“Vascular surgery is not a destination you stumble into — it is a specialty you choose deliberately, because it demands the most from a surgeon and gives the most back to patients.”
Written by Dr Rahul Agarwal, Consultant Vascular & Endovascular Surgeon
CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad
Vascular surgery is one of the most technically demanding and intellectually rewarding specialties in Indian medicine. It is also one of the least understood in terms of the training pathway. If you are a medical student or surgical resident asking how to build a career in vascular surgery, this guide will walk you through every step.
🎓 The Full Training Pathway
Step 1: MBBS (5.5 years)
The journey begins with an MBBS degree from a recognised medical college, which takes 4.5 years of study plus one year of compulsory rotating internship. During MBBS, surgical postings give you early exposure to operative environments and basic surgical principles.
Step 2: MS/DNB General Surgery (3 years)
After MBBS, you must complete a postgraduate degree in General Surgery — either an MS (Master of Surgery) through a university, or a DNB (Diplomate of the National Board) through the National Board of Examinations. Both are equivalent in terms of career progression. The MS/DNB in General Surgery covers a broad range of surgical skills, including vascular exposure.
During MS/DNB General Surgery, strategic choices matter enormously. Choosing a centre with a busy vascular unit gives you far greater exposure. Seek out every vascular case you can assist with. Vascular surgery is a specialty where technical familiarity built during general surgery training is a significant advantage.
Step 3: DrNB/MCh Vascular Surgery (3 years)
This is the formal super-speciality qualification in vascular surgery. There are two routes:
- MCh Vascular Surgery — Offered by very few medical colleges like Madras Medical College, Shri Chitra, etc. mostly concentrated in Chennai and Kerala.
- DrNB Vascular Surgery — Offered through the National Board of Examinations. Available at accredited hospitals across India. Entrance is through the NBE examination. This route has significantly expanded access to super-speciality training across more cities.
Both routes are 3 years in duration and provide training in open vascular surgery and increasingly in endovascular techniques. The curriculum covers peripheral artery disease, aortic surgery, venous disease, dialysis access, and vascular trauma.
Step 4: Endovascular Fellowship (Optional but Increasingly Essential)
The DrNB/MCh curriculum teaches the fundamentals of endovascular work, but dedicated fellowship training is what produces a surgeon truly comfortable with complex endovascular cases. Options include:
- Fellowships at high-volume vascular centres in India (Apollo, Medanta, CARE Hospitals)
- International fellowships in the UK, USA, Europe, or Australia — typically 1–2 years
- Dedicated endovascular courses through organisations such as VSICON (Vascular Society of India)
Total Training Duration
Adding it up: MBBS (5.5 years) + DNB/MS General Surgery (3 years) + DrNB/MCh Vascular Surgery (3 years) + optional fellowship (1–2 years) = 12–14 years before independent practice. This is one of the longest training pathways in Indian medicine, comparable to neurosurgery and cardiothoracic surgery.
🏛️ Key Institutions for Vascular Surgery Training in India
- CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills
- Medanta, Delhi
- JIVAS
- Shri Chitra Institute
- Madras Medical College
- Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Hyderabad
- KIMS, Secunderabad
- Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills
- Yashoda Hospital, Somajiguda and Secunderabad
- Sir Gangaram, Delhi
- RR Hospital, Delhi
- And many more (refer to NBE site for more institutes)
💻 What Skills Does a Modern Vascular Surgeon Need?
- Technical proficiency in open vascular anastomosis (bypasses, endarterectomies)
- Endovascular skills: catheter manipulation, wire techniques, balloon angioplasty, stenting, and stent-graft deployment
- Duplex ultrasound interpretation and vascular laboratory skills
- Critical care management of the post-aortic surgery patient
- Wound and diabetic foot management
- Dialysis access creation and salvage
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a shortage of vascular surgeons in India?
Yes, significantly so. India has an estimated population of over 1.4 billion, yet there are fewer than 1,500 qualified vascular surgeons. Most are concentrated in Tier 1 cities. This creates both a career opportunity and a responsibility for those choosing the specialty.
Can I do vascular surgery without a DrNB/MCh? Can a general surgeon perform vascular procedures?
General surgeons with significant vascular exposure do perform basic vascular procedures in smaller centres. However, complex open aortic surgery, sophisticated endovascular interventions, and high-volume dialysis access programmes require dedicated vascular surgical training.
💡 Key Insight: The demand for trained vascular surgeons in India will only grow as the diabetic and CKD population expands. Choosing vascular surgery is choosing a specialty where you will be needed, valued, and technically challenged for your entire career.
📖 Related Reading:
- What Does a Vascular Surgeon Do?
- A Day in the Life of a Vascular Surgeon in India
- What Is Vascular Surgery? The Complete Guide
About the Author 🧑🏻⚕️
Dr Rahul Agarwal is a Consultant Vascular & Endovascular Surgeon at CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, with a DrNB in Vascular Surgery.