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In a recent editorial in the Archives (114:1359-1360, 1979), Dr Deterling outlined the problems that the New England area faces in the training of peripheral vascular surgeons. The fear of encroaching on other general surgical training programs, the lack of guidelines for training peripheral vascular surgeons, and no method of quality control all pose problems for the New England area. It was pointed out by Blaisedell in his presidential address to the Society for Vascular Surgery that this problem is nationwide. His conclusions point out two of the enigmas that face American surgery today:
Approximately 90 vascular surgery fellowship training programs are now operating in the United States. All of these have been developed without any standards or controls.
Vascular surgery privileges can readily be obtained by graduates of these programs while they are being denied other graduates with comparable but less formal training in vascular surgery.
American surgery