In this episode, we explore the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) Quality Improvement (QI) Consulting Program, a free member benefit that supports vascular surgeons in designing, executing, and refining QI projects across all stages—from problem identification to dissemination.

We're joined by Dr. Samantha Minc, a vascular surgeon and faculty member at Duke University, and Dr. Ashley Vavra, an Associate Professor of Surgery at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine and chair of the SVS Quality Improvement Committee. Both bring extensive experience in vascular care and quality-focused clinical practice.

Together, they break down how the QI Consulting Program helps clinicians:

• Develop SMART goals and clear project aims

• Identify stakeholders and select appropriate methodologies

• Organize timelines and communication plans

• Track process measures and assess intervention impact

• Troubleshoot challenges and prepare presentation or publication materials

They also outline what the program does not provide—such as data analysis, formal instruction, or long-term mentorship—to help members understand its intended scope. The application process is straightforward: SVS members may apply during the first two weeks of each month, with up to five projects accepted per cycle.

This episode stresses the value of QI in vascular surgery and offers a practical, accessible overview of how the QI Consulting Program can support meaningful improvement efforts in vascular practices.

Learn more:
https://vascular.org/vascular-specialists/practice-and-quality/quality/quality-improvement-consulting-program

*Gore is a financial sponsor of this podcast, which has been independently developed by the presenters and does not constitute medical advice from Gore. Always consult the Instructions for Use (IFU) prior to using any medical device.

Audible Bleeding Editor and vascular surgery fellow Richa Kalsi (@KalsiMD) is joined by 4th year general surgery resident Sasank Kalipatnapu (@ksasank), JVS editor Dr. Audra Duncan (@ADuncanVasc), and JVS-VL editor Dr. Ruth Bush (@RuthLBush) to discuss two great articles in the JVS family of journals. Today's episode hosts Dr. Lowenkamp, Dr. Sridharan (@domenickna1), and Dr. Lin.

Articles:

• Part 1:Female patients at increased risk for adverse outcomes after acute limb ischemia (Dr. Lowenkamp & Dr. Sridharan)

• Part 2: Evaluation of factors underlying differences in venous thromboembolism rates between Black and White patients (Dr. Lin)

Show Guests

• Dr. Mikayla Lowenkamp - PGY4 Integrated Vascular Surgery Resident at the University of Pittsburgh

• Dr. Natalie Sridharan - Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

• Dr. Mary Lin - PGY3 General surgery resident at the University of Maryland School of Medicine applying into vascular surgery

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In this episode, we spotlight editorials and abstracts from the Journal of Vascular Surgery Cases, Innovations, and Techniques (JVS-CIT). Editorials and Abstracts are read by Authors as well as members of the SVS Social Media Ambassadors.You can

Guests:

Grant Lewin, MD, PGY4 SLU

1. Postoperative changes of wrist-brachial index following arteriovenous fistula implantation correlate with steal syndrome, a prospective study

1. Early and late outcomes of patient-specific endografts with retrograde outer branches for complex aortic aneurysms involving cranially oriented target vessels

1. Early reintervention for hemostasis following open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair using Ifabond surgical glue

1. Laser fenestration and shape memory polymer embolization of type II endoleaks

1. Thoracic aortic injury as a complication of spinal surgery: A new case and systematic review (1991-2024)

1. Benefit of virtual reality during visceral artery aneurysms open and endovascular surgery planning

1. Bioengineered human blood vessels to treat hospital-acquired vascular complications

Hosts:

John Culhane (@JohnCulhaneMD)

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*Gore is a financial sponsor of this podcast, which has been independently developed by the presenters and does not constitute medical advice from Gore. Always consult the Instructions for Use (IFU) prior to using any medical device.

Audible Bleeding editor Wen (@WenKawaji) is joined by 5th-year general surgery resident Sasank Kalipatnapu (@ksasank) from UMass Chan Medical School, and JVS editor Dr. Duncan (@ADuncanVasc) to discuss some of our favorite articles in the JVS family of journals. This episode hosts Dr. Newton and Dr. Goodney, the authors of the following paper.

Articles:

• Association between imaging surveillance compliance and long term outcomes after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair at Veterans Affairs Hospitals

Show Guests

• Dr. Goodney- section Chief of vascular surgery at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center as well as associate Professor at Dartmouth. Chair of the research advisory committee within the SVS quality improvement program.

• Dr. Newton- General Surgery resident at Dartmouth Health in New Hampshire.

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Jacob Soucy (@JacobWSoucy) hosts an inside look at one of the most active and collaborative vascular surgery research teams in the country, the Vascular Surgery Outcomes Research Team (VSORT) at Penn State College of Medicine.

VSORT is a dynamic academic group that brings together vascular surgery attendings, residents, postdoctoral fellows, and medical students to conduct impactful outcomes-based research. Meeting every Friday at 4 PM, the team has produced dozens of peer-reviewed manuscripts, podium presentations, and national collaborations, embodying the power of mentorship and structure in academic medicine.

