"So you want to become a vascular consultant surgeon?" Career Pathways 4

Blog Post by Mr. Kevin Varty, Vascular Consultant Surgeon 

·         What does speciality offer?  

Rewarding surgery. Interesting patients who are both a surgical and medical challenge.  New technology, stents to treat aneurysms, combined endovascular and open surgical skills.

·         What is the career pathway to consultant stage?

Any academic routes (if relevant)?  Stand alone vascular specialty is imminent, 2011. Core surgical training, followed by 4-6 year run through training to CCT. Curriculum includes open surgery, interventional radiology, and vascular ultrasound.

·         What can I do as a student to improve my chances of getting into this specialty?  

Audit /elective / project / research broadly related to the field (vascular, diabetes, stroke)    

·         What would you have done if you couldn’t do your speciality?  

Orthopaedics / Sports Medicine.   

·         What are the drawbacks to your specialty?  

The clotting cascade ! either working or not, with returns to theatre.  At present ruptured aneurysms wreck your planned day or night. The national screening programme will however virtually remove this problem over the next 5 years.  ·        

Useful books/ links?  www.vascularsociety.org.uk

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