Overview
Welcome to McMaster University’s division of vascular surgery. The division is dedicated to the delivery of quality and contemporary vascular surgery care to our patients. As a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada accredited training program in vascular surgery, our commitment extends to the education and development of current and future leaders in the management of vascular disease.
A Centre of Excellence
Our surgeons provide comprehensive and current care to patients with arterial, venous and lymphatic disease. This care encompasses the diagnosis, investigation, treatment and follow-up of all vascular disorders, whether they are common or rare, routine or complex. Over the years, our referral population has expanded well beyond Hamilton and area hospitals, and we now serve as a regional referral centre for patients from Niagara, Haldimand-Norfolk, Brant and Halton. We are also often asked to provide emergency and or complex care for patients throughout the province. The division of vascular surgery actively collaborates with, and supports, many of the other McMaster University regional programs, including trauma, hemodialysis and renal transplant, cardiac surgery and surgical oncology. Our division members, with diverse interests and training, collectively bring an extensive experience and skill set capable of addressing any or all challenges in vascular surgery.
Beyond the clinical realm, we are actively involved with clinical and educational research. In particular, we enjoy an excellent relationship with the internationally renowned research group at the David Braley Cardiac, Vascular and Stroke Research Institute, and are especially privileged to have been endowed with the Beamish Family Chair in Vascular Surgery, which provides invaluable support for our academic activities. Our surgeons have played and continue to play leadership administrative roles with provincial and national organizations, such as the Ontario Medical Association, The Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
An Unparalleled Educational Experience
With one of the highest volumes of referrals and interventions in Canada. covering the entire spectrum of vascular disease, training with the division of vascular surgery at McMaster University offers a comprehensive and unparalleled learning experience. We provide extensive hands-on experience to our vascular surgery trainees accelerating their development into accomplished and independent surgeons. Our division trains off-service residents in diverse specialties, such as cardiac surgery, general surgery, orthopaedic surgery, plastic surgery and urology. Division members tailor the rotations of these trainees to meet their specific educational needs to complement their core specialty experiences. Our faculty and residents welcome medical students of all levels of experience who wish to learn by actively participating in the management of our patients.
Education
Vascular Surgery Clerkship Program
Attention visiting elective students: The division of vascular surgery at McMaster University welcomes medical students to apply to the electives program at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. Participation in the program will afford McMaster students and visiting students from accredited schools an opportunity to experience a wide range of self-directed activities before graduation.
Vascular Surgery Residency Program
Our post graduate training requirement offers a considerable amount of flexibility for the fulfillment of self directed learning and individual research interest. Our educational program design is founded on necessary key competencies stipulated by CanMEDS and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, to enable our graduates to function as expert consultants in neurosurgery. Our program graduates will exemplify the highest and finest levels of professional abilities described by CanMEDS.
The vascular surgery residency program at McMaster University offers two different residency pathways:
- Pathway 1 is a five-year residency in vascular surgery
- Pathway 2 is not available at this time
McMaster Surgeon Scientist Program (SSP)
The McMaster Surgeon Scientist Program (SSP) operates as part of McMaster’s pre-established Clinical Investigator Program (CIP), a Royal College accredited postgraduate research training program. A new program within the Department of Surgery, the SSP provides excellent research training for surgical residents while encouraging the pursuit of careers in academic surgery. Research training opportunities for surgical residents are made available through McMaster’s medical, biochemical and world-renowned clinical epidemiology research programs. Additionally, SSP provides a framework for the pursuits of graduate studies within the course of residency and secures funding at the PGY level of entry into the program.
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Why McMaster? - Learn More
McMaster’s Vision
In our teaching, research and scholarship, we are committed to creativity, innovation and excellence. We value integrity, quality and teamwork in everything we do. We inspire critical thinking, personal growth and a passion for learning. We serve the social, cultural and economic needs of our community and society.
McMaster’s Strengths
- One of the Top 100 universities in the world (Shanghai Jiao Tong University ranking of world universities)
- The “McMaster Model” – a student-centred, problem-based, interdisciplinary approach to learning – has been adopted by universities across the world
- With a total sponsored research income of $345 million, McMaster University ranks first in the country in research intensity – a measure of research income per full-time faculty member – averaging $308,000 per faculty member (Research Infosource Inc., 2006)
- McMaster is the only North American host site of a United Nations University
- McMaster participates in more than 40 international exchange agreements around the globe
Hamilton Living
What to do?
