PD Member of the Month

Jonathan Cardella, MD

Program Director, Associate Professor

Yale University

What is your personal background in vascular surgery education (how long have you worked in the vascular field, why did you choose vascular surgery, etc.)?

I am 14 years in practice, 5 in Canada in 9 in the US. I was involved as site director in Canada from day 1 and founded and endo skills course in Canada in 2012. I started at Yale in 2015 as APD and PD in 2018. I chose vascular for 2 reasons. The first is the outcome of a procedure is very dependent on the technical execution. I also really enjoy working with other surgeons as firefighter or planned as in Oncovascular Surgery.

What is the most rewarding part of your job? as a vascular surgery Program Director? What is the most challenging part of your job?

Rewarding: Seeing a resident advance through and watch them move from an intern with little experience and knowledge to essentially a junior partner.

Challenge: 1) Struggling residents 2) my own personality, in that I mean trying to adapt to different learners and generations

What are your personal goals within the vascular field?

I would like to advance education locally and nationally through leadership roles in education. Clinically, we are prepared to roll out a formal oncovascular program and I am excited about that.

If you had a blank check to change medical education in America, what would you do first?

A revamp of EPIC, charting and various stresses of the medical record that are important to check boxes for billing, JACHO, various hospital committees but significantly draw on education. This would also change how we get paid, but with a change in that we could enhance medical education.

From your perspective, what qualities make a successful vascular surgery applicant?

Understanding that in the words of Dire Straits "sometimes you are the Louisville Slugger and sometimes you are the ball". I don't think that's different for an attending.

What is a "fun fact" about yourself that you would like others to know?

Hmmmm. I used to golf a lot. I am Canadian. I used to play college baseball. Maybe I am just not that fun anymore? I suppose I need to change that.