SVS HONORS TWO WITH LIFETIME AWARD

By Beth Bales

The SVS has honored two surgeons—instead of the traditional one—with its highest accolade, the Lifetime Achievement Award. It’s only the third time the Society has done so in the award’s history, said outgoing SVS President Michael Dalsing, MD, who added that presenting this award is “one of my biggest honors” as president. He presented the honorees—Enrico Ascher, MD, professor of surgery at NYU Langone School of Medicine, and Julie Freischlag, MD, formerly dean of Wake Forest University School of Medicine and now chief academic officer of Advocate Health and chief executive officer of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist— during VAM 2023. Freischlag is the SVS’ first, and only, woman president to date. Ascher, too, is a former SVS president.

Both Ascher and Freischlag are “exceptionally deserving of this prestigious distinction,” added Dalsing. The award recognizes an individual’s outstanding and sustained contribution to both the profession and the Society.

Enrico Ascher

Ascher has been involved in regional, national and international societies, including as president of the Eastern Vascular Society, the Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery (SCVS), SVS and the World Federation of Vascular Societies (WFVS), which he co-founded. His service to the vascular surgery specialty in general and the SVS in particular, said a longtime colleague, “has been nothing short of spectacular; he has given and continues to give time, effort and resources to our specialty.”

Professor of surgery at New York University Langone School of Medicine, Ascher also has written approximately 340 peer-reviewed publications, including as first, senior and mentoring author to residents and fellows. He has written more than 80 book chapters and served as editorin-chief for the fifth and sixth editions of Haimovici’s

Vascular Surgery

He is considered on the forefront of the endovascular wave, defining the practice in using ultrasound guidance—a low-risk methodology to the patient and operators, said his colleague. Under his leadership, his group published many articles encouraging this technique.

“This innovative technique and others, as indicated by his bibliography, illustrate his innovative approach to issues that plagued vascular surgeons. His academic achievements earned him the respect of his peers, which led to his service on editorial boards and in editorial leadership positions for peer-reviewed journals. Ascher’s extensive list of invited national and international presentations, membership on editorial boards, and book chapters is indicative of his stature in the vascular surgery community and sustained impact on the specialty for about 40 years.”

For nearly 35 years, he has been involved as a vascular fellowship program director who has founded many annual meetings at which fellows present their research. One of his most important achievements in research presentation is as co-chair—since 2005—of the annual VEITHsymposium, introducing many innovations to the meeting. He recently founded the Frank J. Veith International Society in honor of Frank Veith, MD, his mentor; the Society is holding annual postgraduate meetings and annual competitions for young vascular surgeons from all over the world.

Another colleague focused on his mentorship of her, as well as other young vascular surgeons. She met Ascher at a vascular meeting while a general surgery chief resident in the late 1990s, which

“left me completely inspired to pursue a career in vascular surgery.” Ascher has been a mentor and close friend ever since, she added. Through him, she has had numerous opportunities to moderate and present at the Veith Associate Faculty program and to speak at the Frank J. Veith International Society annual meeting. “I can sincerely say that no one else has made such an effort for me as a female in vascular surgery—to give me exposure and support my advancement in the field,” she said. “He makes a person feel valued and inspired at the same time.”

His important contributions to the SVS include using his international ties and position as a world-renowned leader to initiate and later expand the international sessions at VAM. He also supported the development of and co-chaired the WFVS session initiative at the VEITH meeting.

In accepting his award, Ascher thanked “this great society” for this singular recognition. He finalized his brief comments by calling on the vascular community to consider the creation of a network of vascular services that are “able and willing” to serve as regional referral centers. “Think regionalization for complex vascular care,” said Ascher. He also wondered whether it is time to study the possibility of sub-specialization in vascular surgery since the specialty has expanded and matured, and called for better assessment of candidates for vascular residency, including psychological tests.

Julie Freischlag

Freischlag has worn a great many hats in her career: mentor of many, vascular surgeon, researcher, guest speaker, editor, writer, professor, vice chancellor, medical school dean, member of many societies, SVS president, American College of Surgeons president, wife, mother. Currently: chief academic officer of Advocate Health and chief executive officer of Atrium Health Wake Forest

Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Freischlag is one of the first women in the country to be board-certified in vascular surgery.

“She has impressive leadership skills and, through her various leadership positions in different institutions, exemplifies the vascular surgeon as leader,” said Dalsing. He added that he hoped he could speak for her in saying “she is proud to be one of the first women in vascular surgery, but is even more proud of all the women who have entered the field … since then. She’s been an impressive mentor for so many.”

Said one SVS member: “Dr. Freischlag has also been an active researcher contributing to a large output of manuscripts and receiving several grants. She has also been a sought-after surgeon in her area of expertise of thoracic outlet evaluation and management. Thinking about her contributions, however—her most influential role has been in serving as a role model to numerous women in vascular surgery, making them ‘believe’ in their abilities to reach leadership positions in our field.” He added, “For an award named for ‘Lifetime Achievements,’ it would be hard to find anyone who has achieved more.”

Said another colleague, “Many of the changes that have occurred in the field of vascular surgery, including the increasing role of members of underserved groups in SVS leadership positions, have occurred, in my opinion, because of Julie’s advocacy for them—nominating a diverse group of individuals to leadership positions. Although our Society has a long way to go in becoming fully inclusive, Julie will continue to be their advocate and mentor.”

Another called her “unique with her outsized impact on our specialty of vascular surgery and surgery in general. Julie Freischlag has inspired many women (as well as men) to enter the field of vascular surgery when it was seen primarily as a field for men. She has made major contributions in her area of special clinical interest, thoracic outlet syndrome, and she has been selected to major leadership roles as the dean and vice president of two medical schools, as well as being selected to the highest elected position in American surgery as the president of the ACS.”

Freischlag told the audience that a young woman had asked her the previous day how she stayed in contact with other surgeons and professionals before cell phones and texting, and how they helped each other. “It was the meeting and the connections we made there!” she said. “It was meeting all of you who inspired me to carry on and stay in vascular surgery.”

She advised others to reach for the stars and to “make sure you’re always learning something, you’re making an impact and you’re trying to make [a situation] better and do a good job. Make sure you’re an excellent boss and you’re part of an excellent team.”