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Vascular Surgery Fellowship

Welcome from Our Program Director

We are delighted you are considering training with us at the University of Utah’s Vascular Surgery Fellowship Program. We offer a two-year, ACGME-accredited training program that begins on August 1 of each academic year. 

We are proud of our role as the only group of academic vascular surgeons serving the Mountain West – the largest geographical area in the United States served by a single university medical center. Our surgeons are part of a multidisciplinary team of specialists who provide the highest quality medical, surgical, endovascular, and radiological care required to treat our patient’s complex needs. We offer balanced operative training in traditional open and innovative endovascular techniques, including open aortic case volumes in the 90th percentile for vascular surgery fellowship programs nationally. 

With two main rotation sites at the University of Utah and Intermountain Medical Center, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from leaders at the cutting edge of practice and research who are dedicated to your education and success. We are confident that the first-class educational experience we offer at the University of Utah will provide you with the knowledge, experience, and mentorship you’ll need to launch a successful career in vascular surgery.

- Program Director: Brigitte Smith, MD, MHPE, FACS, FSVS

About the Program

The Division of Vascular Surgery Fellowship provides fellows with a dynamic educational experience, preparing them for a successful career. The program consists of faculty members at the University of Utah and Intermountain Healthcare (IHC). We have ten advanced practice clinicians at the University of Utah and six at IHC. Fellows rotate training between the University and IMC, spending six months at each location each year. Call duties are shared by the two fellows, and night call is taken from home.

Apply to the Program

Applications are accepted via the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS), and our program participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Fellowship interviews for the 2025 Match will be held in early spring 2024 and will be virtual. Please check back soon for exact dates.

For any questions regarding fellowship applications or verifications, please contact fellowship manager Emily Johnson via email at emily.johnson@hsc.utah.edu

Rotation Site Highlights

With two main rotation sites at the University of Utah and Intermountain Medical Center, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from leaders at the cutting edge of practice and research who are dedicated to your education and success. Explore our rotation site highlights below.

    • Vizient Quality Ranking: #4 inpatient care, #2 ambulatory care
      • Among nation’s top 10 for 12 years in a row
    • Participation in 10 VQI Registries
      • Awarded 3-Star rating (highest possible) since 2016
      • Division Chief Dr. Benjamin Brooke serves as a mentor for the national VQI Fellow In Training Program
    • 7 academic faculty and a nationally recognized research team
    • 10 APCs who cover nights; fellows take call from home
    • Level 1 Trauma Center
    • Case volume and variety:
      • University: average 100 cases / month (and growing)
      • Open infra-renal aortic aneurysm repair
      • Ruptured – Average 10, 96th percentile
      • Elective – Average 18, 95th percentile
      • Abdominal Obstructive
      • Average 28, 91st percentile
      • Trauma
    • Aortic Disease Program for complex aortic cases 
      • 140 circulatory arrest open arch replacement cases since 2016
      • Increasing referral base of chronic dissection, need for reoperative arch replacement
      • 15-20 TEVAR cases per year
      • Routine co-surgeon staffing (CT/Vascular)
      • 73 abdominal aortic repairs over the past two years
      • Fenestrated/branched abdominal cases
        • Iliac branch, thoracic branch
      • 150 TAVR cases per year (increasing) 
      • Rapid volume increase with ongoing growth over past 12 months, current volume two to three per month elective and urgent
    • Complex Endoaortic Program
      • Failed EVAR, thoracoabdominal, juxtarenal pathology
    • Locations:
      • University Hospital
        • Hybrid OR x2
        • Cath Lab
        • Ambulatory Care Center
      • Huntsman Cancer Hospital (on campus)
      • Primary Children’s Hospital (on campus)
      • South Jordan and Farmington outpatient clinics

         
    • Veteran APP team sharing call
    • Inpatient cases, clinic, robust vascular lab, and busy outpatient vein center
    • Level 1 Trauma Center (4000+ admits per year, 15% penetrating)
    • 2022 Transplant Volume:
      • 29 heart, 104 liver, 168 Kidney
    • Cardiogenic Shock Program
    • Over 400 Transcatheter valve procedures per year
    • Intermountain Aortic Center
      • Approaching 20th year anniversary (established 2004)
      • 140+ aortic procedures in 2022 (excluding open AVR)
      • Arch and thoracic work co-staffed with CT surgery
        • First TBE deployment in intermountain region outside of clinical trial 
      • Annual aortic symposium
      • Principle site for CYDAR--cloud-based fusion and AI decision tool starting Q2 2024 (one of 20 in U.S. and 40 globally)
         

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    Fellowship Director

    Brigitte K. Smith, MD, MHPE, FACS, FSVS

    50 North Medical Drive
    Surgery 3B110 SOM
    Salt Lake City, UT 84132