AV Access Training, Fellowships & Learning Programs

Dialysis access care extends far beyond the technical act of creating an AV fistula. It requires careful patient evaluation, vascular mapping, thoughtful surgical planning, long-term surveillance, and timely intervention when access dysfunction develops.

Despite its importance, many clinicians encounter dialysis access challenges in their practice without having structured opportunities to learn the principles of comprehensive AV access care.

The AVF Care platform has been developed to address this gap. It serves as a learning ecosystem dedicated to dialysis access, offering observerships, professional upskilling programs, and collaborative case-based learning opportunities.

These programs are designed not as shortcuts to surgical training, but as platforms for clinical exposure, professional refinement, and shared learning for clinicians who are committed to improving dialysis access care.

Participants from India as well as international medical communities are welcome.

The overarching aim is to build a community of clinicians dedicated to responsible, patient-centered dialysis access management.

Find Our Education and Training Programs Below

1. Seven-Day AV Access Observership

This short observership is designed to introduce young clinicians to the clinical thinking and workflow involved in dialysis access care.

The program focuses on understanding the principles of AV access planning, surveillance, and long-term patient management, rather than teaching operative techniques.

Suitable For

General surgery trainees
Early-career surgeons
Nephrology trainees

This program is particularly useful for doctors who wish to develop an early understanding of dialysis access care and explore whether they would like to pursue deeper involvement in this field.

Program Structure

The observership runs over seven days across two cities, providing exposure to two complementary models of dialysis access practice.

Five Days – Gurgaon (Delhi NCR)

Participants observe and participate in discussions related to:

Evaluation of dialysis access patients
Preoperative vascular assessment and planning
Decision-making in complex access cases
Exposure to AV fistula procedures in the operating room
Case-based discussions on fistula types and access strategies

The emphasis is on understanding the reasoning behind access decisions, rather than simply observing surgical steps.

Two Days – Varanasi

The Varanasi component focuses on high-volume dialysis access practice, where participants can observe:

Dedicated AV access outpatient clinics
Evaluation of approximately 25–30 patients per clinic session
New consultations, follow-up patients, and post-operative surveillance
Long-term monitoring of dialysis access
Surgical procedures observed from close quarters

This dual-city structure allows participants to appreciate both structured tertiary-care planning and real-world dialysis access management.

2. Three-Month Advanced AV Access Fellowship

This fellowship is designed primarily for vascular surgeons who wish to deepen and refine their expertise in dialysis access care.

Although AV fistula creation is performed by many surgeons, effective dialysis access practice requires deeper understanding of:

patient selection
vascular mapping
access planning strategies
surveillance protocols
management of failing accesses
salvage interventions

The fellowship focuses on strengthening these clinical judgment and technical decision-making skills.

Program Format

To accommodate practicing clinicians, the fellowship follows a hybrid training model.

Duration: 3 months

During the program, participants typically spend:

One week each month with the AVF Care team in Gurgaon (Delhi NCR)

These sessions focus on:

dialysis access evaluation and planning
case discussions and clinical decision-making
operative exposure
ultrasound mapping and surveillance principles

In addition, participants spend approximately six weekends in Varanasi during the three-month period, with each visit typically involving a two-day stay.

The Varanasi component provides exposure to:

high-volume dialysis access outpatient clinics
surveillance and follow-up workflows
operative cases
access troubleshooting and salvage strategies

Unique Structure of the Program

The fellowship intentionally combines two distinct clinical environments:

Gurgaon (NCR)

Focused tertiary-care planning, evaluation, and operative exposure.

Varanasi

High-volume dialysis access practice with large patient cohorts and real-world surveillance experience.

This structure allows participants to appreciate both:

strategic planning of dialysis access, and
practical management of large numbers of dialysis patients.

For participants who prefer a more immersive experience, a continuous three-month in-person training option may also be considered.

