Professor Mark O'Donnell

Professor O’Donnell attended Medical School at the Queen’s University of Belfast in Northern Ireland between 1994 and 1999 where he graduated with distinction combined with the award of the Northern Ireland Medico-Legal Prize for Forensic Medicine. He completed his surgical training as a Specialist Registrar on the Northern Ireland Surgical Training Rotation between 2006 and 2015. He passed the FRCS Exit Examination at first attempt in 2012 and was recently awarded first place in the European Board of Vascular Surgery Examination in 2015. He has also completed the United States Medical Licensing Board Examinations. During his surgical training Professor O’Donnell established a prolific publishing interest with over 100 publications in PubMed Indexed Peer-Reviewed journals, over 100 published abstracts and more than 250 international and national presentations. He has previously been awarded the Society of Vascular Surgery International Scholar Award, Society of Academic Surgery Prize and Belfast City Hospital Young Investigator of the Year. Written submission of theses culminated in the award of a Medical Doctorate in 2008 evaluating ischaemia-reperfusion in patients with peripheral arterial disease and a Master of Medical Science in Education for the Healthcare Professions in 2009 evaluating career choice in Foundation Doctors. He continues to lecture at the University of Ulster and is a regular reviewer for over 20 medical journals. Completion of a Vascular Surgery Fellowship at the World-Renowned Mayo Clinic in the United States between 2012 and 2014 not only complemented his vascular surgery skills but facilitated endovascular proficiency for a range of minimally invasive treatments for complex arterial and venous disease. He was appointed as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Mayo Clinic and developed an interest in medical simulation and military trauma education. He has also passed the Physicians Vascular Interpretation Examination of the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Recent appointment as a visiting professor to the Ulster University has confirmed his established interest in academic research and innovation for optimisation of vascular patient clinical care and overall safety. He is a faculty tutor for the Royal College of Surgeons Basic Surgical Skills and START courses. Professor O’Donnell was previously appointed as a Consultant Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at the East Lancashire Health Trust in 2015 and then Belfast Health Trust in 2017 providing patient care for the full remit of vascular diseases. Since his move to private practice in November 2024, Professor O’Donnell performs office consultations for all aspects of primary and complex arterial, venous and lymphatic disease at the Kingsbridge Private Hospital, Ulster Independent Clinic and the Newry Clinic and regularly performs the full remit of minimally invasive and open surgery for varicose veins. He no longer performs arterial surgery.  

Assessment of primary, recurrent or complex varicose veins; Minimally invasive endovenous (catheter) treatment of varicose veins under local anaesthetic called Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA); Sclerotherapy for symptomatic varicose veins; Open operative surgery for varicose veins; Cosmetic Sclerotherapy / Microsclerotherapy treatment for varicose veins; Assessment and Treatment of patients presenting with lower extremity venous ulceration, varicose vein bleeds or other infective lower extremity venous complications; Out-patient assessment of arterial pathologies including the carotid artery for the prevention of stroke; abdominal aorta for aneurysmal or occlusive disease; complex lower extremity circulatory problems; and diabetic foot disease; Out-patient assessment of patients presenting with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome or other entrapment syndromes; (Note: Professor O'Donnell no longer performs arterial operative procedures); Vascular Trauma; Healthcare Quality Improvement.