for United Vein and Vascular Centers , where he treated a stunning 400 patient cases in his first four months there . Soon , he will become surgical director for a brand new vascular center the company is constructing in downtown Denver .
Unlike earlier in his career , Dr . Roulhac rarely performs open surgery these days thanks to technological advances . Today , most of the surgical procedures Dr . Roulhac performs are endovascular , or , inside the arteries and veins . It ’ s less invasive , involving small incisions , tiny tubes and catheters . Recovery takes weeks , not months .
Dr . Roulhac said technology will continue to transform the field . Advanced imaging , 3D mapping and fiber optic devices deliver remarkable precision and visibility and are virtually eliminating highly invasive surgical methods . Human-operated robotics — commonplace in the operating room today — are giving way to artificial-intelligencecontrolled robotics .
“ It is amazing how the field of medicine is adapting ,” Dr . Roulhac said . “ Some neurosurgeons can do surgery with lasers that allow them to operate without affecting other parts of the brain .”
This means surgeons must adapt , too . Dr . Roulhac ’ s advice to the next generation : take as many technology-related courses as you can .
“ I think it ’ s going to be to the point where they can do most , if not all procedures with minimally invasive techniques , applying the technology that ’ s available such as artificial intelligence ,” Dr . Roulhac said . “ We ’ re going to be able to do things we never thought of doing in the past .”
While it doesn ’ t hurt to take a few tech courses , core skills like communication , critical thinking , and empathy remain critical in the field of medicine . Since 2015 , the
I felt that I was given all the tools , all the support
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, all the information [ at JU ]. I didn ' t have to go to an Ivy League school ... I was well-equipped when I left .
Dr . Maurice Roulhac ' 83
Medical College Admissions Test ( MCAT ) now includes questions in the areas of sociology and psychology , which means “ you have to be well-rounded ,” Dr . Roulhac says .
And that ’ s advice he shares with his daughter , Courtney , who is enrolled in her first year of medical school at USF , following her father ’ s blazing trail into the stratosphere .