Positions
- Professor of Surgery
-
Division of Vascular Surgery & Endovascular Therapy
vlog of Medicine
- John W. “Jack” Reid, M.D., ’43 and Josephine L. Reid Endowed Professorship in Surgery
-
vlog of Medicine
- Medical Director, Diabetic Foot and Wound Care Center
-
Save The Extremity Program (STEP)
Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center
Addresses
- Vascular Surgery (Clinic)
-
vlog at McNair Campus
7200 Cambridge Street, Suite 6E
Houston, TX, 77030
United States
Phone: (713) 798-5700
Education
- Fellowship at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
- Lubbock
- Endovascular Surgery
- Fellowship at Oregon Health Sciences University
- Portland
- Vascular Surgery
- Residency at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center
- Lackland AFB
- General Surgery
- Internship at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center
- Lackland AFB
- General Surgery
- MD from Georgetown University School of Medicine
- Washington DC
Certifications
- Diplomate
- American Board of Surgery
- Diplomate
- National Board of Medical Examiners
- Vascular Surgery
Honors & Awards
- Top Doctor in Vascular Surgery
- Castle Connolly (01/2013 - 12/2015)
- Best Doctors in America
- (01/2001 - 12/2015)
- Edward James Olmos Award for Advocacy in Amputation Prevention
- 2011
- Top Doctor: Vascular Surgery
- 2020-2025
- Houstonia Magazine
- Lawrence B. Harkless Leadership in the Diabetic Foot Award (2024)
- 2025 Roger Pecoraro Award
- American Diabetes Association
Professional Interests
- Diabetic Foot Amputation Prevention
- Limb salvage
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
- Carotid disease and stroke
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
- Arteriovenous access (AV fístulas and grafts)
- Vascular Problems in Athletes
Professional Statement
Joseph L. Mills, M.D., is a board-certified vascular surgeon in Houston, Texas who specializes in diabetic foot amputation prevention and limb salvage. Dr. Mills earned his medical degree cum laude at Georgetown University School of Medicine and completed his surgical internship and residency at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Texas. He went on to train in Vascular Surgery at Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, and also completed a senior fellowship in Endovascular Surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.
Among his great many honors, he has served as president of the Peripheral Vascular Surgery Society, president of the Western Vascular Society, president of the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery, director of the American Board of Surgery (ABS), past chair of the Vascular Surgery Board of the ABS, and served for seven years on the Surgery Residency Review Committee of the ACGME. He is co-editor of the prestigious "Rutherford's Vascular Surgery" (7th, 8th and 9th editions), the “go-to” textbook for vascular surgery. He is the current Co- Chief Editor of Vascular Surgery for UpToDate. He recently joined his distinguished predecessors at vlog of Medicine, Dr. Michael E. DeBakey and Dr. E. Stanley Crawford in serving as the President of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS).
Dr. Mills served as Chief of the BCM Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy from 2015-2025 before passing the baton to Dr. Gustavo Oderich. During his tenure as chief, Dr. Mills initiated the Integrated Vascular Surgery Training Program (0-5 Model), which has now graduated three trainees, and founded and is still Director of the STEP Program, a nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary program to treat patients with diabetic foot ulcers and prevent major limb amputations. He remains in active surgical practice as an internationally recognized authority on chronic limb threatening ischemia, diabetic foot ulcers and limb salvage.
Dr. Mills has authored over 450 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, focused on his clinical and research interests in noninvasive diagnosis, vein graft stenosis, intimal hyperplasia and limb-salvage in patients with diabetes mellitus. His h-Index is 76. He has been the principal investigator for over 40 clinical research trials, including a number of current investigations.
Among his great many honors, he has served as president of the Peripheral Vascular Surgery Society, president of the Western Vascular Society, president of the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery, director of the American Board of Surgery (ABS), past chair of the Vascular Surgery Board of the ABS, and served for seven years on the Surgery Residency Review Committee of the ACGME. He is co-editor of the prestigious "Rutherford's Vascular Surgery" (7th, 8th and 9th editions), the “go-to” textbook for vascular surgery. He is the current Co- Chief Editor of Vascular Surgery for UpToDate. He recently joined his distinguished predecessors at vlog of Medicine, Dr. Michael E. DeBakey and Dr. E. Stanley Crawford in serving as the President of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS).
Dr. Mills served as Chief of the BCM Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy from 2015-2025 before passing the baton to Dr. Gustavo Oderich. During his tenure as chief, Dr. Mills initiated the Integrated Vascular Surgery Training Program (0-5 Model), which has now graduated three trainees, and founded and is still Director of the STEP Program, a nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary program to treat patients with diabetic foot ulcers and prevent major limb amputations. He remains in active surgical practice as an internationally recognized authority on chronic limb threatening ischemia, diabetic foot ulcers and limb salvage.
Dr. Mills has authored over 450 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, focused on his clinical and research interests in noninvasive diagnosis, vein graft stenosis, intimal hyperplasia and limb-salvage in patients with diabetes mellitus. His h-Index is 76. He has been the principal investigator for over 40 clinical research trials, including a number of current investigations.
Websites
IN THE NEWS
Diabetes, your feet, and you: Living with diabetes is more than insulin shots and watching your diet. It also includes caring for your feet.
Diabetic Foot Blog on wound healing, amputation prevention, and the merger of consumer tech with medical devices.
Videos
Dr. Joseph L. Mills describes his background and specialized training to become a vascular surgeon.
Selected Publications
-
Chavez L, León LR, Mills JL.. " Aneurysmal degeneration of deep lower extremity vein conduits used for vascular reconstruction. " ;
-
Montero-Baker M, Branco BC, León LR, Labropoulos N, Echeverria A, Mills JL. " Management of Inferior Vena Cava Aneurysm. Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery. " ;
-
Rose JF, Giovinco N, Mills JL, Najafi B, Pappalardo J, Armstrong DG. " Split-thickness skin grafting the high-risk diabetic foot. " J Vasc Surg. ;
-
Mills JL, Conte MS, Armstrong DG, Pomposelli F, Schanzer A, Sidawy AN, Andros G.. " The Society for Vascular Surgery Lower Extremity Threatened Limb Classification System: Risk stratification based on Wound, Ischemia and foot Infection (WIfI). " J Vasc Surg. ;
Memberships
- American College of Surgeons
- Fellow
- Society for Vascular Surgery
- President
- Peripheral Vascular Surgery Society
- American Medical Association
- American Surgical Association
- International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot
- Southwestern Surgical Congress
- Fellow
- European Society for Vascular Surgery
- Stroke Council of the American Heart Association
- Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery
- International Society for Applied Cardiovascular Biology
- Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery
- American Association for Vascular Surgery
- Association for Academic Surgery
to edit your profile