What vascular skills do general surgery trainees need to learn

Vascular surgery has recently been recognised as a full surgical specialty in the UK. Major vascular interventions are centralised into hub units where sufficient volume of cases exists to achieve good outcomes and support training.1 If no consolidation onto a single site has occurred, clinical networks have formed to provide emergency vascular cover for their catchment area. In local district hospitals, visiting vascular surgeons can run clinics, perform day-case minor elective surgery and offer a vascular opinion.1 In 2013 the first round of trainee recruitment at ST3 level in vascular surgery, separate from general surgery, was completed. Vascular trainees will do less general surgery and as consultants they will work on a pure vascular rota.2