Announcement

Dear General Surgery Fellows,

Call for Application of Transition Fellows/Transition Candidates of the Specialty of Vascular Surgery

I take great pleasure to inform you that the specialty of Vascular Surgery is formally formed under the College in July 2021 with the endorsement from the College Council, Hong Kong Academy of Medicine and Medical Council.

The first round of First Fellows applications was completed in November 2021. The College would like to call for applications from General Surgery Fellows who have substantial specialty experience but not meeting admission criteria of First Fellows of Vascular Surgery at the cut-off date (referred as Transition Fellows).

The minimal requirements for practicing vascular surgeons to be admitted as a Transition Fellow under the Vascular Surgery Board are as follows:

a) Possession of a FHKAM or be a Specialist under HKAM CSR

b) Have an active practice of at least 50% in Vascular Surgery

c) *Have at least 4.5 years of proven good practice in Vascular Surgery in which the following operational requirement needed to be fulfilled:

*Perform at least 360 operations in Vascular Surgery with at least 50% in arterial surgery

*REMARKS: 1 year of supervised training = 2 years of good practice. Should you not possess the required years of good practice or operational requirements listed in item (c) above, you can still apply as Transition Candidate, details can be found in ANNEX 2.

Since the Medical Council of Hong Kong only permits the declaration of ONE specialty in clinical practice, you are only allowed to declare ONE specialty under the College of Surgeons of Hong Kong. All subsequent specialty fellowships will be granted by examinations set by the College of Surgeons of Hong Kong after the closure of First Fellows and Transition Fellows admission (i.e. 30 June 2022). Future trainees are required to undergo and pass the 4-year RCSEd/CSHK Training Programme and JSF Examination in Vascular Surgery for award of Fellowship of the College of Surgeons of Hong Kong in Vascular Surgery.

The Transition Fellows/Candidates Application Form is attached. Interested Fellows please submit the following to the College via email shawnyip@cshk.org on or before 7 February 2022:

1.      The Transition Fellows/Transition Candidates Application Form (which should be duly signed);

2.      Logbook

3.      A brief curriculum vitae highlighting your relevant specialty experience;

All applications will be assessed by a Specialist Panel. This is a ONE-OFF Arrangement, the College should cease to accept applications for Transition Fellows/Transition Candidates after 30 June 2022.

Please read the attached Annex 1 on “Frequently asked questions on the specialty of Vascular Surgery” and Annex 2 on “Guidelines for Admission of First Fellows/Transition Fellows/Transition Candidates in Vascular Surgery”.

Should there be any queries, please feel free to contact Mr Shawn YIP, Executive Officer I on 2871 8757 or shawnyip@cshk.org or Mr Ki LAM, Executive Officer on 2871 8754 or kilam@cshk.org.

Yours faithfully,

Prof. Stephen Wing-keung CHENG

Chairman

for the Preparatory Committee for Vascular Surgery Board