Dr. Venita Chandra has some simple advice for those mulling membership in the Society for Vascular Surgery: Don’t hesitate. At all.
“Once you’re in, you can do as much as you want to do, and get as much out of it as you wish,” said Dr. Chandra, a new, full member since 2016 and a clinical assistant professor of surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. “But even a little bit of involvement plugs you into a wealth of resources and this amazing community that comes with SVS.”
Active participation, she said, enhances the specialty on multiple levels. At the same time, for members, “It’s helpful for one’s career on multiple fronts. There are the technical advancements, of course, plus social aspects and networking. All those, I believe, enhance one’s longevity in the field.”
She began participating while a fellow, attending the Vascular Annual Meeting, including helping with resident activities, getting to know SVS members and presenting on a plenary session. “I appreciated then and still do how small of a community vascular surgery is,” she said. “It takes only a little bit of effort to participate, and you can get to know a lot of people in the field.
Her early involvement increased her awareness of the Society as a community. Her participation grew; as both a candidate member and then an active member. She served first on the Leadership Development and Diversity Committee and currently on the Young Surgeons Advisory Committee.
Then there’s the Vascular Annual Meeting … During VAM 2016, she delivered a post-graduation lecture, made a presentation to residents and fellows on interviewing, helped with the simulation activities, presented an interactive poster entry, debated at an industry session and served as a mentor. During the 2017 meeting, she will lead the poster competition (without competing, of course) and expects to be involved in a number of other events as well.
She encourages prospective members to follow her lead and leap in. “Interaction with others in your community and your field can only enhance learning,” she said. Being a member is worth so much, she said, adding, “It’s kind of simple. And it’s fun.”