Specialist Vascular Surgery Prometric & Licensing Exam 2026: Complete Syllabus, Passing Marks and Study Guide (DHA, MOHAP, DOH, SCFHS, Oman, Qatar DHP, NHRA, Kuwait MOH)

If you are a Vascular Surgery-trained physician planning to practise as a Specialist Vascular Surgeon in the Middle East, your licensing pathway will depend on the country, the recognition tier of your postgraduate qualification and the health authority you are applying to. Several regulators use a dedicated Vascular Surgery examination, but the question count, duration, passing standard and exemption rules are not identical.

This guide covers the major Middle East health authorities and explains the eligibility requirements, exam format, syllabus, reference books and licensing pathways relevant to Specialist Vascular Surgery candidates.

1. What is the Specialist Vascular Surgery Exam?

The Specialist Vascular Surgery licensing or classification examination assesses whether a physician with recognised postgraduate Vascular Surgery training has the clinical judgement, operative and endovascular knowledge, diagnostic imaging competence, emergency decision-making and patient-safety awareness required for specialist vascular practice. The scope spans arterial, venous and lymphatic disease, aneurysmal disease, cerebrovascular and renovascular disease, dialysis access, vascular imaging, acute limb-threatening presentations and perioperative vascular care.

Question type: Where a computer-based Vascular Surgery examination is required, questions are predominantly single-best-answer multiple-choice questions built around clinical and imaging scenarios. The number of questions and blueprint weighting vary by authority.

Language: English. Prometric licensing examinations covered by this guide are conducted in English.

Delivery: Mainly computer-based testing through Prometric or another authority-approved testing platform. Some applicants may be exempt from the specialty examination based on the recognition category of their postgraduate qualification.

Result: Reporting varies by authority. The UAE guideline used across DHA, MOHAP and DOH publishes a fixed pass percentage; SCFHS publishes title-specific thresholds; Qatar publishes a specialty qualifying-exam cut score; and Bahrain uses its general medical-practitioner licensure examination when an exam is assigned.

Attempts: Authority-specific. The UAE Unified PQR grants three examination attempts across the UAE Authorities, with limited additional-attempt provisions. Qatar physician guidelines allow three attempts where a specialty qualifying examination is required. Bahrain permits four initial licensure-exam attempts within three years.

2. Middle East Health Authorities and Regulatory Pathways for Specialist Vascular Surgery

Each regulator has its own specialist-classification route, and a Vascular Surgery licence or title issued by one authority is not automatically valid in another jurisdiction. The table below summarises the principal pathway across the authorities covered by this guide.

3. Specialist Vascular Surgery Passing Marks and Exam Format

Specialist Vascular Surgery examination specifications differ across Middle East regulators. Across DHA, MOHAP and DOH, the same UAE Specialist Vascular Surgery specification applies: 150 MCQs in 3 hours with a 65% pass mark. Saudi Arabia and Qatar publish separate Vascular Surgery examination standards.

*Qatar note: the current DHP qualifying-examination webpage lists Vascular Surgery as 150 MCQs in 3 hours with a 65% pass mark, while an earlier official DHP circular and blueprint list 150 MCQs in 3.5 hours. Candidates should follow the duration shown on their current eligibility and booking confirmation. Qatar physician guidelines state that Category 3 specialty qualifications require the qualifying examination, while Category 1 and 2 qualifications do not.

4. Eligibility Criteria for Specialist Vascular Surgery Candidates

The exact requirements differ by regulator and depend heavily on how the postgraduate Vascular Surgery qualification is classified. A primary medical degree alone is not sufficient for the Specialist title; applicants need a recognised Vascular Surgery specialty qualification and must meet the experience, registration and assessment rules of the target authority.

Primary medical qualification: A recognised MBBS, MBChB, MBBCh, MD or equivalent primary medical degree from an accredited institution, with completed internship as required by the regulator.

Specialty qualification: Completion of a recognised Vascular Surgery specialty programme, residency, fellowship or board qualification that maps to the regulator's Specialist Vascular Surgery title. Recognition depends on the authority's approved specialty qualification tables.