Training Exposure

Participants gain exposure to:

Dialysis access planning and patient selection
Ultrasound-based vascular mapping
Clinical examination of AV fistulas
Surveillance protocols and monitoring strategies
Management of failing or dysfunctional access
Decision-making between open and endovascular approaches
Surgical techniques relevant to dialysis access care

Participants may also attend AVF Care Workshops, where they observe how dialysis access care can be delivered efficiently at scale, including:

evaluation of large numbers of dialysis patients
structured follow-up systems
workflow design for dialysis access clinics

The aim is to help surgeons strengthen and expand their dialysis access practice while maintaining a patient-centered approach.

3. Six-Month International AV Access Observership

This program is designed for international medical graduates and surgeons who wish to gain deeper exposure to dialysis access practice.

The observership focuses on understanding the complete lifecycle of dialysis access care, from patient evaluation and access creation to long-term surveillance and salvage interventions.

Suitable For

International surgeons interested in dialysis access care
Doctors seeking exposure to high-volume access programs
Clinicians planning to develop or expand an AV access practice

Learning Exposure

Participants observe and learn about:

vascular assessment and access planning
AV fistula creation strategies
management of complex or failed accesses
long-term surveillance of dialysis access
endovascular interventions for access dysfunction
high-volume outpatient dialysis access clinics
multidisciplinary workflow involved in dialysis access care

The objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding of real-world dialysis access practice.

4. Online AV Access Case Discussion Forum

Dialysis access care frequently presents challenging clinical scenarios, where collective experience and peer discussion can significantly improve decision-making.

The AV Access Case Discussion Forum is an online learning community designed to support clinicians who manage dialysis access patients in their daily practice.

Participants learn through real cases, literature discussions, and collaborative problem-solving.

Program Details

What Members Can Do

Members of the platform can:

Participate in regular AV access case discussions
Review important literature relevant to dialysis access care
Present difficult cases from their own practice
Receive expert guidance and peer input
Learn structured case-based decision-making

When a participant encounters a challenging clinical scenario, the case can be discussed step-by-step to explore potential management strategies.

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Access Model

The online forum operates as a subscription-based professional learning community, with access available through:

Short-term access
Six-month membership
Annual membership

The goal is to create a collaborative global network of clinicians dedicated to improving dialysis access care.

Why Train with AVF Care

AV access surgery is often learned gradually through years of clinical experience. However, structured exposure to high-volume dialysis access practice can significantly accelerate understanding of the principles that govern successful long-term access.

The AVF Care platform offers a learning environment that combines focused clinical planning with real-world high-volume practice.

High-Volume Clinical Exposure

Participants gain insight into the management of a large number of dialysis access patients, including:

new fistula planning
management of failing accesses
surveillance strategies
salvage of complex AV access cases

Dual Clinical Environments

Training exposure includes:

Gurgaon (Delhi NCR)

Focused access evaluation, planning, and operative discussions.

Varanasi

High-volume dialysis access clinics with structured follow-up systems.

This combination allows participants to understand both strategic planning and real-world execution of dialysis access care.

Case-Based Learning

Discussions are centered around real clinical cases, allowing participants to understand:

why certain accesses fail
how complications can be anticipated
how clinical decisions are made in difficult scenarios

Application and Selection Process

Participation in AVF Care programs follows a structured application process to ensure that candidates are genuinely interested in dialysis access care.

Application

Interested candidates may submit:

Curriculum vitae or professional profile
Current area of clinical practice
A short statement describing their interest in dialysis access care

Selection

Applications are reviewed individually based on:

professional background
involvement with dialysis patients
interest in long-term dialysis access management

Because the programs involve close clinical observation and discussion, the number of participants is intentionally limited.

International Applicants

International doctors interested in the six-month observership are welcome to apply. Program details and scheduling can be discussed during the application process.

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Our Philosophy

These programs aim to promote responsible dialysis access practice through exposure, discussion, and shared clinical experience.

They are not intended to replace formal surgical training. Instead, they help clinicians:

refine their understanding of dialysis access care
strengthen clinical judgment
learn from real-world case experience
collaborate with peers across institutions and countries

Ultimately, the goal is to improve the quality, durability, and safety of dialysis access for patients who depend on it for survival.