Association of PAs in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery

12/06/2025

APACVS 2025 unwrapped. Thank you to all our members for contributing to this community. We appreciate you and all you do for your patients. Enjoy the last few weeks of 2025!
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12/05/2025

December means seeing our breath in the cold morning on our way to work. Brrrr! On the topic of colder weather, enjoy a simple debrief on hyperthermic temperatures utilized during surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).
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12/01/2025

Meet December Member of the Month Samantha Puhl! Sam is an active member of APACVS, and has recently taken over as our Social Media Committee Chair!

Read about Sam Below:
I’m honored to be the APACVS member highlighted this month! I currently practice as a Cardiac Surgery PA at Wake Forest Baptist in Winston-Salem, NC, where I’ve spent the last three years growing alongside an incredible team. I’m grateful to work in a program that does everything from minimally invasive cardiac surgery to bread-and-butter CABGs, as well as transplants and VADs.

I’ve been a member of APACVS since I graduated, and the community has given me outstanding professional connections and introduced me to so many fantastic colleagues. I’m involved in the Research & Guidelines Committeeand the Women’s Committee, and I recently stepped into the role of Chair of the Social Media Committee, which I’m very excited about.

Outside of work, I just got married in September to my husband, whom I met during PA school while he was working in medical sales. We share our home with our two rescue dogs—Rocky (a collie-lab mix) and Jett (a collie-greyhound mix). A highlight of 2025 for me was meeting the bass guitarist for CREED at our wedding venue during a walk through and then scoring tickets to their concert the next day!

Although I love nearly every aspect of cardiac surgery, what means the most to me is the relationships I’ve built with my coworkers. The hospital truly feels like a second home, especially with the time, energy, and heart we all put into caring for our patients.

I’m also looking forward to the upcoming APACVS Annual Conference in Milwaukee, WI—just about 20 minutes from where I grew up and where my better 2/3rds still live (I'm a triplet). I’m excited to continue highlighting APACVS through social media and to keep connecting with this amazing community.

Congratulations Sam and thank you for your commitment to APACVS!

11/29/2025

Keep this page bookmarked for when you need a quick reference for Pulmonary function tests. Obstructive diseases such as asthma or an allergic component are reversible with a bronchodilator, while irreversible such as COPD do not improve with therapy. Restrictive diseases that cause scarring and fibrosis deplete the lung elasticity and create issues with gas diffusion capacity, such as with pulmonary fibrosis.

11/28/2025

11/27/2025

We continue to be grateful for our community and the amazing profession we have in Cardiothoracic, Vascular and Critical Care Medicine.

11/25/2025

We want you! We are looking for volunteers for our Membership committee! If you are interested in impacting important association strategies to engage and retain our APACVS members, and help to highlight the benefits of an APACVS membership, we would love to have you come onboard! Email admin@apacvs.org for more details!

11/14/2025

Why is diabetes becoming more common in young adults?
Over the past decade, we’ve seen a concerning rise in Type II Diabetes among individuals in their 30s and even 20s — a condition once considered “age-related.” Sedentary lifestyles, irregular work hours, processed diets, and chronic stress have all played their part in this silent epidemic. Just listen to APACVS International Representative Tanmay Acharia’s personal experience:
For me, this issue hit home when my wife was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes at just 38 years of age. It was unexpected — she wasn’t overweight, had no family history, and seemed perfectly healthy. But the diagnosis was a wake-up call for both of us.
Since then, her life has changed completely — she’s become far more conscious about her diet, physical activity, and mental well-being. Together, we learned that diabetes is not just about controlling sugar; it’s about changing your lifestyle. It’s about balance, discipline, and daily awareness.
Today, she’s healthier and more energetic than ever before — a living reminder that early detection and consistent lifestyle modification can transform lives. 💙
Let’s spread awareness.
Let’s act early.
Let’s make healthier choices — today.

11/11/2025

We honor all of our of the Armed Forces today and everyday. Thank you for your service to protect this country. We will always be thankful for your sacrifices.

11/09/2025

APACVS honors our Nurse Practitioner colleagues during Nurse Practitioner week! We are so lucky to work alongside you to strengthen our patient care!

11/03/2025

A big thanks to all of our members who took the time to give your opinion on this important decision. Please stay tuned as APACVS transitions to Physician Associate as part of our official name!