will then outline how the vascular-specific quality program came about. Sidawy will be followed by R. Clement Darling III, MD,
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