FAQs

Overseas graduates may be required to complete the PDP depending on how much experience they have in clinical practice before they register with the RCVS.

• A newly-qualified graduate from an overseas university will need to complete the PDP in exactly the same way as a UK graduate.
• Those with less than one year’s clinical experience are also required to undertake and complete the PDP.
• Overseas graduates who register with the RCVS with between one and three year’s clinical experience will be asked to review their experience against the RCVS PDP Competences list and confirm that they have achieved these competences. If they are unable to confirm this, then they will be advised to undertake the PDP in order to ensure that any gaps in their experience are filled.

Yes, as veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses you are required to record your CPD using the 1CPD digital recording platform.

You will find a link to 1CPD in the left-hand-side navigation menu. The navigation menu can be opened by clicking on the pink tab on the top left-hand side. The 1CPD link is available at the end of each course and module to help you directly record and reflect on your learning.

Yes, all new veterinary graduates employed from summer 2021 are required to take part in VetGDP.

The aim of VetGDP is to ensure that all graduates, regardless of what type of practice or role they go into, receive the same level of support during their early years in practice.

One practice may supply to another practice to relieve a temporary supply shortage, without a Wholesale Dealers Authorisation. This exemption from the VMR is intended to prevent shortages of available medicines causing animal welfare problems and should not be a regular occurrence.

We only grant exemption from English language testing if a candidate’s primary veterinary degree was taught and assessed entirely in English. Pease refer to the guidance for how to apply for an exemption and what supporting evidence we accept.

Yes, the VetGDP replaced PDP for new graduate vets from summer 2021. Any vets who are currently on the PDP will continue on that path. VetGDP applies to any graduate vets employed from summer 2021.

First, you will need to submit a declaration of intention to sit. You can submit this at any point during the year and it is valid until the end of September. Please refer to the examination guidance for detailed information on what supporting evidence you need to provide at this stage.

Only once you have submitted a declaration of intention to sit, along with all the necessary documentation, can you apply to sit the examination.

In addition to recording case numbers, it is also essential that graduates make good use of the free-text notes section under the various clinical skills headings. Making such notes is all part of the learning process and, over time, will help graduates, their employers and the RCVS evaluate their progression. They should be encouraged to make notes based on their personal reflections, for example, on how they felt they coped with a particular case or procedure, and what they might need to do to improve their performance in a particular area. 

Notes need only be brief. For example, “problems doing IVs in dogs using the cephalic vein; probably need to make sure vein is suitably raised and blood aspirates easily before injecting”. Then perhaps later in the notes: “Much better at doing IVs, fewer haematomas”. Another example would be “feel competent with positioning, collimating, taking and processing radiographs. Would like to become more competent at interpreting radiographs, often unsure about clinical significance of findings”.  

Once graduates feel competent with a particular procedure, they can indicate this in the notes section, and not record any more case numbers for that particular procedure. There is no need to keep counting each time they take a blood sample!

An alternative approach is to enter more detailed reports of cases that may cover many different skills and procedures. After entering a case report, the graduate then links it to the skills list, ticking off in turn which skills or procedures have been covered by the case. The graduate can adopt either of these approaches within the PDP system – they can enter case numbers and add notes, or add a case report and link it to the appropriate sections of the skills list. 

It is possible that a procedure they are undertaking may not ‘fit’ with the PDP template. In such cases, the graduate should use the category that offers the closest fit and add a suitable note to explain the position. 

Many skill areas are prefaced with the phrase “clinical assessment and management of”. Some of these may sound fairly advanced, but graduates are not expected at this stage to be dealing with complicated cases completely on their own, especially if they are beyond their current competence. However, they may be dealing with cases that fit under these headings where they are making the initial clinical assessment, seeking help from a colleague with a diagnosis and treatment plan or even referring the case to a specialist. If the graduate handles the ongoing management and oversight of the case, then it can be included in their record. The graduate should remember to add notes or a case report to show what their involvement has been. 

You will need to enrol with the RCVS and also with the module provider. To enrol with the RCVS please complete the form in My Account.

Candidates will have the option to enrol for individual or multiple modules, or for the full certificate.

You can contact the Education Department at the RCVS on 020 7202 0791 or email [email protected].