Innovating on Educational Meetings (on site at Paris Vascular Insights)

The doctors are on site at Paris Vascular Insights, a conference where interactivity is built into every session. Dr. Van Herzeele speaks about the importance of offering hands-on skills workshops in addition to traditional lectures. She believes that interactive learning is essential for all trainees. Additionally, skill development involves collaboration between industry and clinicians. She also emphasizes the importance of brief case-based lectures that spark discussion and encourage audience members to ask questions. The doctors mention the difficulties involved with encouraging audience participation, such as language barriers and fear of judgment. To address these challenges, it is important to create a safe environment that is conducive to learning, since clarification in a training session would yield better patient outcomes.

Dr. Van Herzeele also discusses the experience of women in vascular surgery. She recognizes the importance of a support system, which includes family and flexible training methods. One important training modality is virtual simulation. Online modules and skills kits can provide a way for all trainees, but especially women, to learn new skills or keep up with surgical and endovascular skills when they are not able to be in the hospital. She stresses that simulation is a complement and preparation for real life training, not a substitute.

Finally, the doctors discuss education in the open surgery and endovascular fields. As vascular procedures are becoming more innovative and diverse, proceduralists have started to subspecialize to lean more heavily on endovascular or open procedures, depending on where they train. Dr. Van Heerzeele believes that vascular surgeons can specialize; however, they should maintain both sets of skills and be able to take call and perform the appropriate procedure in the event of an emergency. Additionally, collaborations between physicians in all vascular fields and different vascular care centers are necessary to ensure the best patient care.