CPD

CERTAVP

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Why choose the RVC?

  • The depth and breadth of the clinical expertise at the RVC is unrivalled in Europe
  • RVC’s CPD Unit is the UK’s largest academic provider of educational services to the veterinary community.
  • Clinical education and assessment is our business at the RVC.
  • The Module Leaders at the RVC are internationally recognised clinical specialists and veterinary educators.
  • We are flexible with assessment – candidates can choose which assessment year they wish to submit work in, so they can finish the Certificate quickly or take their time
  • We accommodate the candidates financial situation by being flexible with how and when they pay their fees.

Under the old system, RCVS subject boards chose suitable examiners from their discipline and the RCVS coordinated the examination process in all certificates including collecting the examination fees from candidates and paying the examiners. The examinations often occurred around the country and at various veterinary colleges using relevant academic staff. However, the RCVS was the central coordinating body and the veterinary colleges had no official role in the assessment process – individual academic staff chose to be involved if they were interested.

In the new certificate the examination/assessment process is now essentially the responsibility of those universities that choose to apply to the RCVS to be accredited to assess certain modules. This may make very little essential difference to a candidate’s experience during the examination/assessment process compared with the old system. However, the fundamental difference is that the universities themselves, rather than the RCVS, are now responsible for coordinating the assessment process. Because of this, universities are likely to only apply to assess modules for which they have the expertise and staff available to engage in the assessment process. As a result, the availability of modules for candidates to be examined in will be dictated by the willingness of the universities to be involved and the availability of expertise within the university system. Universities may, and almost certainly will, choose to involve appropriately qualified examiners in private practice and industry but this will be at the discretion of the university. Because the universities now have responsibility for almost all of the certificate assessment process, they must all ascertain whether they have sufficient resources to assess candidates and whether the business model for their involvement will permit the addition of certificate assessment to their teaching, research and clinical responsibilities. The universities receive no financial support from the RCVS to assess candidates and indeed must pay a fee to the RCVS to become accredited to assess modules.

Experience and Qualifications

What experience do I need?

Candidates must hold a veterinary qualification which entitles them to register as a member of RCVS, and they must have at least one year's experience working as a practising veterinary surgeon before enrolling for any module. In addition, candidates must also be able to provide evidence of CPD for that period. Candidates who have graduated in 2007 or later will be expected to have completed the RCVS Professional Development Phase (PDP) before enrolling for any module.

What qualification will I get?

The qualification is the Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (CertAVP) .Please see below for the three possible pathways to obtain a CertAVP.

Post nominal CertAVP

Candidates who wish to obtain the post nominal CertAVP may choose to be assessed in any available module,

  • A Module Professional Key Skills
  • B Module Clinical Key Skills
  • One other B module
  • 3 C modules (any)

Designated CertAVP – area of practice

A candidate who wishes to obtain a designated CertAVP in a particular area of practice, for example, CertAVP (e.g. Small Animal Practice or Equine Practice), would choose the following modules:

  • A Module Professional Key Skills
  • B Module Clinical Key Skills
  • B Module Small Animal Practice or Equine Practice
  • 3 C modules relevant to Small Animal Practice or Equine Practice

Designated CertAVP – specific discipline

Candidates who wish to have a designated CertAVP in a specific discipline, for example, large animal imaging, would choose these modules for a CertAVP (Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging):

  • A Module Professional Key Skills
  • B Module Clinical Key Skills
  • B Module Equine Practice
  • C Module Imaging in Practice
  • C Module Large Animal Diagnostic Imaging A
  • C Module Large Animal Diagnostic Imaging B

What designated certificates are available?

Through RVC, you can achieve the following designated certificates:

  • Emergency and Critical Care
  • Small Animal Medicine
  • Small Animal Practice
  • Small Animal Surgery
  • Veterinary Anaesthesia
  • Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging
  • Veterinary General Practice
  • Veterinary Public Health

What if I don’t want to do the whole CertAVP but am interested in being assessed in a few modules?

The modular system makes this route perfectly possible and reasonable for candidates who do not feel they have the time or resources to complete the whole Certificate but wish to enhance their learning and engagement in CPD. All assessing institutions are required by the RCVS to offer all modules for assessment only (i.e. not requiring the candidate to embark on a specific course of study or CPD programme).

If you are interested in obtaining a CertAVP, contact the RCVS to register your interest. The RCVS will maintain a record of your successfully completed modules.

 

Enrolment

To ask more questions about the CertAVP, please contact Joanne Jarvis, CertAVP Manager, at certavp@rvc.ac.uk or telephone +44 (0)1707 666201

or complete and return an Enrolment Form to proceed with enrolling on the CertAVP.  If you are already enrolled and wish to enrol on additional modules, or pay more fees, please use the Additional Payments Form on the Forms page.