UAE experience requirement: Under the current UAE PQR, Specialist physicians with Tier 1 or Tier 2 recognised specialty qualifications require no post-specialty experience. For Tier 3 qualifications, experience depends on whether the credential is evaluated as a main-specialty or sub-specialty qualification and on nationality: UAE nationals and children of Emirati women generally require one year after a main-specialty qualification and no experience after a sub-specialty qualification, while non-UAE nationals require three years after a main-specialty qualification or two years after a sub-specialty qualification.

Saudi classification: SCFHS lists Vascular Surgery as a dedicated classification examination. The blueprint uses Registrar and Senior Registrar passing thresholds; the final professional title depends on the recognised specialty qualification, training and SCFHS classification decision.

Qatar qualification categories: Qatar DHP uses physician specialty categories. Category 1 requires one year of post-qualification experience and no qualifying exam; Category 2 requires two years and no exam; Category 3 requires at least three years of structured postgraduate specialty training, three years of post-qualification experience and the DHP Vascular Surgery qualifying examination.

Professional licence and Good Standing: A valid professional registration/licence and a recent Certificate of Good Standing are commonly required. The licence and claimed experience should correspond to the specialty title for which the applicant is applying.

Primary Source Verification: The primary medical degree, Vascular Surgery qualification, professional licence and claimed experience may require primary-source verification such as DataFlow or another regulator-approved provider.

Training and operative documentation: Regulators or credentialing committees may request residency/fellowship certificates, transcripts, board credentials, experience letters and procedure or case-log evidence showing appropriate open and endovascular vascular-surgery training.

Clinical privileging: Passing a licensing examination does not automatically authorise every advanced open or endovascular procedure. Hospitals and regulators may apply separate core and advanced privilege requirements for complex aortic repair, carotid intervention, peripheral endovascular procedures, thrombolysis and other high-risk vascular interventions.

Examination exemption is not uniform. UAE authorities apply PQR-based exemption rules, Qatar exempts Category 1 and Category 2 physician specialty qualifications from the qualifying exam, and other regulators apply their own recognition and assessment policies. Candidates should not book an examination until the regulator confirms that an exam is required for their specific qualification and title.

5. Specialist Vascular Surgery Syllabus and Core Study Areas Across Middle East Health Authorities

The 12 study areas below are directly supported by the UAE Specialist Vascular Surgery examination guideline and align almost exactly with the current SCFHS and Qatar Vascular Surgery blueprints. SCFHS assigns the highest weighting to Atherosclerotic Disease and Ischemia at 15%; Basic Vascular Knowledge, Aneurysmal Disease, Neurovascular Disease, Venous and Lymphatic Diseases, AV Fistula and Access, and Vascular Emergencies each carry 10%. Qatar uses the same 12-domain structure with 150 scored items. This makes the cross-authority syllabus unusually consistent even though exam length and scoring differ.

Topic 1: Basic Vascular Knowledge

Applied vascular anatomy and physiology, hemodynamics, endothelial function, thrombosis and coagulation, atherosclerosis, wound healing, perioperative risk assessment, vascular pharmacology, antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy, risk-factor modification and principles of open and endovascular vascular intervention.

Topic 2: Vascular Imaging

Appropriate use and interpretation of ankle-brachial index and physiologic testing, duplex ultrasonography, CT angiography, MR angiography, catheter angiography and intravascular imaging; contrast and radiation safety; lesion characterization; preoperative planning; and postoperative surveillance.

Topic 3: Aneurysmal Disease

Abdominal, iliac, thoracic and peripheral arterial aneurysms; screening and surveillance; rupture risk; symptomatic and ruptured aneurysm management; open versus endovascular repair; EVAR/TEVAR principles; endoleaks; graft complications; and acute and chronic aortic dissection concepts relevant to vascular practice.

Topic 4: Atherosclerotic Disease and Ischemia

Peripheral arterial disease, intermittent claudication, chronic limb-threatening ischemia, diabetic limb disease, acute limb ischemia, noninvasive assessment, medical optimization, indications for revascularization, endovascular and open reconstruction, bypass conduit selection, graft surveillance, limb salvage and amputation decision-making.

