Vascular Surgery vs Interventional radiology

[henslice]

Has anyone considered both specialties? What were the factors that you weighed before you made a decision? Any insight into the fight for endovascular procedures? Thanks in advance.

[NLengr]

On 05/01/2018 at 10:28 PM, henslice said:

Has anyone considered both specialties? What were the factors that you weighed before you made a decision? Any insight into the fight for endovascular procedures? Thanks in advance.

Biggest question: do you want to do surgery (like open surgery) or do you just want to do smaller procedures (no IR guy is gonna be opening a belly). Conversely, would you be happy doing basic radiology a few days a week?

Vascular surgery where I trained did all the endovascular grafts without any radiologists. Ballooning and stents were done by IR. I think it's still pretty center dependent but every surgical specialty has learned from cardiac survey's mistakes. Nobody will be giving up new technology to non surgical specialties without a fight. 

[MDLaval]

On 5/1/2018 at 8:58 PM, henslice said:

Has anyone considered both specialties? What were the factors that you weighed before you made a decision? Any insight into the fight for endovascular procedures? Thanks in advance.

I did. But since what I actually liked the most in Vascular was the Endovascular part of it, it became pretty clear to me that Diagnostic Radiology (then IR) HAD to be my 1st choice.

Agree with NLengr: it's pretty center dependent.