Forging ahead with a new identity and planning for VRIC 2021

Jan 03, 2021 Re-posted from the January 2021 issue of Vascular Specialist

By Beth Bales

The Basic and Translational Research Committee (BTRC) is the new name of the former Research and Education Committee. The name change reflects the charge to help encourage surgeon applicants dedicated to basic and translational discovery in vascular science. “We are a diverse group of young and established vascular surgeon-investigators with broad expertise in vascular science,” says committee chair Luke P. Brewster, MD.

“For 2021, we are very excited to bring our Vascular Research Initiatives Conference (VRIC) to our SVS constituents and the vascular science community broadly in a virtual platform.”

This will occur in two, two-hour sessions, and all accepted abstracts have the opportunity to be published in JVS-Vascular Science.

The committee has been preparing for this pivot to a virtual platform, setting the dates for Wednesday, April 28, and Thursday, May 6. Both sessions will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Central Time.

“In addition to highlighting important advances in vascular science, we will be emphasizing trainee presentations. Please consider submitting your science and attending our Virtual VRIC 2021,” adds Brewster.

Tags
Vascular Specialist

Related Articles

Education and Representation at the Core of Inclusivity Efforts for DEI Committe

This article was published in the October issue of Vascular Specialist.

The Society for Vascular Surgery’s (SVS) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee continues to make strides in advancing inclusivity within the organization, with several projects underway to address both ongoing challenges and new opportunities.

Why donate to the SVS PAC?

A few years ago, in his presidential address to the Midwestern Vascular Surgical Society, Mark Mattos, MD, spoke eloquently about the need to “protect our specialty.” A large part of this, he argued, is protecting our patients; no other specialty in medicine can provide the type of comprehensive vascular care that we offer. The daily reality we all face is the potential for declining Medicare reimbursement for our services.

Progress made during year like no other

While the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects dominated 2020–21 fiscal year—including the cancellation of the live 2020 Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM)—it did not deter progress on many important initiatives. “When covid hit, it intensified our focus on what was truly important: our members, their patients and the SVS as their Society,” said Executive Director Kenneth M. Slaw, PhD. “That focus was sustained the past 15 months and it has led to innovation and an unprecedented volume of member value programs.” He outlined important highlights from the fiscal year that ended March 31—just more than a year after the pandemic was declared—and the vital initiatives that continue to move forward.