In this section, you will find newsletters, as well as comments received from practicing vascular surgeons.

• Fred A. Weaver, M.D., M.M.M., Professor & Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery & Endovascular Therapy, University of Southern California discussed two specific items:  An RRC for vascular surgery & the elimination of the minimum number of vascular surgery cases for the general surgery residents.  In addition, the ABS needs to be quite emphatic that with the new primary certificate that only those with that certificate or added qualifications certificate are qualified to care for vascular surgery patients & perform vascular surgery procedures. Click to read full text ....

• Pay for Performance & the Vascular Surgeon - September 2005, MEDSCAPE

Response to MEDSCAPE Commentary from Constantine A. Papas, MD, FACS

El Paso, TX

I congratulate Dr. Veith for his guts and intellectual honesty. The ABS through the ABMS has fought vehemently over the years regarding the establishment of an independent Board of Vascular Surgery.

It is all about power, control, and politics. Vascular Surgeons have been treated by the ABS as surgical bastards or beggars. When I received my first certificate in 1985, I was certified, "as having special qualifications in general vascular surgery." Why not board certification in vascular surgery? Why the word "general?" When I was re certified in 1993 things became even worse. The certificate was reduced to half the size of the original! This is an indication how much respect the ABS has for vascular surgeons.

The ABS over the years has made a systematic effort to denigrate and diminish the specialty of vascular surgery. Every general surgeon can do it. After all, vascular surgery is one of the main components of all ACGME approved general surgery residency programs!

There are more general surgeons doing colectomies and hemorrhoidectomies than AAAs and CEAs. Why the ABS never objected to the establishment of ABCRS?

I am no longer in practice but I hope to see soon the establishment of a full and independent American Board of Vascular Surgery. It is just about time quality supersedes general surgery politics and "old men's" turf mentality.

• ECRI Health Technology Trends September 2005,     Page 7: "Vascular surgeons continue drive to establish independent board"

•Endovascular Today - April 2005

• Physician Weekly April 2005

• New York Times March 18, 2005

• New York Times - February 11, 2005

• ECRI Health Technology Trends January 2005

• The Wall Street Journal: December 2003

The 24% Factor Listen to a recent talk by Dr. Robert Hobson on an issue critical to the future of vascular surgery. This talk deals with the problem of the control of vascular surgery organizations in the United States by a 24% miniority who takes actions contrary to the wishes of 3 out of 4 vascular surgeons.