The Story of VEPOT: From Passion to Purpose
VEPOT (Vascular Exam Preparation Online Teaching) began not as a formal program, but as a genuine act of mentorship.
In 2022, Professor Patrice Mwipatayi recognised a clear gap in exam preparation for vascular surgery trainees across Australia and New Zealand. Candidates preparing for the fellowship viva exams often faced high expectations with limited structured guidance.
Driven by a commitment to education, Patrice began offering informal teaching sessions to candidates sitting the May 2022 exams. These sessions were not structured or standardised—they were flexible, responsive, and entirely focused on helping candidates succeed.
Despite being scattered and not formalised, the impact was significant. Many candidates benefited from this initiative and went on to successfully pass their exams.
A Personal Journey
Among those candidates was Dr Mahmoud Al-Najjar.
Mahmoud had sat the fellowship exams more than once—a journey familiar to many trainees given the high standard required. Through that experience, he developed a deep understanding of the challenges candidates face: the pressure, the uncertainty, and the need for structured preparation.
When he engaged with Patrice’s teaching initiative, it provided something different—clarity, structure, and confidence.
He strongly believes that VEPOT played a pivotal role in helping him successfully pass the fellowship exam in 2023.
That experience shaped not only his success, but also his vision.
Building a Structured Program
With the support of Patrice, Mahmoud invested significant time and effort to transform VEPOT into a structured and organised program.
The concept evolved into a dedicated 4-week online course, delivered in the lead-up to the fellowship viva exam.
At the heart of VEPOT is a simple but powerful model:
- One-hour viva-style teaching session every day, over four weeks.
This intensive format mirrors the real exam environment and allows candidates to build confidence, consistency, and exam technique over time.
Core Curriculum
The program comprehensively covers six core viva domains:
- Vascular Imaging
- Clinical Decision-Making
- Long Clinical Cases
- Short Clinical Cases
- Operative Technique
- Advanced Operative Management
Evolution Through 2025
By 2025, VEPOT had grown significantly and was delivered to a wider group of candidates.
However, it was still not fully formalised at that stage.
Despite this, the feedback remained extremely positive, reinforcing the need to further develop and refine the program into something sustainable, scalable, and widely accessible.
VEPOT Today: A Unique Offering
Today, VEPOT has evolved into a fully structured and formalised program, supported by a dedicated website and clear organisational framework.
It stands out as:
- The only fully online fellowship exam preparation program for vascular surgery in Australia and New Zealand.
VEPOT is unique because it:
- Provides accessible, high-quality teaching regardless of location
- Connects candidates with experts across ANZ in one program
- Offers consistent, daily viva-focused preparation
- Removes geographical barriers for rural and regional trainees