David Petrov

Fellowship in Interventional Radiology

At Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia he majored in Biology and participated in the Peer Mentorship Program during his undergrad years, beginning a career of service to others that was to continue through his time at Saba. While at Saba he was inducted into the Honor and Service Society and served as a teaching assistant in Physiology and Neuroanatomy, as well as being the co-founder of the Clinical Connections club at Saba. 

As he went through his clinical rotations David began to develop an interest in Interventional Radiology. With the Saba clinical team’s support, David did an elective at Providence-Park Hospital, Michigan State University College of Health and Human Sciences in Detroit where he then matched into a transitional year, and from there into a Diagnostic Radiology residency at Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh where he served as chief resident.  “I aided in developing the new Early Sub-specialization in Interventional Radiology (ESIR) curriculum for the residency at Allegheny Health Network. Interventional radiology has become a very competitive specialty and trainees are highly sought after”.

David is in his final year of his four year residency and has managed to publish along the way, presenting on aneurysm treatment, CT guided lung biopsy, and catheter directed stroke therapy, among other topics at multiple scientific meetings and conferences.  He has been nominated “Chief Resident” in his program, and is planning for his anticipated upcoming fellowship in Interventional Radiology next July at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.  “Interventional Radiologists are vascular specialists that use minimally invasive techniques to diagnose and treat critically ill patients. The arteries and veins are the conduits I use to provide local therapies all over the body. I use vascular anatomy to treat a myriad of diseases, from acute bleeding, to uterine fibroids, to liver cancer.  I am particularly interested in interventional oncology, for example treating liver cancer using an incision no bigger than a pink nail.” 

Says David, “Saba is a great alternate pathway, and really helped me focus on my academic goals. The school prepared me well for the boards, and for a great career in a new and exciting field. I met many motivated students at Saba, most of who have gone on to be leaders in competitive disciplines in medicine”.