Ralph Clement Darling III, MD, a prominent leader in vascular surgery education, describes his journey into the medical field as “circuitous” and one that almost didn’t happen. Growing up in Boston, he was the son of a well-known vascular surgeon and worked alongside his father as an operating room technician from the age of 15 throughout his college years. In an act of adolescent rebellion, he vowed not to enter the same profession as his father; however, he ultimately followed in his footsteps and became a second-generation vascular surgeon. Today, Dr. Darling serves as the division chief of Vascular Surgery at Albany Medical Center and has been with the institution for the past 35 years.
“I've been fortunate to be in this institution with incredibly intelligent people who have made me better than I am,” said Dr. Darling.
When he first arrived, Albany gained recognition for its unique techniques, including the in-situ bypass (ISB), a procedure utilizing a natural or synthetic graft to create a surgical bypass for lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The center covers areas stretching from Canada to Westchester and into Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Dr. Darling credits the group as the first to adopt the hub-and-spoke organization design for vascular surgery, which helped them become one of the largest vascular networks in the nation for a time.
"That's the legacy, is working together as a group, realizing that you need a team to do vascular surgery, which includes nurses, technologists, support staff," said Dr. Darling. "It's just not the hands and skills of the surgeon, but it's the cohesiveness of the team that makes you great."
He completed a fellowship in vascular surgery at Albany Medical Center and his residency at Harvard Deaconess in Boston. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and has served as the past president of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS), as well as the New England and Eastern Vascular and Endovascular Society.
Dr. Darling has been married for 45 years to his wife, who supports him in both work and life. Together, they have three children, one of whom is currently pursuing a career in medicine as a fourth-year vascular surgery resident in Boston.
In his career, Dr. Darling has lectured on various topics worldwide and authored over 240 peer-reviewed papers and 150 book chapters. In 2022, he was inducted into the ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators, an honor that recognizes surgeon educators who have dedicated their lives to their specialties.
The advice he would give to his younger self at the start of his career is to observe his surroundings more closely to absorb knowledge. During his time as an operating room technician, he learned that watching the actions of others, both the positive and the negative, can provide valuable insights. While being proactive and participating in cases is essential, he now understands that there is much to learn from assisting and observing others.
Dr. Darling has witnessed the evolution of the SVS Foundation from an academic organization to one that serves all vascular surgeons and their patients. Contributing to the SVS Foundation is significant for Dr. Darling during Vascular Legacy Month to support ongoing programs and develop new initiatives in the future. He recognizes that becoming a skilled surgeon takes considerable time and experience.
“We have lifelong relationships with our patients and are valued as experts in vascular health and disease. The SVS Foundation supports everyone from the young academic researcher to the community vascular surgeon who uses a seed grant to provide care to underserved populations. We are all part of the same team,” said Dr. Darling.
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