Primary certification in vascular surgery: what does this really mean?

A primary certificate for vascular surgery has recently been approved by both the American Board of Medical Specialties and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. This new training paradigm will allow training and certification in vascular surgery without first obtaining American Board of Surgery certification in general surgery. There are now several pathways ways to obtain vascular surgery certification, which are described in this article. All programs require an MD or DO degree from an institution accredited by the Liaison Committee of Medical Education or by the American Osteopathic Association. Graduates of schools of medicine from countries other than the United States or Canada must present evidence of final certification by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.