Certificates and promotion for PDP army vets

The RCVS and the Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC) held a presentation ceremony today for three RAVC veterinary surgeons who had successfully completed their vocational training, which included the College's Professional Development Phase (PDP) for new graduates.

Lieutenants Cees Bennett, Richard Meers and Drew Tootal were presented with certificates confirming their completion of the PDP by RCVS President John Parker and Surgeon Commodore Jim Sykes, Defence Postgraduate Medical Dean.

They were also promoted to the rank of captain by Brigadier Andrew Warde, Director of the Army Veterinary and Remount Services.

As an integral part of their training, the three Veterinary Officers (VOs) participated in the pilot phase of the PDP following their graduation in 2004. The PDP is a web-based database of year-one clinical competencies designed to help veterinary surgeons in their first year of practice to develop their skills and experience in a structured fashion.

Its aim is to provide a structure whereby, on graduation, veterinary surgeons can continue to develop their professional and clinical skills, reflect on progress and plan future professional development.

In his opening remarks, Brigadier Warde described how the RAVC's commitment to CPD was based on the need to maintain the highest professional standards whilst meeting its defence commitments and providing fulfilling and enjoyable careers for every individual.

"The RAVC vocational training programme has been designed to deliver the fundamental skills our VOs need for their first appointments and to set them on the first rung of a ladder of lifelong learning," he said.

The Brigadier continued: "The publication of 'Veterinary education and training - a framework for 2010 and beyond' by the RCVS Education and Strategy Steering Group enabled us to create a structure for the development of our VOs and helped us to develop and refine our training."

He paid tribute to the opportunities, training and support provided for the new graduate VOs by Chief Veterinary Surgeon Richard Hooker and his colleagues at the PDSA - an organisation he described as also being fully committed to the development of its veterinary staff.

RCVS President John Parker said: "I was delighted to hear that the Royal College's proposals for professional development were so readily and quickly adopted by the RAVC and I would like to congratulate the three RAVC members for successfully completing their initial professional development phase and achieving their year-one competences."

Mr Parker also thanked Brigadier Warde and Colonel Dougie MacDonald - the RAVC's Director of Veterinary Education, for their help during last year's PDP pilot and the support and guidance given to the three lieutenants.

"This sets an excellent example to the rest of the veterinary profession and demonstrates that the RAVC is in the vanguard in its commitment to professional training," he said.