Rural Areas Face Critical Shortage of Vascular Surgeons

ROSEMONT, Ill., Sept. 28, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- More than 75 million people in the United States live in a county without a vascular surgeon, according to new data released today by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The findings reveal an alarming gap in access to care just as more Americans than ever reach the age when the risk of vascular disease is highest. By 2030, all baby boomers will be at least 65.

The ACS Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool, developed in collaboration with the Society for Vascular Surgery, for the first time shows the distribution of vascular surgeons practicing in each county across the United States. The tool compares surgeon supply across 12 surgical specialties and all 3,144 counties. The tool identifies 4,685 vascular surgeons practicing nationwide, an average of 1.4 per 100,000 people.

This shortage hits hardest where the need is greatest. Peripheral artery disease (PAD), one of the most common vascular diseases, affects up to 12 million Americans and leads to nearly 150,000 lower-leg amputations each year, many of which are preventable with timely specialist care. Yet states with the highest amputation risk, including Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas, have below-average vascular surgeon supply, and 93% of rural counties have no vascular surgeon at all.

"This shortage is not surprising," said Samantha Minc, MD, MPH, a vascular surgeon at Duke University.

Vascular surgeons are also vital to the prevention of disease, critical to multidisciplinary care teams, and a driver of economic impact. When vascular surgeons are readily available and have a supportive program, hospital systems can expand service offerings, reduce transfers, and strengthen their reputation as regional centers of excellence.

With county-level data now available, communities, health systems, and policymakers can see exactly where vascular surgeons are needed and direct investments where they will help patients most. The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) will use these findings to advocate for expanded GME residency positions, education, and funding incentives for practice in rural and underserved communities, and policies that support the long-term recruitment and retention of vascular surgeons, so the workforce grows in step with the population at risk.

The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) was founded in 1946 and currently has a membership of more than 6,300. SVS membership is recognized in the vascular community as a mark of professional achievement.