At UPMC, we offer comprehensive training programs designed to cultivate the next generation of vascular surgeons. Our programs include an accredited five-year residency and an accredited two-year fellowship.
With a focus on cutting-edge technology and research, we provide our residents and fellows with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in the field of vascular surgery. Join us at UPMC to embark on a journey of excellence and innovation in patient care.
The five-year residency program is a recent training paradigm approved by the ACGME that leads to certification in vascular surgery. We were granted two slots for the program and our first two residents started in 2007. The program is designed to train well-rounded vascular specialists with expertise in clinical and academic vascular care provides exposure to cutting edge evolving new technologies and research.
The program is available to fourth-year medical students through the standard application and matching pathways (ERAS and NRMP). The first two years of the program are devoted to core surgical training, during which time the residents complete general surgery rotations. The core years also include a body imaging radiology rotation and a cardiology rotation. The remaining three years are devoted exclusively to vascular surgery training.
The program includes an additional mandatory two years of research under a T32 training grant. The research years start after the third clinical year and include basic science research, biomechanical engineering research, or clinical research with the possibility of obtaining an MSc degree in clinical research. As with our 5-2 program, residents have presented their work at regional and national meetings and gone on to publish landmark papers.
The core of the service rotations for both independent and integrated programs is at UPMC Presbyterian and UPMC Shadyside, where residents are challenged by a vast array of open and endovascular cases. Additionally, residents spend time at UPMC Passavant, UPMC St. Margaret, UPMC Mercy, UPMC Montefiore, Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, and the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.
The vascular surgery residents manage the core vascular surgery clinical service at each hospital. General surgical residents rotate on select services and share call responsibilities. All patients admitted to our service are assigned to an attending vascular surgeon. All residents are also required to attend clinic on a weekly basis, which provides them with continuity of care and the opportunity to meet the patient both pre- and post-operatively.
The operative experience includes rich exposure to aortic diseases, aneurysms, carotid artery stenosis, peripheral arterial disease, traumatic vascular injuries, dialysis access, and venous pathology including interventional therapy for acute and chronic deep vein thrombosis (DVT). It also provides a balanced mix of endovascular and open procedures, including open and fenestrated repair of thoracoabdominal aneurysm. The vascular surgery resident will acquire operative experience in more than 300 cases per year. The residents are given a gradual increase in direct responsibility for pre- and post-operative patient care, and for the performance of surgical procedures under the direct supervision of the attending vascular surgeon.
Isabel Billiar, MD
Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine
Sarah Myers, MD
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Mary Binko, MD
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Mariam Maksutova, MD
Medical School: University of Michigan School of Medicine
Jihane Jadi, MD
Medical School: University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine
Emily Mosher, MD
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Marissa Jarosinski, MD
Medical School: Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Edward Oh, MD
Medical School: USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
Rohan Kulkarni, MD
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford
Bowen Xie, MD
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh Medical School, 2018
Sahar Alimohamadi, MD
Medical School: Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University
Lindsey Olivere, MD
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh Medical School
Mikayla Lowenkamp, MD
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh Medical School
Yash Pandya, MD
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh Medical School
The UPMC Division of Vascular Surgery has had a successful two-year independent residency program (fellowship) in vascular surgery since 2001 and has been able to secure ongoing ACGME accreditation since.
The program is available to general surgery residents through the standard application and matching pathways (ERAS and NRMP).
The two-year independent vascular surgery residency after general surgery training is an ACGME-approved program for two residents per year, offering clinical experience including core service rotations, endovascular interventional experience, a venous rotation, clinical noninvasive vascular laboratory education, and clinical research.
In addition to their clinical training, the vascular surgery 5-2 residents are encouraged to participate in clinical research projects throughout their educational experience. Residents have routinely presented their work at regional and national meetings, and some of these projects have gone on to become landmark papers.
Jane Cheng, MD
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine
Rafael Ramos-Jimenez, MD
Medical School: University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
Maxim Shaydakov, MD
Medical School: Military Medical Academy S.M. Kirov, Russian Federation
Residency: Central Michigan University
Fellowship: UPMC, 2025
Michael Villarreal, MD
Medical School: University of Texas Branch School of Medicine
Residency: The Ohio State University
Fellowship: UPMC, 2025
Ulka Sachdev, MD
Residency and Fellowship Program Director
Phone: 412-641-8248
sachdevu2@upmc.edu
GME Administration
Phone: 412-802-3031
GME_Administration@upmc.edu
Alisha Strong
Medical Student Coordinator
Phone: 412-647-5314
strongad@upmc.edu
All applications for our 5-2 fellowship program and integrated 0-5 residency program must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).
