I didn’t think I’d choose surgery as a career. While in the pre-clinical phase of medical school, and throughout much of graduate school, I was focused on
pursuing a non-surgical career. I had retained a lingering interest in graduate school, however, on vascular endothelial angiogenesis and its biophysical underpinnings. I began searching for fields of medicine that would support a research career in this field of study and that also treated patients for whom breakthroughs in this study could benefit. Vascular surgery stood out to me, although I was apprehensive at first of the training length. What changed my mind was exposure to the various things that vascular surgeons do – from the extensive open operations to the endovascular options and the fact that very few parts of the body are off-limits to intervention. I had the opportunity to visit VAM 2014 in Boston as a medical student on scholarship and enjoyed the collegiality I witnessed and the research endeavors represented among the posters. The clinical case mix, skills acquisition and research opportunities confirmed to me that I had finally found my career home.
To this end, I positioned myself in ways that would enable me to carve out the career phenotype that I found fulfilling. I began to work closely with the Dartmouth group, where I was a medical student, to engage in meaningful basic science research and was fortunate to be awarded a student research fellowship in 2015 under the tutelage of Dr. Eva Rzucidlo. From there, I did all the other things that are needed, including sub-internships, reading about the field and gaining advice from mentors at Dartmouth. It was wonderful to feel welcomed into a field of surgery that seemed to seek what I sought: innovative ways to solve critical vascular problems.
When I ponder my journey so far, there have been many experiences (good, neutral and bad) but overall, I am inspired by the people who gave me a chance, who continue to push me to be my best and who genuinely believe in me – especially during times when I don’t believe in myself. I’ve come to believe that a ‘confidence transfer’ is the biggest gift anyone can impart to a learner – believing in their ability to do hard and difficult things, such as becoming a vascular surgeon. I’m not there yet (I still have to graduate) but I’m grateful to be closer to the finish line than when I started. This is my first guiding principle.
The second principle I try to keep is to truly listen to others – striving to hear what is said and what is not said, understanding that I, like everyone else, have blind spots that are colored by my own experiences. I keep this as a reminder of how I want to treat my patients, my colleagues and my juniors who are within my sphere of influence. This principle helps me interact adaptively with the diverse patient population and mentors that I’ve had along the way.
Finally, I’m grateful to be where I am as a trainee at the University of Michigan’s Integrated Vascular Surgery Residency program and I genuinely look forward to what the future holds within the vascular surgical field for me as a surgeon-scientist.
Dr. Audu's profile was created in collaboration with the Voices of Vascular Series. Join the SVS and SVS Foundation as we honor celebratory months by sharing facts, highlighting SVS members and more. Visit the Voices of Vascular page to learn more.