Topic 5: Visceral and Renovascular Disease

Mesenteric ischemia, visceral artery aneurysm, renal artery stenosis, renovascular hypertension, renal and mesenteric revascularization, median arcuate ligament and related vascular compression syndromes, and selection of medical, endovascular or open surgical treatment.

Topic 6: Neurovascular Disease

Extracranial carotid and vertebral artery disease, TIA and stroke risk assessment, carotid duplex interpretation, indications for carotid endarterectomy versus carotid stenting, perioperative neurologic risk reduction, asymptomatic carotid disease and recognition of complex cerebrovascular cases requiring multidisciplinary management.

Topic 7: Venous and Lymphatic Diseases

Deep and superficial venous thrombosis, chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins, venous ulceration, post-thrombotic syndrome, iliocaval obstruction, venous duplex, compression therapy, anticoagulation, thrombus-removal strategies, superficial venous interventions, lymphedema assessment and long-term venous/lymphatic care.

Topic 8: Vasculitis and Connective Tissue Disease

Large-, medium- and small-vessel vasculitis relevant to vascular surgeons; inflammatory and nonatherosclerotic arteriopathies; vascular manifestations of connective-tissue disorders; fibromuscular dysplasia; arterial fragility syndromes; imaging patterns; operative risk; and appropriate medical or multidisciplinary referral.

Topic 9: AV Fistula and Vascular Access

Hemodialysis access planning, vessel mapping, arteriovenous fistula and graft creation, maturation and surveillance, steal syndrome, high-output failure, access infection, thrombosis and stenosis, endovascular and surgical salvage, central venous stenosis, catheter-related access issues and preservation of future access options.

Topic 10: Vascular Emergencies

Rapid recognition and management of ruptured aneurysm, acute aortic syndromes, acute limb ischemia, vascular trauma, hemorrhage, compartment syndrome, infected grafts, access-related hemorrhage, mesenteric ischemia and other time-critical vascular presentations, including resuscitation, imaging, anticoagulation/reversal and operative or endovascular escalation.

Topic 11: Patient Safety

Correct patient, procedure and site verification; perioperative medication management; anticoagulant and antiplatelet safety; contrast-associated risk reduction; renal protection; infection prevention; radiation safety; blood-product safety; VTE prevention; postoperative surveillance; recognition of complications; handover and adverse-event reporting.

Topic 12: Professionalism and Ethics

Informed consent for high-risk open and endovascular procedures, shared decision-making, realistic discussion of limb salvage versus amputation, confidentiality, documentation, management of complications, appropriate referral, professional boundaries, end-of-life decisions, conflicts of interest and ethical use of new devices and interventions.

Cross-Authority Focus: UAE, SCFHS and Qatar Use Nearly the Same 12-Domain Blueprint

The UAE guideline, SCFHS classification blueprint and Qatar DHP Vascular Surgery blueprint all use the same 12 major domains. The most heavily tested area in the Saudi blueprint is Atherosclerotic Disease and Ischemia at 15%, while six clinical domains carry 10% each. Qatar mirrors this structure in a 150-item exam, assigning 23 questions to Atherosclerotic Disease and Ischemia and 15 questions to most of the 10% domains. Preparation can therefore be highly transferable across these three licensing systems, while candidates must still match the exam format and eligibility rules of their target authority.

6. Recommended Reference Books

The UAE Specialist Vascular Surgery guideline lists six official references. Several are older editions or landmark publications, so candidates should preserve them as the regulator-listed framework while supplementing preparation with the latest editions of major vascular texts and current SVS/ESVS evidence-based guidelines:

Rutherford's Vascular Surgery, 6th Edition. The regulator lists this edition; use the latest available edition for contemporary open and endovascular practice.

Current Therapy in Vascular Surgery, 4th Edition. Official regulator-listed reference covering practical vascular diagnosis and treatment; supplement with current evidence where recommendations have evolved.

