Professor Frank Smith
RCS England Vice President, Emeritus Professor of Vascular Surgery and Surgical Education, University of Bristol
Professor Frank Smith is an Emeritus Professor of Vascular Surgery and Surgical Education at the University of Bristol. He trained in vascular surgery across the UK, undertaking international travelling fellowships.
Frank was elected to the Council of the Royal College of Surgeons of England for a second term and became Vice President and Trustee in 2024. He was a recipient of an RCS England research pump-priming grant and a College Tutor for Basic Surgical Skills.
A major focus of his career has been surgical safety. From 2008–2023, he served as Programme Director for the Confidential Reporting System for Surgery (CORESS). He was appointed Non-Executive Director of the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in 2025. Frank currently chairs the Learning and Assessment and the Workforce and Training Standing Committees of the College.
He is an Assessor for the Intercollegiate MRCS on behalf of the four royal colleges of surgeons. Outside of surgery, he enjoys family, triathlon, piloting, and representing Great Britain in competitive skydiving.