Society Communications: 2024 Committee Updates

Marketing and Communications Committee Update

Kevin P Cohoon, DO, FSVM (Chair); Roger T Tomihama, MD, FSVM, MBA (Co-Chair); Nichole E Brunton, DO; Stanislav Henkin, MD, MPH, FSVM; Deborah Hornacek, MD, FSVM; Mateo Porres-Aguilar, MD, FSVM; Sneha E Thomas, MD

The Marketing and Communications Committee, led by Drs Kevin Cohoon (Chair) and Roger T Tomihama (Co-Chair), is dedicated to keeping members informed with updates from other Society for Vascular Medicine (SVM) committees to ensure transparency and foster a sense of community within our organization through its activities, including the blue pages of Vascular Medicine.

On behalf of the SVM Marketing and Communications Committee, we sincerely thank all SVM members who engaged in the recent poll regarding the blue pages content. Your participation in the survey has been instrumental in guiding the selection of topics to be included in future blue pages. The survey received a 9% response rate, and 77% of respondents reported reading the blue pages section of Vascular Medicine. The poll responses revealed that the SVM members are most interested in reading about vascular medicine practice tools (83.78%), followed by: SVM committee updates (55.41%); training, career, and membership (48.65%); international perspectives (41.89%); SVM membership spotlights (40.54%); and business development (33.78%).

This committee is dedicated to delivering content that addresses the needs and interests of SVM members, empowering members to thrive in vascular medicine. Stay tuned for more exciting updates and enriching content in future editions of the blue pages.

Research, Quality, and Publications (RQP) Committee Update

Daniella Kadian-Dodov, MD, FSVM (Chair); Islam Elgendy, MD, FSVM (Co-Chair); Batool J Abuhalimeh, MD; Behnood Bikdeli, MD, FSVM; Ulf Bronas, PhD, FSVM; Matthew Bunte, MD, FSVM; Saurav Chatterjee, MD, FSVM; Kamal Gupta, MD, FSVM; Shea Hogan, MD; Damon Houghton, MD, FSVM; Wenzhu Li, MD, FSVM; Carlos Mena-Hurtado, MD, FSVM; Debabrata Mukherjee, MD, FSVM; Jennifer Rymer, MD, MBA, MHS; Sanjum Sethi, MD; Sneha Thomas, MD; Farina M Yusoff, MD, FSVM

The Research, Quality, and Publications (RQP) Committee serves to promote and advance research in vascular medicine, improve quality patient care, and to develop publications or facilitate endorsements from the SVM. The Committee Chair, Dr Daniella Kadian-Dodov, was tasked by SVM past-president Dr Herb Aronow to create a manual of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure consistency, methodological stringency, and transparency in the development and endorsement of the Society’s documents. This effort was led by Co-Chairs Drs Carlos Mena-Hurtado and Debabrata Mukherjee. An executive summary of the SOP for SVM publications is published in this issue of the Journal. ¹ This SOP shall serve to provide a framework for upcoming documents, including the SVM-lead position statement that is currently in development on Research Gaps in Peripheral Artery Disease (chaired by Drs Marc Bonaca and Mary McDermott).

Fellowship Committee Update

Robert Eberhardt, MD, FSVM (Chair); Leben Tefera, MD, FSVM (Co-Chair); Maria Teresa Abola, MD, MSVM; Geoff Barnes, MD, FSVM; Eri Fukaya, MD, FSVM; Kamal Gupta, MD, FSVM; Naomi Hamburg, MD, FSVM; Minhaj Khaja, MD, MBA, FSVM; Bryan Wells, MD, FSVM; R Eugene Zierler, MD, FSVM

The Vascular Medicine Fellowship Training Committee has been busy with several activities over the past year. The committee has been led by Drs Robert Eberhardt (Chair) and Leben Tefera (Co-Chair) and has members including Drs Maria Teresa Abola, Geoff Barnes, Eri Fukaya, Kamal Gupta, Naomi Hamburg, Minhaj Khaja, Bryan Wells, and Eugene Zierler. The committee’s key accomplishments have included the creation of a ‘Vascular Medicine Fellowship Training Program Toolkit’ and holding a virtual program directors’ meeting. In addition, the group was instrumental in developing the concept of, and several of its members, including Geoff Barnes and Naomi Hamburg, were essential in the foundation of the Jaff Leadership Academy.

The SVM Vascular Medicine Fellowship Training Program Toolkit was designed to provide guidance and useful tools for those developing or enhancing a vascular medicine fellowship training program. The sections were created to cover the essential elements required for a formal program description, including the following: Recruitment and Selection, Clinical and Educational Structure, Core Curriculum, Evaluation Process, and Funding. The toolkit was released on the SVM website on May 13, 2024. ² There was a robust response from SVM membership to view the toolkit and its content. The toolkit is intended to be rapidly modifiable as new content is developed. This includes plans to update the content of the core curriculum’s listed reference documents on a routine periodic basis. In addition, members of the Society may submit content for the various sections to be considered for addition.

The committee held a virtual program directors’ meeting on April 10, 2024. There were approximately 16 programs represented at the meeting. Dr Aditya Sharma reviewed results of a prior SVM program directors’ survey. This included the program directors’ responses to questions pertaining to the fellowship application, interview, and selection process; fellowship funding and resources; rotations and education structure; core curriculum; evaluation process; and program needs. We then conducted a roundtable discussion to identify current program issues and develop content ideas for an in-person program directors’ meeting at the SVM annual meeting and other activities. Several issues arose but key among them, aside from the ongoing funding issues, was the need for a central repository of extramural rotations and to provide assistance with standardizing the fellowship application process.

The committee is currently planning the in-person program directors’ meeting to be held at the SVM Vascular Scientific Sessions in Houston, Texas on Thursday September 19, 2024. The committee is developing educational content but plans to highlight issues of leadership development, diversity, equity and inclusion, and presentation optimization. The meeting will also serve as a networking and community-building opportunity among the leadership of the vascular medicine fellowship programs.

There are several other projects that are being considered for potential development by the committee. These include issues raised by the program directors at the virtual program directors’ meeting: developing a process to provide support for the application process for vascular medicine fellowships and the creation of a repository for extramural rotations. The committee is looking forward to helping support training programs and encourages interested Society members to inquire about joining.

Membership Committee Update

Aditya Sharma, MBBS, FSVM (Chair); Minhaj Khaja, MD, MBA, FSVM (Co-Chair); Leili Behrooz, MD, MPH; Jay Bishop, MD, FSVM; Ana Casanegra, MD, FSVM; Morteza Chitsazan, DO, FSVM; Alejandro Godoy, MD; Katherine Hays, DNP, FSVM; Samer Kazziha, MD, FSVM; Tabitha Lobo, MD; Ryan Mays, PhD, MPH, FSVM; Leben Tefera, MD, FSVM; Danielle Vlazny, PA-C, MS, FSVM; R Eugene Zierler, MD, FSVM

The Membership Committee is led by Drs Aditya Sharma (Chair) and Minhaj Khaja (Co-Chair). This committee is thrilled to introduce the new SVM International Membership! This exciting initiative aims to expand our global community by offering an affordable and enriching membership option for vascular professionals worldwide. Spread the word and help us foster global collaboration in vascular medicine.

Key highlights of International Membership:

For more information about International Membership, and other membership categories, please visit the Membership page on the Society’s website at www.vascularmed.org/membership.