On successful completion of the module, candidates will be able to:

• Describe the thinking and decision-making processes required for advanced professional practice.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of the principles of emergency care (including first aid, pain relief, euthanasia and emergency slaughter) in all species that might be encountered by veterinarians in general practice in the UK.
• Explain the roles and responsibilities which veterinary surgeons have in relation to protecting animal and human health.
• Interpret and appraise their obligations towards animal welfare and professional conduct as laid down in the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct.
• Describe the reasons for maintaining and improving the quality and safety of the service they provide and the means of achieving this.
• Demonstrate the following key skills required for advanced professional and personal development
• Communicate confidently and effectively in order to achieve their professional objectives.
• Evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses and demonstrate the importance of maintaining and developing professional competence.
• Gather, organise, analyse, interpret and present complex data and information for the purpose of advanced professional and personal development.

Tutor Support

You will be allocated a tutor and this tutor will mark all your essays.  This means as you write each essay, your tutor will be able to see where you have improved.  They will recognise where you have responded to the feedback provided previously, and will be able to guide you in developing further.

Analysis of practice is a common theme through all the essays of the CertAVP, and therefore your tutor, through their feedback, will focus on helping you critically analyse your experience and apply this to future situations.  The feedback on each essay should therefore be seen as an important part of the learning and teaching of the AFAVP module, and you should consider how you can apply each set of feedback to your next essay (whether within the A-FAVP or future modules).

We are focused on the real challenges of general practice - that it isn’t about textbook case management, but how to manage situations as well as possible, given the very real complexities of working with very varied clients and caseloads. Focusing on reflection means we aren’t asking you to find the perfect case to tell us about, but instead giving you the opportunity to think about the types of situations you find difficult or frustrating, and identify how to go about managing these to a higher level of personal satisfaction.

When you submit your first essay for the first time, it will not count towards your module grade. Instead, your tutor will provide written feedback, and then we will organise a time for you to talk to your tutor (usually via Microsoft Teams).  During this conversation, you can ask for clarification on any points where you are unclear, your tutor can explain in more detail the feedback they have provided, and help explain the process of reflection.  This is also a good opportunity to discuss any worries you have about the module, and how to make it fit your particular interests.

As much as possible, you will be matched to the species area of the examiners (i.e. small animal vets will be matched to small animal clinicians).

• You will submit 3 reflective essays, with titles refined to cover the RCVS learning outcomes in the following areas:
  1) Principles of professional reasoning and decision making
  2) Quality and safety in veterinary practice
  3) Animal welfare, professional conduct and veterinary ethics
• You will be able to use the core subject areas to problem-solve the areas that are important to you, like: differences of opinion in how cases should be managed, financial limitations, management of patient welfare etc.
• You will submit a final 4th essay. This final essay will ask you specifically to reflect on your experiences as a veterinarian, your individual goals, how working towards the three earlier essays has supported your development towards becoming an advanced practitioner, and how you intend to apply this learning to your future practice.
• Essays can be submitted at any time and they will be assessed within 4 weeks.

Please download the Module Syllabus, found in the Key Information box

The RVC CPD recorded webinar plus course, Navigating the CertAVP A module, will be available free of charge when you enrol