Joel G. Gotvald, MD, FACS, FSVS, RPVI

Board-Certified:

The American Board of Vascular Surgery
The American Board of General Surgery
American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine
Registered Physician In Vascular Interpretation

Dr. Joel Gotvald graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) in 1992. He completed medical school at UAB under scholarship and then went on to do his surgical training at the University of Texas Medical Center and St. Joseph Hospital in Houston, TX (now Houston Methodist). He completed clinical clerkships in Surgical Oncology at the prestigious MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Following this, he obtained specialty training in Vascular (blood vessel) Surgery through a Vascular & Endovascular Surgery Fellowship at Baylor Medical Center and Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital in Dallas, Texas. This certifies him as a “Vascular Specialist,” meaning he is an expert in the treatment of all forms of arterial and venous diseases. It is at Baylor that he obtained extensive experience and expertise in the treatment of all forms of vascular conditions, including training in the newest minimally-invasive techniques, ultrasound-guided procedures, and laser therapies.

He is double Board-Certified by the American Board of Surgery in both Endovascular & Vascular Surgery as well as General Surgery. He has also obtained additional certification in Phlebology and is a Diplomate of  the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine (ABVLM). He has also provided service to the community as a Trauma Surgeon in the ER for many years. He is a respected Fellow of the Society for Vascular Surgery (FSVS), the American Board of Surgery, the American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine, the Texas Medical Association, the Travis County Medical Society, and he is a distinguished Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS).

Additionally, Dr. Gotvald is certified nationally as a Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation (RPVI). This means that he has extensive experience in interpreting artery and vein imaging studies and ultrasounds and has passed a rigorous credentialing process in blood vessel testing. On a daily basis he interprets ultrasound studies for his vascular and ultrasound laboratory as well as various angiograms (catheter angiograms, CT angiograms, and MR angiograms). He has established and been the director of a nationally accredited ICAVL Ultrasound and Vascular Lab for years.

Dr. Gotvald has been performing surgery for over 20 years, with his focus on Endovascular / Vascular Surgery, Varicose Vein Treatments, and Trauma Surgery.  He is the medical director of Austin Vascular Surgeons and is the supervising physician for the ultrasound department at the Vascular & Vein Centers in Austin and Round Rock Texas.  He is an active staff member at the Ascension Seton Hospitals, St. David’s Hospitals, Heart Hospital of Austin, Baylor Scott & White Hospitals,  Cedar Park Regional Medical Center, and Westlake Medical Center.

Dr. Gotvald’s particular areas of interest are blood vessel surgery, treatments of varicose veins and spider veins, treatment of peripheral artery disease and carotid artery disease, treatment of aneursyms, minimally invasive operations, and laser treatments. He utilizes the latest cutting-edge technology and minimally invasive techniques to perform his operations, including the use of laparoscopy, lasers, stents, angioplasty balloons, ultrasound, and specialized catheters. He has vast experience in repairing aneurysms, opening artery occlusions, and curing varicose veins using laser techniques.

He has an enthusiasm for treating a wide variety of patients of various ages with varying medical and surgical conditions. This includes providing care to the elderly population stricken with peripheral vascular disease, carotid artery disease, aneurysms, and artery and vein blockages. Additionally, he has a passion for treating those with both common and unusual venous disorders (such as varicose vein disease, spider veins, blood clots, DVT, and venous stasis ulcers). He has published several articles pertaining to his work in nationally distributed medical and surgical journals.

Our physician is also the founder of Austin Vein Specialists and the Vein Treatment Center of Texas, which are Vein & Laser Clinics that focuses on the cosmetic treatments of Varicose Veins & Spider Veins. He utilizes the latest state-of-the-art vein therapies to achieve exceptional aesthetic results.

Dr. Gotvald is also a retired Major of the Air Force Medical Corps with 13 years of military service, having served honorably as a Surgeon and an Officer in the USAF. He has been awarded the national defense service medal, the global war on terrorism medal, and the meritorious service medal for war-time medical service.  He has been voted Top Vein Doctor in his field by Austin Monthly and Texas Monthly on multiple occasions, including in 2024.