In this episode, Jacob speaks with two of the key figures behind VSORT's success, Dr. Faisal Aziz and Dr. Ahsan Zil-E-Ali, to discuss how the program was founded, how it operates, and what other institutions can learn from its model.

Show Guests

Dr. Faisal Aziz (@FA_VascularMD) is the Chief of Vascular Surgery and Program Director of the Integrated Vascular Surgery Residency at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where he also serves as the Gilbert and Elsie Sealfon Endowed Professor of Surgery. A nationally recognized leader in vascular surgery, Dr. Aziz has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed publications and holds multiple national leadership roles. His work focuses on advancing surgical education, outcomes research, and mentorship within academic vascular surgery.

Dr. Ahsan Zil-E-Ali (@ahsanzileali) is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and a driving force behind VSORT's research productivity. A graduate of the University of Health Sciences in Lahore, Punjab, he has co-authored nearly 100 peer-reviewed publications and plays a central role in coordinating VSORT's data infrastructure, mentorship framework, and project pipeline. His passion for research efficiency and education continues to inspire medical students and trainees across the institution.

Resources and Social Media

Twitter: @VsortVasc, @PennStVascular
Instagram: @vsortvasc, @pennstatevascular

Special thanks to Dr. Faisal Aziz and Dr. Ahsan Zil-E-Ali for sharing their time and insight, and to the entire VSORT team for their ongoing contributions to vascular surgery research and mentorship.

Follow us @audiblebleeding for updates on upcoming episodes and new research features. Learn more about us at audiblebleeding.com/about-1 and share your feedback through our listener survey.

*Gore is a financial sponsor of this podcast, which has been independently developed by the presenters and does not constitute medical advice from Gore. Always consult the Instructions for Use (IFU) prior to using any medical device.

Audible Bleeding Editor and vascular surgery fellow Richa Kalsi (@KalsiMD) is joined by 4th year general surgery resident Joe El Badaoui (@JosephBadaouiMD), JVS editor Dr. Audra Duncan (@ADuncanVasc), and JVS-VS editor Dr. John Curci (@CurciAAA) to discuss two great articles in the JVS family of journals. The first article discusses an extensive experience using cryopreserved arterial allografts for vascular reconstruction after major oncologic surgery. The second article sheds light on nanoplastics in atherosclerotic plaques. This episode hosts Dr. Sebastian Cifuentes, Dr. Randall DeMartino (@randydemartino), Dr. Pierce Massie, and Dr. Ross Clark, the first and senior authors of these two papers.

Articles:

• Part 1:Ten-year experience using cryopreserved arterial allografts for vascular reconstruction during major oncologic surgery (Drs. Cifuentes & DeMartino)

• Part 2: Micro- and nanoplastics are elevated in femoral atherosclerotic plaques compared with undiseased arteries (Drs. Clark & Massie)

Show Guests

• Dr. Sebastian Cifuentes is a first year integrated vascular surgery resident at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI

• Dr. Randall DeMartino is a Professor of Surgery and the chair of the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN

• Dr. Pierce Massie is a general surgery resident in his research time at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque, NM

• Dr. Ross Clark is an Assistant Professor of Vascular Surgery and Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque, NM

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Audible Bleeding editor Wen (@WenKawaji) is joined by 4th year medical student Nishi (@Nishi_Vootukuru), JVS editor Dr. Duncan (@ADuncanVasc), JVS-CIT associate editor Dr. Jimenez to discuss some of our favorite articles in the JVS family of journals. This episode hosts Dr. Darling, Dr. Banks and Dr. Beck.

Articles:

• Outcomes following drug-coated balloons and drug-eluting stents in patients with peripheral arterial disease

• Fiber Optic RealShape (FORS) and three-dimensional overlay technology in preemptive segmental artery embolization to reduce the risk of spinal cord ischemia prior to fenestrated endovascular aortic aneurysm

Show Guests

• Dr. Jeremy Darling- integrated vascular surgery resident at BIDMC

• Dr. Charles Banks - integrated vascular surgery resident at UAB

• Dr. Adam Beck- Director of the division of vascular surgery and endovascular therapy, professor of surgery, director of quality and associate chief medical quality officer at the University of Alabama.

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SAVC (Section on Ambulatory Vascular Care) formed a GPO to help SVS members in private practice access competitive pricing on medical supplies, devices, pharmaceuticals, and services. The podcast episode explores the history of the collaboration, the benefits for SVS private practice members, and how they can become involved.

• Guest Info

• • Dr. Anil Hingorani is a previous President of the Eastern Vascular Society. He is currently the Chair of the Section on Ambulatory Vascular Care (SAVC) of the Society for Vascular Surgery.

  • Dr. Naveed A. Rahman, Editor, is a Vascular Surgery Fellow at the University of Maryland.

• Website Links

• SVS launches partnership to help private practice vascular surgeons cut costs

• Section on Ambulatory Vascular Care in SVS.

• How to Join the SVS - Group Purchasing Organization