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Do I have to take the statutory membership examination if I want to work as a veterinary surgeon in the UK?

To work as a vet in the UK, you must be registered with the RCVS. To discover if your veterinary degree is recognised by the RCVS, please see the registration application page for veterinary surgeons.

If the university that awarded your primary veterinary degree is not listed, then you will need to pass the Statutory Membership Examination before you can register.

Related FAQs

  • The examination consists of two components: a written examination and a practical examination (Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).

    The written component consists of best-of-5 multiple-choice questions which will assess your clinical knowledge and will include an open-book paper assessing your familiarity with the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct.

    The OSCE will assess a range of practical skills. For more information on the format, please refer to section 6 of the guidance document.

  • At present there is one exam per year. The written component is normally held in Spring and is run remotely, allowing candidates to take the examination securely using their own computer from a suitable location of their choosing.

     

    The OSCE is held at Harper Adams University in Autumn.

     

    Specific dates are provided to candidates once they are available.

  • If you can demonstrate that you have been granted humanitarian protection by the British Home Office then you may be entitled to financial support, including support with examination fees. Please contact the examinations manager at [email protected] if you would like to apply for this assistance.

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