Chaikof EL et al. Society for Vascular Surgery practice guidelines on the care of patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm, Journal of Vascular Surgery, 2018. Core official reference for AAA evaluation and management principles.

Nienaber CA et al. INSTEAD-XL trial: long-term results of endovascular repair for type B aortic dissection, Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions, 2013. Landmark regulator-listed evidence for aortic dissection management.

O'Donnell TF et al. Management of venous leg ulcers: clinical practice guidelines of the Society for Vascular Surgery and the American Venous Forum, Journal of Vascular Surgery, 2014. Official reference for chronic venous ulcer care.

Cerneviciute R et al. Regional versus local anaesthesia for haemodialysis arteriovenous fistula formation: systematic review and meta-analysis, European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 2017. Official reference relevant to dialysis-access practice.

Beyond textbook study, exam-day preparation benefits from high-quality MCQ practice. The Specialist Vascular Surgery MCQ bank on prometricguide.com is designed around the 12-domain cross-authority framework above and includes 2500 plus questions with detailed explanations covering arterial, venous, aortic, neurovascular, access, imaging, emergency, patient-safety and professional-practice content.

7. Two Ways We Can Help You Get Licensed

Prometric Guide supports Specialist Vascular Surgery exam preparation across the Middle East, while our sister company Alzantra International supports the UAE licensing process.

For Exam Preparation: Prometric Guide (All Middle East Authorities)

Whether you are targeting DHA, MOHAP, DOH Abu Dhabi, SCFHS Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar DHP, NHRA Bahrain or Kuwait MOH, our MCQ bank provides one broad preparation base across the major Vascular Surgery licensing destinations:

2500 plus Specialist Vascular Surgery MCQs mapped to the 12-domain cross-authority framework.

Detailed explanations with references to Rutherford, regulator-listed vascular literature and current evidence-based vascular practice guidelines.

Free introductory mock tests and topic-wise practice sets.

High-yield coverage of peripheral arterial disease, aneurysmal disease, carotid disease, venous and lymphatic disease, vascular imaging, dialysis access, endovascular/open treatment principles, vascular emergencies, patient safety and professionalism.

Access on any device, unlimited attempts.

Explore the full Specialist Vascular Surgery exam preparation package on prometricguide.com.

For UAE Licensing Paperwork: Alzantra International (DHA, MOHAP, DOH)

For UAE licensing, Alzantra International supports Vascular Surgery candidates targeting Dubai, the Northern Emirates and Abu Dhabi with documentation and licensing coordination.

DataFlow / primary-source verification of the medical degree, Vascular Surgery qualification, professional licence and experience.

DHA Sheryan Specialist Vascular Surgery application and assessment coordination for Dubai.

MOHAP specialist evaluation and licensing application for the Northern Emirates.

DOH Abu Dhabi Specialist Vascular Surgery application through TAMM.

Medical degree, internship, Vascular Surgery training/board qualification, experience and supporting-document preparation guidance.

Eligibility submission, tracking and follow-up.

CBT or additional assessment coordination where required.

Specialist licence activation and UAE facility-credentialing support.

Contact Alzantra International at www.alzantra.ae or [email protected] for UAE licensing support. For SCFHS/Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar DHP, NHRA Bahrain and Kuwait MOH, use the relevant regulator's official pathway.

8. Frequently Asked Questions

What is the passing score for Specialist Vascular Surgery?

For DHA, MOHAP and DOH, Specialist Vascular Surgery is 150 MCQs in 3 hours with a 65% pass mark. SCFHS publishes 65% for Registrar and 70% for Senior Registrar. Qatar DHP publishes 65% for the Vascular Surgery qualifying exam. NHRA Bahrain publishes 60% for Bahrain licensure examinations when an examination is assigned. Oman and Kuwait should be followed according to the assessment actually assigned.

What qualifications are accepted for Specialist Vascular Surgery?

A recognised primary medical degree plus an accepted postgraduate Vascular Surgery specialty qualification is required. The exact Specialist title and experience requirement depend on how the regulator classifies the qualification. Under the UAE PQR, Tier 1 and Tier 2 Specialist qualifications require no post-specialty experience; Tier 3 requirements depend on nationality and on whether the qualification is evaluated as a main-specialty or sub-specialty credential.

