In the field of vascular surgery, Dr. Michael Siah shines as a dedicated and innovative leader. As the 2023 recipient of the prestigious American Limb Preservation Society (ALPS) Traveling Fellowship, Dr. Siah exemplifies the spirit of cross-border collaboration and a relentless commitment to advancing limb preservation. At UT Southwestern, where he serves as Director of Limb Salvage, his groundbreaking work continues to push the boundaries of patient care, blending cutting-edge research with clinical excellence.
With a medical degree from the University of Hawaii’s John A. Burns School of Medicine and a vascular surgery residency at Georgetown University Hospital, Dr. Siah’s career is a testament to his passion for improving outcomes in limb preservation. His leadership as a principal investigator in national and international clinical trials, coupled with his active participation in leading organizations such as the Southern Association for Vascular Surgery, the Society for Vascular Surgery, and ALPS, demonstrates his unwavering dedication to saving limbs and advancing the field.
In an exclusive interview, Dr. Siah shared how the ALPS Traveling Fellowship has shaped his approach to limb salvage, offering invaluable insights into his journey and the impact of international collaboration on his practice.
“As a young surgeon, I [want] to broaden my approach to patients and continue to learn from individuals and systems to become the best limb salvage specialist I can be.” -Dr. Michael Siah
ALPS: Tell us a little about your background and why you chose vascular surgery.
Dr. Siah: I sort of stumbled into vascular surgery. No one in my family works in health care, and I knew prior to starting medical school that I wanted to be a surgeon. I spent time with a variety of different surgical subspecialists prior to my third year of medical school, trying to get a grasp of what different specialties did in their day-to-day and what types of pathologies they treated. Ultimately, vascular surgery was something that I came across at the end of my third-year rotation and instantly fell in love with. I saw complex endovascular lower extremity revascularization procedures – in fact, a pedal access case – as my first vascular operation, in addition to carotid endarterectomies, bypasses, dialysis access cases, among many others. I loved how there were a variety of approaches available to the surgeons that could be tailored to the patient and how technology and innovation were such an obvious part of vascular surgery.
ALPS: What inspired you to apply for the ALPS Traveling Fellowship?
Dr. Siah: I fell in love with Limb Salvage as a resident at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. The faculty that I had the opportunity to work with were truly experts dedicated to the multidisciplinary collaborative effort that goes into taking care of patients with critical limb-threatening ischemia. Their success and knowledge were built on experience and education, and they often collaborated with different specialists nationally and internationally. As a young surgeon, I wanted to broaden my approach to patients and continue to learn from individuals and systems to become the best limb salvage specialist I can be.
ALPS: Can you share more about the Centers of Excellence you’ve visited?
Dr. Siah: The process was incredibly easy – I completed my essay and asked mentors for letters of recommendation. I had already identified centers I wanted to work with, and that’s all it took! Once I was selected to receive the award, I basically “cold-called” physicians that I wanted to work with. Unfortunately, most centers are incredibly busy, and finding a time that worked for my schedule and the schedules of the operators I wanted to visit was a bit more challenging than I anticipated, but ultimately, I was able to go to Milan and work with Dr. Roberto Ferraresi – a true limb salvage master.
Clinica San Carlo
ALPS: How has the fellowship influenced your practice?
Dr. Siah: I learned so much. I think, as a young surgeon, I constantly am evaluating and re-evaluating my approaches to patients inside and outside the operating room. I constantly ask myself, “is there something I’m missing,” “how could I do this operation better,” “how can I be more efficient…” Working with Roberto taught me philosophically, technically, and practically, and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity and experience. I think the way care is delivered in the USA is similar but at the same time quite different than it is in Italy – I think one of the biggest take-homes from my experience is that I can do a lot more with less waste.
ALPS: Why do you think organizations like ALPS are essential to the fight against amputations?
Dr. Siah: The burden of disease and the threat of amputation related to critical limb-threatening ischemia is only growing. No one specialty can handle this volume independently. ALPS is incredible because it unites care providers under a banner dedicated to amputation prevention together. We can all learn from one another, and we absolutely need to, to effectively work together to provide our current and future patients with the best opportunity to avoid the tragedy of amputation.
Dr. Siah’s accomplishments exemplify the far-reaching impact of the ALPS Traveling Fellowship. ‘By fostering global collaboration and empowering clinicians to innovate, ALPS is not just shaping careers—it’s changing the future of limb preservation. Dr. Siah’s story is proof of that,’ said ALPS CEO, Georgia Krehbiel.
Curious to learn more? Explore the incredible stories of past recipients and discover how the ALPS Traveling Fellowship can transform your career. Visit our ALPS Traveling Fellowship page to see how you can be part of this mission to reduce preventable amputations worldwide.