Hamilton is named the title “City of Waterfalls” for holding over 100 waterfalls, the most in all Ontario. The Bruce Trail, Canada’s oldest and longest marked path, connects Hamilton to some of the most picturesque sites. The Dundas Valley Conservation Area is a short drive from the McMaster Central Campus, connecting you to the Ancaster Hermitage and Dundas Railway Station. These sites are apart of the Ontario Greenbelt, permanently protected lands for farming, forest, wetlands and watersheds.
The waterfront has been recently revitalized to include an outdoor roller rink in the summer, and skating rink in the, winter connected to the existing coffee shop. Sarcoa restaurant is a short walk from this if you’re looking for a large patio situated right on the Hamilton waterfront, great food and an after-hours nightclub.
The James Street Art Crawl takes place the second Friday of every month, when James Street North is shutdown and features art installations, buskers, local foods and performances. Once a year, the Art Crawl turns into Supercrawl. With an estimated 135,000 people attending the event features prominent Canadian talent, such as McMaster Alumni, The Arkells.
Culture
Downtown Hamilton has undergone extreme changes even in the past few years. James Street North has become a hub of artistic culture, boasting multiple art galleries, quaint coffee shops, indepedent and homegrown grocers, and cosmetics and clothing stores owned by local citizens.
Locke Street (a 10 minute drive from McMaster central campus) features artisan shops, some of the best restaurants in Hamilton, cosmetic stores, organic food stores and summer festivals.
A short drive away comes Ottawa Street North, a hub of old school antique and fabric shops and art stores. It is also in close proximity to the new Ivor Wynne Stadium that houses our very own Hamilton Tiger-Cats football team.
Hamilton also holds its own when it comes to nightlife. Hess Village is a quaint street lined with bars, nightclubs, restaurants and patios that attract people from all over south-western Ontario. There is also Corktown and Augusta Street just a few minutes from Hess Village if you’re looking for more pub-style entertainment. Recently, Hamilton has added a few Country Bars to its roster of nightlife.
Other Hamilton recreation sites to visit:
- Dundurn Castle
- Art Gallery of Hamilton
- Hamilton Warplane Heritage Museum
- Tim Horton Museum
- Canadian Football Hall of Fame
For other ideas on what to do in Hamilton, please visit Tourism Hamilton’s website.
Clerkship Program - Learn More
The division of vascular surgery at McMaster University welcomes medical students to apply to the electives program at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. Participation in the program will afford McMaster students and visiting students from accredited schools an opportunity to experience a wide range of self-directed activities before graduation. Students also have the opportunity to observe and experience the activities of a day-to-day clinical practice and interact with a practitioner to learn about the rewards and challenges of that practice, clinically, administratively and personally.
Attention McMaster University students! If you would like to do an undergraduate elective with us, please email our program coordinator from your medportal account indicating the preferred dates and the surgeon that you would like to work with.
The Michael G. Degroote School of Medicine allows a limited number of students enrolled in accredited medical schools from around the world to undertake electives at McMaster. Visit the Postgraduate Medical Education website to learn more.
Please note: All visiting elective medical students must apply online at the medical education’s electives program website.
Leaderships & Awards - Learn More
To recognize and honour personal achievements:
- James H. Graham Award of Merit: for commitment to the Royal college and its objectives (restricted nomination)
- RCPSC Tearsdale-Corti Humanitarian Award: for Canadian physicians who go beyond the accepted norms of routine practice in their provision of health care or emergency medical services
- Resident Leadership Award: for a resident who has demonstrated leadership in Canadian specialty education
To recognize original research:
- Canadian Research Awards for Specialty Residents (Medicine, Surgery): to recognize original work in clinical investigation, basic science, medical education or medical; ethics by residents.
- K.J.R. Wightman Award for Scholarship in Ethics: to recognize original ethics and equity work by residents
Grants and fellowships:
- Medical Education Research Grant: to support quality research in postgraduate medical education and continuing professional development
- RCPSC/AMS CanMEDS Research and Development Grant: to support the promotion and incorporation of CanMEDS competencies
- Royal College Fellowship for Studies in Medical Education: to support pursuing a postgraduate degree in medical education (or a closely related field)
Research
Division of Vascular Surgery
The research branch of the division of vascular surgery has a strong commitment and documented history of helping to provide the community with quality healthcare. The division’s ongoing research explores and evaluates surgical techniques and treatment options, pursuing projects that improve our understanding of vascular disease and healthcare delivery.