Applications for two positions in our five-year vascular surgery residency program are accepted until October 31 of each year or until all interview slots are filled.
Applications for a position in our two-year fellowship training program are accepted until December 31 of each year or until all interview slots are filled.
Applications for both programs are accepted only via ERAS. The vascular surgery residency office will not accept any paper applications.
Personal interviews are by invitation only and are required for acceptance to our program. Completed applications should include:
If you need additional information, please contact Whitney Silveira at silveiraw@upmc.edu or 412-802-3031.
Our interview process for both programs is a one-day process. We prefer that applicants arrive the night before for a dinner with faculty and trainees.
The five-year residency interviews are held in December and January, scheduled on two Wednesdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Interviews for the two-year vascular surgery fellowship program are held in February and March, scheduled on two Wednesdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The National Resident Matching Program website will launch a new browser window. To return here when you've finished browsing, simply close the window that opens.
An academic conference is held on a weekly basis, which includes topics for educational review, lectures by visiting professors, and case presentations. The conference is approved for one hour of Category I CME credit by UPMC.
In addition, a bi-monthly Basic and Clinical Research Conference, supported by topics related to bench research and clinical trial investigations, is held. Morbidity & Mortality Review and Journal Club are also included in the curricula.
On a business level, coding and reimbursement meetings are held on a regular basis to keep residents abreast of the latest issues.
The scope of research currently available in the division includes clinical trials, clinical reviews, bioengineering, molecular biology, gene therapy, methods of inhibiting neointimal hyperplasia, and other aspects of vascular biology.
Residents entering into the integrated five-year program as interns are expected to do two additional years of research in the Division of Vascular Surgery. This can be in one of the basic science labs devoted to vascular research, in the biomechanical engineering laboratories, or by doing clinical research.
The University of Pittsburgh has been designated as a center for development of translational research and as a location to foster young physicians in clinical research.
Several members of the division currently have NIH grants investigating various aspects of vascular diseases. The division also employs four vascular research coordinators who work on active prospective trials, as well as a full-time biostatistician.
Vascular surgery residents have the opportunity to become familiar with the current ongoing trials, methodology used, and statistical methods of analysis in order to carry out independent investigations in the future.
All international medical graduates must hold a current and valid ECFMG certificate in order for their application to be considered complete, including the clinical skills assessment, which must also be current and valid. Each applicant must have taken and passed both Steps I and Steps II of the USMLE, and their English qualifying examination must be current and valid.
We do not have a minimum USMLE score requirement, but all scores must be passing. There is no requirement regarding length of time since medical school graduation, and prior United States clinical experience is not required.
The preferred visa for training in our program is the J-1 visa, sponsored through the ECFMG for residency/fellowship training.
If you have questions regarding visas or obtaining a graduate license for training in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, please contact the Graduate Medical Education Office at 412-647-5815. For information regarding ECFMG certification, visit the ECFMG website.
All requests for fourth-year electives for visiting LCME applicants can be processed only through the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine website, which explains the different electives available in the Department of Surgery and how an application can be processed online.
To access the application or for further information, visit the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine or contact Kathy Haupt, Medical Student Coordinator, at hauptkg@upmc.edu, 412-647-5314, or by fax at 412-647-4889.
If you have difficulty with the application, contact Joanne Colligan at joanne@medschool.pitt.edu or 412-648-8935.
Course descriptions and program requirements are subject to change.
Our residents and fellows have the opportunity to rotate at several UPMC hospitals, including:
See below for some useful information about our programs to help you in considering where you want to continue your training in vascular surgery.
If you have any questions or want some additional information, please contact GME Administration, GME_Administration@upmc.edu.
Learn more about the centers and cores at the Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood, and Vascular Medicine Institute and how our multidisciplinary team of scientists is advancing research in the heart, lung, and blood systems.
Since graduating from our program, our alumni have gone on to pursue successful careers at UPMC and beyond, advancing the field of vascular surgery through excellence in patient care and research.
