Omaida C. Velázquez, MD, FACS, a Vascular Surgeon with the University of Miami Health System, Jackson Health System & the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine
Get to know Vascular Surgeon Dr. Omaida C. Velázquez, who serves patients in Miami, Florida.
Dr. Velázquez is a respected, board-certified vascular surgeon and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS). Her clinical expertise focuses on endovascular and other minimally invasive approaches in the surgical treatment of vascular diseases. She has extensive expertise in both open and endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms, open and endovascular treatments for carotid, mesenteric, and renal stenosis, as well as novel treatments for critical limb ischemia.
In August of 2015, she was appointed Professor and Chair of the DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. She is also Surgeon-in-Chief for the University of Miami Health System (UHealth) Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery & Jackson Health System.
“We provide patients with treatments and we work hard through research for new cures. While we are doing that, we are teaching the new generation not to be complacent, and to keep working for a better future where diseases are cured” expressed Dr. Velázquez.
Previously, she was Professor, Chief, and the David Kimmelman Endowed Chair in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine.
Back in 1980, Dr. Velázquez and her family emigrated to the United States from Cuba. When she arrived at age 14, she spoke no English, yet she was determined to become a physician. She eventually settled in New Jersey where she majored in chemical engineering at the Stevens Institute of Technology. She then went on to attend the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, graduating Valedictorian in her class of 1991. Upon graduation, she completed her internship, residencies in general surgery and vascular surgery, and fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Wanting to further her knowledge, she pursued additional years in research and was the recipient of the 1997 Jonathan E. Rhoads Research Award. She received the von Liebig Foundation Award for Excellence in Vascular Surgical Research (2001), the University of Pennsylvania Center of Excellence Faculty Scholar Award (2002), and the Joel J. Roslyn Faculty Research Award (2003). Before joining the Miller School of Medicine, she served on the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania for eight years and became an Associate Professor with tenure.
In addition to her roles as a surgeon and a scientist, Dr. Velázquez served as the Executive Dean of Research, Research Education, and Innovative Medicine for the Miller School of Medicine. Under her leadership, investigators across campus saw the clinical research infrastructure enhanced, administrative processes de-mystified, and interdepartmental communications increased.
A member of the American Surgical Association, the American Society for Clinical Investigation, and the Society for Vascular Surgery, she is board-certified in surgery and vascular surgery by the American Board of Surgery (ABS). The ABS is an independent, non-profit organization located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded for the purpose of certifying surgeons who have met a defined standard of education, training, and knowledge.
The doctor’s current research focuses on further understanding and advancing new treatments for lower extremity arterial occlusive disease and diabetes-related wound healing defects. Dr. Velázquez is the Principal Investigator of a NIH-funded basic science laboratory that investigates endothelial cell biology, angiogenesis, and vasculogenesis.
Vascular surgery is a surgical subspecialty in which diseases of the vascular system, including the arteries, veins, and lymphatic circulation, are managed by medical therapy, minimally-invasive catheter procedures, and surgical reconstruction. A vascular surgeon diagnoses, treats, and manages conditions in the arteries and veins, also called the blood vessels. These specialists treat a range of health problems, from spider and varicose veins to life-threatening aneurysms, and can help patients manage chronic conditions throughout their lives.
On a more personal note, Dr. Velázquez is fluent in both English and Spanish.
Learn More about Dr. Omaida C. Velázquez:
Through her findatopdoc profile, https://www.findatopdoc.com/doctor/1119135-Omaida-Vel-zquez-Vascular-Surgeon, through the University of Miami Health System, https://doctors.umiamihealth.org/provider/Omaida+C+Velazquez/525919, through Jackson Health System, https://jacksonhealth.org/doctors/ or through the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, https://med.miami.edu/departments/surgery/about-us##
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