Overview
Vascular surgeons manage aortic aneurysms (open and EVAR), carotid disease, peripheral arterial disease and diabetic limb salvage, dialysis access, and venous disease. The specialty transformed itself around endovascular techniques, modern vascular surgeons are as fluent with wires and stents in a hybrid theatre as with a clamp and a graft.
It is a small program with serious acuity and serious on-call, offset by strong demand, procedural richness, and a private venous/endovascular sector that rewards those who build it.
The pathway
- PGY1–2Surgical + vascular/ICU terms; GSSE prep; research (aneurysm/limb-salvage registries).
- Unaccredited vascular registrar (PGY3–5)1–3 years; hybrid theatre exposure, referee building within a small national community.
- ANZSVS SET selectionGSSE + application → published CV scoring guidelines + referees + interview → small national intake.
- SET 1–5Open + endovascular curriculum; fellowship exam in final years.
- FRACS (Vasc) → consultant± endovascular/complex-aortic fellowship, then consultant practice with lifelong on-call.
Formal requirements
- General (unconditional) AHPRA registration and Australian or NZ citizenship / permanent residency.
- Completion of PGY1 and PGY2 by the time training starts (most successful applicants are well beyond this).
- GSSE pass before applying: the Generic Surgical Sciences Examination is now an eligibility requirement at application for the SET specialties (confirm timing rules for your specialty in the current Guide to Surgical Selection).
- Registration for selection (fee) late in the prior year, then a formal application early in the selection year, strict documentation and verification rules; late or unverifiable CV items are struck out.
- Limits on attempts: most specialty boards cap the number of times you can apply (commonly 3–4 valid applications); check the specialty regulations before you 'burn' an early application.
- Vascular experience and vascular consultant referees expected; ANZSVS publishes CV scoring guidelines (e.g. the 2026 selection guidelines are public on its website).
Selection and points
How selection works
| Component | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Structured CV | Scored against a published specialty matrix, research, higher degrees, presentations, courses, rural service and specialty experience. Every item must be verifiable. |
| Structured referee reports | Usually the heaviest single component. Referees are commonly drawn from ALL recent terms or from specialty consultants you nominate; scores are averaged and standardised. |
| Semi-structured interview | Scenario-based stations (judgement, communication, conflict, ethics), not primarily a knowledge test. Only shortlisted applicants are interviewed in most specialties. |
Points & scoring
- ANZSVS publishes a structured CV scoring guideline, research output, higher degrees, presentations, courses, rural and specialty experience all carry defined points; read the current version before planning your year.
- Referees and interview complete the composite, as across SET.
The unofficial view
- The vascular community is small enough that every serious applicant is personally known before interview day; your unaccredited years are the real audition.
- Endovascular enthusiasm (sim courses, IR exposure) signals you understand where the specialty is going.
- Willingness to train and work regionally is valued and genuinely improves odds; several units struggle to fill consultant posts.
Competition & demographics
Competitiveness
- Small intake (~12–18) with success rates around the SET average (2023 overall 31.5%; vascular mid-range, indicative).
- Typical entry PGY4–6 after 1–3 unaccredited years.
Who's in the program
- Recent intakes more balanced (~30–40% women); consultant workforce older and male-skewed.
- Chronic regional shortages, diabetic foot disease burden is heavily regional/remote.
Exams
| Exam | When | Format | Cost | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GSSE (Generic Surgical Sciences Examination) Score matters in some specialties' shortlisting, not just the pass; check your specialty's rules. | Before applying to SET (sit PGY2–4 for most people) | MCQ papers covering anatomy, physiology and pathology, a large basic-sciences exam similar in scale to a college primary | ≈ $5,500 | Roughly 50–70% per sitting depending on cohort (indicative) |
| Fellowship Examination FRACS (Vasc) | Final training years | Written + vivas + clinicals | ≈ $10,500 | ≈ 70–85% (indicative) |
Fees and pass rates are indicative; check the college's current fee schedule and exam reports.
What training costs
- Selection registration + application fees ≈ $800–1,000 per attempt.
- GSSE ≈ $5,500 per sitting.
- Annual SET training fee ≈ $10,000–11,500 per year once on the program (the single most expensive training program in Australia).
- Mandatory RACS skills courses before/early in SET: ASSET, EMST (≈ $3,000–3,800 each), CCrISP and others per specialty.
- Fellowship examination ≈ $10,500, plus courses; most trainees also spend $5,000–20,000 on exam prep and interstate travel across training.
How to improve your chances at each stage
StageMedical student
- Vascular research (AAA screening, limb salvage outcomes) is accessible and publishable; start early.
- Do an elective in a unit with a hybrid theatre to see modern vascular, not just textbook open surgery.
StageIntern (PGY1)
- Vascular, general surgery and ICU terms; become excellent at arterial examination and ABIs, genuinely rare among juniors.
- Begin GSSE preparation.
StageResident (PGY2–3)
- Unaccredited vascular reg year(s); log endovascular case exposure; attend ANZSVS meetings.
- Publish; complete courses (EMST, ± endovascular sim workshops).
StageRegistrar years & applications
- Work in at least two units for referee breadth; the published CV matrix rewards planned, verifiable items; build to the rubric.
- Show regional willingness explicitly in applications and interviews.
StageIf you don't get on (or change your mind)
- Adjacent: general surgery, interventional radiology (endovascular overlap), cardiology (structural/peripheral intervention via BPT), or ICU.
See also the general strategy guide: universal CV, referee and interview advice that applies across specialties.
Job market & workforce outlook
Outlook: Strong, diabetes epidemic drives limb salvage; endovascular growth; genuine regional shortage
- Demand is strong and structural: diabetes-driven limb disease, ageing aortas and dialysis access underwrite public workloads; regional consultant vacancies persist.
- Private practice builds around veins, endovascular day cases and aortic work in larger private hospitals.
Income
- ATO 'surgeons' bracket; indicative range $500,000–900,000+ with on-call loadings meaningful in public packages.
- Venous private work (endovenous ablation) is an efficient elective earnings stream unusual for such an acute specialty.
Pre-tax, indicative, and highly variable with hours, setting and billing model. ATO figures are averages of taxable income by reported occupation.
Subspecialties & special interests
| Area | Notes |
|---|---|
| Complex aortic / endovascular | FEVAR/BEVAR at tertiary centres |
| Limb salvage / diabetic foot | MDT-based, growing |
| Venous / phlebology | Private elective anchor |
| Vascular access | Dialysis fistulae, public workhorse |
International medical graduates
- Specialist IMGs apply through the RACS SIMG pathway for an assessment of comparability (substantially / partially / not comparable), then complete a period of oversight ± the Fellowship exam.
- Surgery is not yet on the expedited specialist pathway (as of early 2026), general surgery and ENT are flagged as priority candidates to be added next; check the Medical Board list for the current position.
Official links
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