How to apply

The Vascular Surgery Fellowship at Tufts Medical Center accepts applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Applicants must complete an ACGME-accredited general surgery residency before starting a fellowship.

Required materials

• Completed ERAS application
• Curriculum vitae
• Personal statement
• Three letters of recommendation, including one from your program director
• USMLE or COMLEX scores
• Medical school transcript

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Selected applicants will be invited to interview with our faculty and fellows.

Contact

For more information about the program or the application process, contact Alyssa Harrison.

Advanced vascular surgery fellowship with research + clinical training at Tufts Medical Center in Boston

The Tufts Medical Center Vascular Surgery Fellowship provides a comprehensive and hands-on training experience across all aspects of vascular care. Fellows gain exposure to 800–900 open and endovascular cases, covering carotid, aortic, infrainguinal, mesenteric, renal and venous procedures, including complex and reoperative surgeries. This volume ensures graduates leave confident and highly skilled, ready for independent practice.

The two-year, ACGME-accredited program follows the classic “5+2” model, meaning all entering fellows have completed an accredited general surgery residency. The first year emphasizes noninvasive vascular diagnostics, interventional radiology and preparation for RVT or RPVI exams. The second year focuses on advanced operative training, inpatient and outpatient care, vascular consultations and managing vascular emergencies. Fellows train in multiple care settings, including outpatient clinics, inpatient floors, hybrid operating rooms, intensive care units and interventional radiology suites. Working in a closed faculty model, fellows are fully integrated into patient care alongside full-time vascular surgery faculty, ensuring mentorship and a seamless educational experience.

Clinical opportunities

Fellows gain broad clinical experience, evaluating and managing vascular patients on the wards and in outpatient clinics. While patient evaluation is essential, the program places strong emphasis on operative experience, including complex procedures such as thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair, mesenteric and renal revascularizations, venous reconstruction and reoperative surgery across all arterial and venous distributions. This ensures a comprehensive vascular surgery experience.

Research opportunities

The fellowship offers robust opportunities for clinical, basic, and translational research. Fellows can design and perform retrospective or prospective clinical studies. Those interested in basic or translational science have access to a molecular and cellular laboratory and close collaboration with Tufts University scientists. Fellows regularly present their work at regional and national meetings and publish in peer-reviewed surgical journals.

Conferences + lectures

Fellows play a key role in advancing knowledge in vascular surgery during and after training. They contribute to the education of general surgery residents and medical students while balancing clinical duties. Fellows develop strong multitasking and organizational skills through participation in teaching conferences, including weekly multidisciplinary vascular case conferences, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality conferences, grand rounds, journal clubs, textbook reviews and exam question reviews.

Comprehensive vascular surgery training program

Founded in 1984 as one of the original 11 vascular surgery fellowship programs, Tufts Medical Center has operated continuously since then, with every graduate achieving certification in vascular surgery.

Our graduates have pursued diverse paths. Some have taken leadership roles in academic institutions across the country, serving as officers in vascular surgical societies and contributing as principal investigators and authors on basic science and clinical research. Others have dedicated years to community or rural hospitals, bringing state-of-the-art vascular care to where it is needed most.

This two-year fellowship provides a seamless educational experience following the classic “5+2” model, meaning all entering fellows have completed an accredited general surgery residency.

The first year emphasizes formal training in noninvasive vascular laboratory techniques and interventional radiology, preparing fellows to sit for the RVT or RPVI examinations. The second year focuses on traditional vascular surgery, inpatient and outpatient care, vascular consultations and managing vascular emergencies.

Fellows from both years work together to provide care for all vascular patients at Tufts Medical Center. The program follows a closed staff model, where all vascular surgeons are full-time faculty committed to patient care and education. There is no non-teaching vascular service. Fellows gain hands-on experience in ambulatory clinics, outpatient surgical suites, inpatient floors, intensive care units, interventional radiology suites and a state-of-the-art hybrid OR.