An Educator of Educators: Dr. Frank J. Veith's Commitment to Vascular Surgery
Devin
Surgery
by Devin Zarkowsky, Chair, SVS Medical Student Section Governing
Council
Modern evolutionary synthesis connects Mendelian genetic principals to
Darwin's natural selection theory. Dr. Frank J. Veith outlined
pressures facing vascular surgery in a changing environment following
the introduction of endovascular techniques in his 1996 Society for
Vascular Surgery Presidential Address entitled "Charles Darwin and
Vascular Surgery."
One of the first adopters in the United States and an evangelist for
this technology, Dr. Veith foresaw the competitive advantage minimally-
invasive proficiency offered vascular surgeons and prodded colleagues
from the presidential platform to follow his lead. Today, endovascular
skills are indispensable in treating peripheral vascular disease.
"Publishing good articles helped justify this and other techniques I
worked on," said Dr. Veith.
Research was important to Dr. Veith throughout his medical education.
"I was always inclined to publish, but I had no idea where my career
would take me," said Dr. Veith. Trained as a general surgeon, Dr.
Veith found his way to transplant surgery in the 1960s and developed a
single-lung transplant procedure.
The New York Times details a case in 1982 coinciding with the newly-
proven success of cyclosporine in improving patients' prognoses. Even
with this immunosuppressant, donor populations restricted transplant
medicine. "I wanted to do more clinical surgery and vascular surgery
was the way," explained Dr. Veith. Advances in limb-saving bypasses
and stent grafts followed. Long since establishing himself as an
influential figure in the field, Dr. Veith is unwilling to relinquish
the evolution of vascular surgery to happenstance, bringing
considerable will and orchestration to bear on ensuring its future.
His most visible effort is the VEITHsymposium. Marking its 36th year,
the VEITHsymposium, held Nov. 18-22, 2009 at the New York City Hilton,
is the nexus where the international vascular surgery community cross-
pollinates. "This year's conference looks great," said Dr. Veith.
"There are a lot of new developments and some controversial
presentations."
Each of the five days focuses on a vascular disease topic. A complete
program is available at veithsymposium.org. Faculty, numbering more
than 450 this year, moderate and present during sessions comprising
rapid-fire five-minute presentations - though the breadth and pace may
daunt attendees. "The more you attend, the better," Dr. Veith
encouraged. He views meetings as a timely instrument, disseminating
innovation, and informing any scientific discipline, "A textbook is
five years behind, a journal article two. Meetings are immediate."
Maintaining current knowledge challenges all physicians and surgeons.
Gone are the "Grand Old Men," who ended their careers as vessels
filled full with all the medical science ever produced. Recognizing
competing pressures in the modern practitioner's career, Dr. Veith
invites his responsibility as educator of educators and looks to ease
this process.
Industry relationships occupy a key role, "We couldn't have a meeting
like this with 450 speakers without industry support. To think a
practicing surgeon will pay more than they already pay to come is
unreasonable. The people that suffer will be patients treated by
physicians that are not up-to-date," he said.
Equivocal opinions regarding physician interactions with corporate
interests enliven Dr. Veith and are a topic he touched on in his
address at the Association of Chairs in Vascular Surgery Meeting that
was held during the Society for Vascular Surgery's 2009 Vascular
Annual Meeting. As an economic question, he finds business
relationships with device manufacturers unavoidable, but not one that
necessarily impugns a doctor's patient care.
Elaborating, Dr. Veith highlights VEITHsymposium presentations
opposing sponsors' interests' and debates between faculty and
attendees that further elucidate competing viewpoints. Ignoring this
co-dependence is, according to Dr. Veith, denying a dilemma that
challenges character, a universal challenge best approached through
thoughtfulness.
"Act ethically, be wary, use self control and declare your interests.
Confronting the ethical climate in the country is of paramount
importance, not just in medicine, but in government, business, and
law," said Dr. Veith.