Built from 13+ years in the OR

By Pol Vedar

Reduce APP turnover
with systems, not luck.

I help cardiac surgery programs reduce preventable APP turnover, standardize onboarding, and build teams surgeons can trust — using systems shaped by 13+ years in the OR and four consecutive years of zero APP turnover.

Start with the Free Audit See How I Help
13+ Years in Cardiac Surgery
100% APP Team Growth Under My Leadership
4 Years Zero Team Turnover
5 of 8 OR APPs Personally Trained

About

I came into cardiac surgery with almost no surgical background.

Three months out of PA school, I started in a cardiac surgery OR with no roadmap and no formal onboarding system. I learned the hard way — then eventually became the person responsible for building the systems I never had.

As APP Supervisor at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, I helped grow our team from 7 to 14, trained five of our eight OR APPs, and built a culture that held at zero turnover for four consecutive years.

Now I help cardiac surgery leaders build clearer onboarding, stronger development systems, and more durable teams — without relying on luck, personality, or informal tribal knowledge.

Connect on LinkedIn

Current Roles

  • Cardiothoracic Surgery PA — Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
  • Locum CT Surgery PA — Corewell Health (Royal Oak, MI)
  • Clinical Data Analyst — STS Database

Clinical Scope

  • First-assist: CABG, AVR, MVR, LVAD, Transplant, TAVR
  • Endoscopic & open conduit harvesting (GSV, Radial, IMA)
  • Maquet Hemopro 2 • Terumo Virtuosaph • Saphena Venapax

Consulting

The Zero Turnover Framework™

A practical system for cardiac surgery leaders who need better onboarding, clearer APP development, and fewer preventable retention problems. Built around three phases: Gap Analysis, 90-Day Playbook, and Retention Architecture.

Tier 1 — Phase 1

$2,500

Gap Analysis

Best for programs that know something is off but cannot yet see the root cause. We map where onboarding, role clarity, development, and retention are breaking down, what that friction is likely costing, and which fixes matter first.

Leave with a written diagnostic, priority map, and 90-day action focus.

Strong first paid step if you need clarity before committing to a larger build.

Buy Gap Analysis

Most Popular

Tier 2 — Full Framework

$6,000 – $10,000

90-Day Integration Build

Best for leaders who already know the system needs to be built, not just diagnosed. We turn the diagnostic into a custom 90-day integration playbook, competency milestones, and a retention architecture leaders and executives can actually run.

From insight to implementation: clearer onboarding, clearer development, clearer accountability.

Start here if you need a real operating system, not another advisory memo.

Book Build Consult

Tier 3

$2,000/mo

Fractional APP Leadership Partner

Best for programs in growth, transition, or cleanup mode that need ongoing leadership leverage. I stay close for decision support, document review, problem-solving, and practical guidance as the team, surgeons, and expectations keep moving.

A strategic partner for the messy middle between diagnosis and stable execution.

Best fit after a diagnostic or when you already know you need steady operating support.

Start Leadership Support

Not sure where the real bottleneck is? Start with the free APP Retention Risk Audit to spot where onboarding, role clarity, feedback, sustainability, or team integration are breaking down. If the scorecard surfaces a bigger systems issue, then book the discovery call.

Start with the Free Audit Book Discovery Call

Courses

Learn what no one taught you in PA school.

Structured, clinical, built from 13+ years in the OR — not theory. Course 1 is now live at early-bird pricing. Course 2 remains in production.

Live Now

Leadership

How to Build & Lead a High-Performing APP Team (Without Burnout or Turnover)

The flagship APP Leadership Academy course built from a real operating result: 7→14 APP team growth, 4 consecutive years of zero turnover, and 5 of 8 OR APPs personally trained. Learn the hiring, onboarding, retention, culture, and metrics systems behind it.

Built for experienced PAs and APP leaders stepping into team leadership.

Early Bird: $249

Secure Teachable checkout on the next page • PayPal or card • instant lifetime access after purchase

See Curriculum + Pricing

Clinical Skills

First-Assist Fundamentals for Cardiac Surgery APPs

The clinical foundation for APPs new to cardiac surgery — OR navigation, conduit harvesting, first-assist mechanics, and how to earn surgeon trust.

From $399

Get Launch Updates

Free Resource

The APP Retention Risk Audit

A practical scorecard for APP leaders to spot hidden turnover risk across role clarity, onboarding structure, feedback, sustainability, and team integration — before good hires quietly disengage.

Request the Free Audit Read the Insights Blog

Also looking for the clinical version? Request the Cardiac Surgery First-Assist Protocol Template.

Contact

Let's talk about your program.

If you’re trying to improve onboarding, shorten ramp time, or reduce preventable APP turnover, use the form below or book directly on Calendly. I respond within one business day.

Prefer to talk directly?

Book a 30-Min Call