Every vascular surgeon knows the math. Years of training. The privilege of doing precise, technically demanding, often life-saving work. And on the other side of the ledger: the pager, the call schedule, the nights and weekends that never fully belong to you.
Dr. John Eun knew that math better than most. He spent eight years at a busy academic tertiary referral center for vascular surgery, ultimately serving in a leadership role. By any conventional measure, he had built the career he set out to build.
“I became a surgeon because I wanted to be able to save somebody’s life,” he says. “I became a vascular surgeon because I loved the fine technical skills necessary for such a precise surgical subspecialty — and I was amazed that it was possible to do exceedingly complicated procedures minimally invasively.”
But eight years of call at a high-acuity academic center takes a toll that’s hard to see from the inside. “I felt that I was missing out on so many aspects of my life,” Dr. Eun says, “or was too tired to participate.”
When Dr. Eun began evaluating his next opportunity, United Vein & Vascular Centers stood out for a combination he hadn’t seen elsewhere: a practice where he could stay clinically busy — genuinely busy, doing the endovascular work he loves — while keeping every night and every weekend for himself and his family.
Just as important, UVVC came with a national reputation for superior patient care, a well-developed clinical and referral base, and, in his words, “a very strong support system to make any physician successful.”
“Life-changing” is not an exaggeration.
“The work-life balance at UVVC cannot be underestimated. The fact that you are no longer on call and have all your nights and weekends to yourself is life-changing. Once I joined UVVC, I had a new outlook on life — I could see the opportunities I was missing out on, and I had the energy and time to take advantage of them.”
A common worry among surgeons considering outpatient practice is whether the work will stay meaningful. Dr. Eun’s experience suggests the opposite: the outpatient model deepened his connection to patients.
“Patients feel significantly better after our procedures, usually very quickly. They’re grateful and happy when they come into clinic. I’ve had multiple patients tell us this has been one of the best physician experiences they’ve ever had.”
Because a procedural plan of care unfolds over multiple visits, he sees his patients again and again. “You get to know patients much better than you typically would in a hospital-based surgical practice. It gives a great sense of job satisfaction to see and interact with happy patients who feel better on a daily basis — and to track their progress over the course of their treatment.”
Autonomy, with a team behind you!
UVVC physicians run their own clinics — but no one practices in isolation. “We have leadership that is supportive and always looking to make your clinic more efficient and more successful,” Dr. Eun says. “While physicians work independently, I’m never concerned that I don’t have support if I need it. My direct local supervisor and our national leadership have always been approachable, available, and very responsive.”
Dr. Eun’s message to vascular physicians weighing a similar move is inspiring.
“I personally have no regrets at all joining this company. I found the work to be very satisfying, with an amazing work-life balance. I have the time to do the things that we all work so hard to achieve and be able to do. To this day, I never think of going back or returning to that life. I feel like the direction and leadership our company has will provide many years of future growth, success, and stability.”
John Eun, M.D.
United Vein & Vascular Centers is growing nationwide. If you’re a vascular physician ready for a practice built around both exceptional patient care and your life outside the clinic, we’d love to talk.
