Professionalism and the role of medical colleges.

Background: There has been substantial interest and emphasis on medical professionalism over the past twenty years. This speaks to the history of the medical profession, but increasingly to a broader understanding of the importance of socialisation and professional identity formation.

Method: A literature review was undertaken of professionalism and the role of professions and medical professional organisations.

Surgical research elective in the United States: an Australian medical student's experience.

The value of surgical research is increasingly recognised by undergraduate medical students interested in pursuing a surgical career. This article describes how an undergraduate medical student from Monash University built upon his surgical research experience from the Eastern Health Surgical Research Group in Australia, by undertaking a 9-week research elective at the Johns Hopkins Center of Surgery Trials and Outcomes Research. Practical issues encountered, such as visa and housing, are outlined.

Development of the Australasian vascular surgical audit.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the development of the Australasian Vascular Audit that was created to unify audit activities under the umbrella of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Vascular Surgery as a Web-based application.

Methods: Constitutional change in late 2008 deemed participation in this audit compulsory for Society members. The Web-based application was developed and tested during 2009.

Occlusive wrap dressing reduces infection rate in saphenous vein harvest site.

Background: Infection in the saphenous vein harvest site is a common problem. We developed an occlusive circumferential wrap dressing technique that reduces skin edge tension, eliminates dead space, and prevents external contamination. We compared the surgical site infection rate using the wrap dressing technique with that of standard longitudinal dressings.

Homocysteine: an aetiological contributor to peripheral vascular arterial disease.

Surgeons are increasingly being exposed to the term 'hyperhomocysteinaemia' but few understand this condition that affects up to 10% of the population, or its pathological sequelae. Hyperhomocysteinaemia has been identified as an important and independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. There is increasing evidence that, in addition to coronary disease, hyperhomocysteinaemia is also associated with an increased risk of developing peripheral arterial disease.