We welcome you to explore the ongoing research projects within the division of vascular surgery
Ongoing research projects:
- A comparison between two stent grafts, Anaconda and Zenith bifurcated stents, and the degree of inflammation caused looking at postoperative white blood cell counts and body temperature. This project involves secondarily observing the effects that the associated inflammation will have on renal function.
- Looking at the effectiveness of conservative treatment (medication) in uncomplicated type B aortic dissections. Observing the occurrence of aneurysms and their outcome in conservatively treated patients and finding a demographic that indicates endovascular surgical intervention over conservative treatment to prevent the occurrence of aneurysms before they happen.
- In collaboration with the division of neurology, the division of vascular surgery is looking at symptomatic carotid stenosis and the wait times associated between symptoms, diagnostic imaging and surgery (endarterectomy), as time is a significant factor in determining the possibility of recurring symptoms (i.e., transient ischemic attack or stroke). This project also documents the outcomes of patients that were and were not treated surgically for a three month follow-up.
- A case study involving a novel approach in the treatment of a patient with a type B aortic dissection treated endovascularly along with a left subclavian-carotid transposition.
- Strategies to reduce renal dysfunction in endovascular patients preoperatively, during the procedure and postoperatively.
In addition to examining the effectiveness of various treatments and procedures, the division’s innovative research projects include looking at what motivates residents within the operating room, observing the influences and expectations of both the attendants and the residents when in the operating room.
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Faculty
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Fadi Elias
Assistant Professor
Vascular Surgery
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Sarah De Marco
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext.44147
Fax: 905-296-5197
Andrea Howe (Education Program)
Phone: (905) 521-2100 ext. 44453
Email: andhowe@mcmaster.ca
John Harlock
Associate Professor
Vascular Surgery
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Dayna Robins
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext. 44575
Fax: 905-521-0440
Email: dayrobi@mcmaster.ca
Vikram Iyer
Associate Professor
Vascular Surgery
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East, 5 North – Room 508
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Sherri Ellis
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext. 44159
Fax: 905-521-0440
Theodore Rapanos
Associate Professor
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Carly Lamb
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext. 44652
Fax: 905-529-8946
Jacques Tittley
Professor
Vascular Surgery
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Ronita Scott
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext. 44499
Fax: 905-521-1284
Fadi Elias
Assistant Professor
Vascular Surgery
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Sarah De Marco
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext.44147
Fax: 905-296-5197
Andrea Howe (Education Program)
Phone: (905) 521-2100 ext. 44453
Email: andhowe@mcmaster.ca
Fadi Elias
Assistant Professor
Vascular Surgery
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Sarah De Marco
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext.44147
Fax: 905-296-5197
Andrea Howe (Education Program)
Phone: (905) 521-2100 ext. 44453
Email: andhowe@mcmaster.ca
John Harlock
Associate Professor
Vascular Surgery
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Dayna Robins
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext. 44575
Fax: 905-521-0440
Email: dayrobi@mcmaster.ca
John Harlock
Associate Professor
Vascular Surgery
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Dayna Robins
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext. 44575
Fax: 905-521-0440
Email: dayrobi@mcmaster.ca
Vikram Iyer
Associate Professor
Vascular Surgery
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East, 5 North – Room 508
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Sherri Ellis
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext. 44159
Fax: 905-521-0440
Vikram Iyer
Associate Professor
Vascular Surgery
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East, 5 North – Room 508
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Sherri Ellis
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext. 44159
Fax: 905-521-0440
Theodore Rapanos
Associate Professor
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Carly Lamb
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext. 44652
Fax: 905-529-8946
Theodore Rapanos
Associate Professor
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Carly Lamb
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext. 44652
Fax: 905-529-8946
Jacques Tittley
Professor
Vascular Surgery
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Ronita Scott
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext. 44499
Fax: 905-521-1284
Jacques Tittley
Professor
Vascular Surgery
Office Location
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton Street East
Hamilton, Ontario
L8L 2X2
Administrative Support Staff
Ronita Scott
Phone: 905-521-2100 ext. 44499
Fax: 905-521-1284