How many questions are in the Specialist Vascular Surgery exam?

DHA, MOHAP and DOH use the same UAE Vascular Surgery specification: 150 MCQs in 3 hours. SCFHS uses 200 MCQs in 4 hours. Qatar DHP lists 150 MCQs; its current webpage states 3 hours, while an earlier official circular and blueprint state 3.5 hours. A current standalone Vascular Surgery Occupational Classification exam is not listed publicly by OMSB Oman.

Which reference books should I use?

The UAE guideline lists Rutherford's Vascular Surgery, Current Therapy in Vascular Surgery, the 2018 SVS AAA practice guideline, the INSTEAD-XL trial, the SVS/American Venous Forum venous-ulcer guideline and a systematic review on anaesthesia for AV-fistula formation. Because several listed editions and articles are older, supplement them with the latest Rutherford edition and current SVS/ESVS guidelines.

Can I complete the exam from my home country?

Often yes when the assigned assessment is delivered through an international Prometric network. Test-centre availability depends on the authority, eligibility period and the centres shown during scheduling. Oman does not currently list a standalone Vascular Surgery OC examination on its public OMSB exam list, so its pathway should be confirmed before arranging a test.

How is the SCFHS Vascular Surgery classification exam different?

SCFHS lists Vascular Surgery as a dedicated classification exam with 200 MCQs over 4 hours. Atherosclerotic Disease and Ischemia carries 15%; Basic Vascular Knowledge, Aneurysmal Disease, Neurovascular Disease, Venous and Lymphatic Diseases, AV Fistula and Access, and Vascular Emergencies each carry 10%. The passing score is 65% for Registrar and 70% for Senior Registrar.

How many attempts do I get?

Attempt rules vary by authority. UAE examinations follow the Unified PQR framework of three attempts across the UAE Authorities, with limited provisions for additional attempts. Qatar physician guidelines allow three attempts where the specialty qualifying examination is required. Bahrain allows four initial licensure-exam attempts within three years before retraining rules apply.

Does every Middle East authority use the same Specialist Vascular Surgery exam?

No. DHA, MOHAP and DOH use the same UAE VAS5291 specification, SCFHS uses a 200-question classification examination, Qatar uses its own 150-question qualifying exam when required, Bahrain may assign the general medical-practitioner licensure exam, and Oman and Kuwait should be followed according to the specialist assessment actually assigned.

Is Specialist Vascular Surgery a recognised title in the UAE?

Yes. The UAE examination guideline contains a dedicated Specialist Vascular Surgery examination category (VAS5291), and the professional licensing system recognises the Specialist Vascular Surgery title. Candidates must still hold a recognised specialty qualification and meet the applicable PQR experience, examination and licensing requirements.

What is the best MCQ bank for Specialist Vascular Surgery exam preparation?

The Specialist Vascular Surgery MCQ bank on prometricguide.com includes 2500 plus questions aligned to the 12-domain cross-authority framework, with detailed explanations covering vascular imaging, aneurysms, arterial ischemia, carotid disease, venous/lymphatic disease, dialysis access, emergencies, patient safety and professional practice.

9. Final Thoughts

Specialist Vascular Surgery is a recognised physician specialty across the major Middle East health authorities, but the route to the title and examination requirement is not uniform. The UAE authorities use a common VAS5291 examination specification, SCFHS uses a separate 200-question classification examination, Qatar applies its qualifying exam according to physician qualification category, and Oman and Kuwait require authority-specific confirmation of the specialist assessment pathway.

Prepare around the complete vascular scope: fundamental vascular science, imaging, aneurysmal disease, peripheral arterial ischemia, visceral and renovascular disease, carotid and neurovascular disease, venous and lymphatic disease, vasculitis, dialysis access, vascular emergencies, patient safety and professionalism. Because the UAE, Saudi and Qatar blueprints are closely aligned, strong preparation in these 12 domains transfers well across the major examinations.

Prometric Guide supports Specialist Vascular Surgery candida