Program Overview

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Limb Preservation Fellowship Program

The Limb Preservation Fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a one-year non-ACGME fellowship program designed for physicians who have completed podiatric training and wish to further specialize in limb salvage. The program is part of the education and training mission of the UCSF Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery.

Program Description

The mission of the UCSF Limb Preservation Fellowship is to educate and train a podiatric physician as a clinically skilled podiatrist in a multidisciplinary approach to the diabetic and vascular complications of the lower extremity, as well as generating new knowledge in the treatment, management, and prevention of lower extremity amputations. The program focuses on teaching at a level of excellence, fostering excitement and enthusiasm for a lifetime commitment to scholarship.

Program Structure

• The fellowship is a one-year program, beginning on August 1 and ending on July 31.
• Fellows will rotate through vascular/podiatry multidisciplinary clinics at UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus, Saint Mary’s Medical Center (SMMC), and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (ZSFG).
• Educational sites and methods include:
  • Inpatient consult services
  • Outpatient clinics
  • Inpatient ward services
  • Patient care conferences
• Evaluation tools include direct faculty observations using evaluation forms.

Specific Program Content

The program covers a wide range of topics, including:

• Peripheral arterial disease of the lower extremity
• Critical limb ischemia (CLI)
• Peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremity
• Diabetic foot ulcerations
• Ischemic foot ulcerations
• Venous insufficiency ulcerations
• Decubitus ulcerations
• Charcot arthropathy
• Foot amputations
• Chronic renal insufficiency and diabetic lower extremity complications
• ESRD and its effect on the lower extremity
• Endovascular procedures
• Lower extremity open revascularization procedures
• Diabetic foot infections
• Orthotics and prosthetics of the lower extremity

Ancillary Education

• Fellows are expected to attend The Division’s weekly educational vascular surgery conferences at the Medical School, as well as attend all pertinent educational activities.
• Fellows are expected to give four educational lectures during the year.

Medical Knowledge Objectives

• Attend core conferences and teaching rounds to learn the pathophysiology, epidemiology, disease management, and procedure and medicine management skills for common and uncommon inpatient/outpatient lower extremity complications.

Scholarly Activities

• Fellows will be expected to have one publishable research project by the end of the academic year and present an abstract at a national vascular or podiatric conference.

Instructors and Resources

Teaching Staff

• Michael Conte, MD, Professor of Surgery
• Alexander Reyzelman, DPM, Associate Physician Diplomate
• Monara Dini, DPM, Associate Clinical Professor
• Mher Vartivarian, DPM, Clinical Instructor
• Charles Eichler, MD, Professor of Surgery
• Clara Gomez-Sanchez, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery
• Jade Hiramoto, MD, Professor of Surgery
• Shant Vartanian, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery

Instructional Facilities

• UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus, San Francisco, CA
• Saint Mary’s Medical Center (SMMC), San Francisco, CA
• Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, San Francisco, CA

Accreditation

The Limb Preservation Fellowship is accredited by the Council for Podiatric Medical Education (CPME).

Entrance Requirements

In accordance with ACGME requirements for graduate medical education, the UCSF School of Medicine GME eligibility policy applies to all residency and fellowship programs.

Policies

Enrollment Policy

In accordance with ACGME requirements for graduate medical education, UCSF School of Medicine GME policies apply to all residency and fellowship programs.

Credit Evaluation Policy

In accordance with ACGME requirements for graduate medical education, the UCSF School of Medicine GME supervision, evaluation, and other policies apply to all residency and fellowship programs.

Attendance Policy

• Absence: Refer to the GME leave policy in the Housestaff Information Booklet.
• Tardiness: Fellows are expected to contact their site preceptor by 8:30 a.m. to indicate if they will be late or absent that day for any reason, notify the Chief resident, and to document absence in the MedHub system.

Trainee Responsibilities

UCSF residents and fellows are expected to:

• Develop a personal program of self-study and professional growth with guidance from the faculty
• Participate in safe, effective, and compassionate patient care under supervision commensurate with their level of advancement and responsibility
• Participate fully in the educational and scholarly activities of their program and as required, assume responsibility for teaching and supervising other residents, fellows, and students

Benefits/Leave

UCSF residents and fellows are entitled to four work weeks of vacation, 12 sick days, and eight weeks of paid parental leave annually.

Salaries

Trainee salaries are determined through collective bargaining with CIR-SEIU Healthcare, the exclusive representative of UCSF residents and fellows. Trainees are not permitted to moonlight during this fellowship program.