Course Overview

This two-day intensive FRCS (Vascular Surgery) examination preparation course is designed for ST6–ST7 vascular surgery registrars preparing for the FRCS (Vascular Surgery) Exit Examination. The course provides a high-fidelity simulation of the intercollegiate examination environment, focusing entirely on viva-based assessment and performance refinement.

The programme is delivered in a fully immersive format without lectures or didactic teaching, ensuring maximum candidate engagement through repeated practice. Candidates rotate through multiple consultant-led stations covering long cases, short cases, emergency vascular surgery, elective practice, endovascular scenarios, and aortic pathology.

A key strength of the course is the exceptionally high consultant-to-candidate ratio, allowing predominantly one-to-one viva interactions. Each candidate is assessed multiple times by experienced consultant vascular surgeons from leading UK vascular centres, providing exposure to a wide range of examiner styles. All stations are structured in line with JCIE marking descriptors, assessing clinical judgement, prioritisation, communication, logical organisation, and the ability to justify management decisions using evidence and guidelines. Long case stations incorporate simulated patients, enabling candidates to demonstrate clinical examination, professional communication, and structured reasoning in a realistic examination setting.

This course is convened by the Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland and is facilitated, hosted and delivered in conjunction with Doctors Academy, ensuring alignment with national standards in vascular surgical training and education.

Aims

• To provide a realistic and structured simulation of the FRCS (Vascular Surgery) viva examination.
• To develop advanced clinical reasoning and decision-making aligned with JCIE standards.
• To refine candidate performance through repeated consultant-led vivas and targeted feedback.
• To improve confidence in managing complex vascular scenarios across all exam domains.
• To enable candidates to deliver clear, structured, and evidence-based responses expected at exit exam level.

Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate structured and prioritised clinical reasoning in vascular surgery scenarios.
• Deliver clear, concise, and logically organised viva responses under exam conditions.
• Justify management decisions using current guidelines, trials, and evidence.
• Perform effectively in long case scenarios, including interaction with simulated patients.
• Identify individual performance gaps and apply strategies to improve examination performance.

Aimed at

• Foundation Year 1
• Foundation Year 2
• Core Surgical Trainee 1
• Core Surgical Trainee 2
• Trust Grade
• Junior Research Fellow
• Clinical Research Fellow

Course Format

• No lectures or presentations
• Multiple rotating viva stations
• Predominantly 1:1 consultant-to-candidate interaction
• Repeated exposure to different consultant examiners
• Immediate structured feedback after each station
• Dedicated individual feedback sessions with assigned consultants
• Stations mapped directly to FRCS (Vasc) format

Course Format

• No lectures or presentations
• Multiple rotating viva stations
• Predominantly 1:1 consultant-to-candidate interaction
• Repeated exposure to different consultant examiners
• Immediate structured feedback after each station
• Dedicated individual feedback sessions with assigned consultants
• Stations mapped directly to FRCS (Vasc) format

Course Details

• Target Audience: ST6–ST7 Vascular Surgery Registrars
• Format: Face-to-face, two-day intensive course

Key Features

• Designed specifically for FRCS (Vasc) exit exam candidates
• High consultant-to-candidate ratio with 1:1 viva exposure
• Fully immersive exam simulation
• No lectures – entirely viva-based learning
• Exposure to multiple consultant examiners
• Structured feedback aligned to JCIE standards
• Delivered by faculty from leading UK vascular units

Core Station Themes

• Long cases with simulated patients
• Short cases
• Emergency vascular surgery
• Elective vascular practice
• Aortic pathology
• Endovascular interventions

Assessment and Feedback

• Clinical judgement and prioritisation
• Knowledge and application
• Communication skills
• Logical organisation of answers
• Ability to justify management with evidence

• Immediate and consultant-led
• Individualised and performance-focused
• Benchmarked against FRCS standards
• Delivered throughout and in dedicated feedback sessions

Course Fee

Registration

Faculty

Course Directors

• Mr Huq Davies – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, South East Wales Vascular Network
• Mr Lewis Meecham – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, South East Wales Vascular Network

Course Faculty

• Mr Mike Rocker – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, South East Wales Vascular Unit
• Mr Kevin Conway – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, South East Wales Vascular Unit
• Mr Danielle Lowry – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, South East Wales Vascular Unit
• Mr Luke Hopkins – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, South East Wales Vascular Unit
• Mr David Bosenquet – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, South East Wales Vascular Unit
• Ms Amy Stimpson – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, South West Wales Vascular Unit
• Mr Madlen Devi – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, South West Wales Vascular Unit
• Ms Natasha Charlwood – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Worcestershire Royal Hospital
• Mr Julian Al-Shakarchi – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Worcestershire Royal Hospital
• Mr Diane Hildebrand – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Cambridge University Hospitals
• Mr Steve Jones – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals
• Ms Kate Merriman – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals
• Mr Patrick Lintott – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Oxford University Hospitals
• Mr Asif Mahmood – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire
• Mr Nick Matharu – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire
• Mr Dev Srinivasamurthy – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire
• Mr Matt Popplewell – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Black Country Vascular Network
• Mr Simon Hobbs – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Black Country Vascular Network

Additional Faculty

• Mr Darryl Baker – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Royal Free NHS Trust
• Mr Donald Adam – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, University Hospitals Birmingham
• Ms Gemma McKevitt – Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
• Mr Mariam Darwish – East Midlands Vascular Specialty Trainee
• Ms Ginnina Conway – Surgical Care Practitioner, South East Wales Vascular Network