UK vascular and radiology societies discuss joint training

A proposal for developing a joint training program is being discussed by the Royal Society of Radiology of Great Britain and the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Professor Michael Horrocks, President of the Vascular Society, told Interventional News that a joint training program was a sensible proposition that could lead to the development of a new kind of vascular specialist trained in both surgical and endovascular techniques. He said that shared training, resulting in this strongly defined vascular specialist type, could assist both interventional radiologists and vascular surgeons in recruiting more doctors.

Horrocks said surgical technique, vascular biology and interventional technique would be the fundamental pillars of the proposed training. He said traditional soft tissue and abdominal surgical techniques taught to vascular specialists were gradually declining and being replaced by endovascular techniques. The proposed joint training, therefore, could range from anything from five to seven years and may also include new initiatives in professional development for existing vascular surgeons.

While stressing that a joint training program between the societies was still only in discussion, Horrocks said it was "an exciting proposal" which - if agreed upon - would hopefully begin development over the next 12 months.