UAB Division of Vascular Surgery integrated resident Joseph Chitwood, M.D., was awarded the Founder's Award at this year’s Southern Association of Vascular Surgery (SAVS) annual meeting for his project entitled “Trainee impact on postoperative outcomes for open and endovascular aortic repair in the vascular quality initiative.”
“The Integrated Vascular Surgery Residency program at UAB has been very supportive of my research by providing the resources and mentorship needed to submit high-quality abstracts. At UAB, we have access to many comprehensive databases and quality initiatives that allow for impactful projects, such as the one that received the Founder's Award,” says Chitwood.
Chitwood earned his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine and then entered the five-year Integrated Vascular Surgery Residency Program at UAB. He was drawn to UAB for its research opportunities and excellent mentorship and decided to dedicate 2 years of academic development time to research during his clinical training.
"Our residency program takes great pride in the accomplishments of Dr. Chitwood, and we believe that this award reflects his commitment to becoming an exceptional vascular surgeon leader. The SAVS Founder's Award is a significant recognition, given to the highest-scoring abstract presented at the meeting. We are confident that this is just the beginning of many successful endeavors for Dr. Chitwood," said UAB Integrated Vascular Surgery Residency Program Director Benjamin Pearce, M.D.
About the Southern Association of Vascular Surgery
The Southern Association of Vascular Surgery (SAVS) is a surgical association with over 500 members that promotes the art and science of vascular surgery and advances education in the comprehensive care of patients with vascular diseases. The SAVS represents the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington DC. Dr. Adam Beck, Division Director of UAB Vascular surgery is the President-elect of the SAVS.