Postgraduate Taught Courses Committee
1 May 2013
CPD Report
CPD activity since last meeting:
 MRCVS course:
o 3 day face-to-face course; April 2013; completed; annual event
o Prepare veterinary graduates from outside the UK for sitting the
MRCVS exam
o This course focuses heavily on large animal practical skills and on
exam technique although it has lecture-based topics covering main
small and large animal species in the UK
o Propose to run again next year
 Medicine Clinical Club:
o Introductory series of free events organized via Veterinary Clinical
Studies
o First event 4 April 2013, 19.30 to 21:00; ~50 attendees
 Online CPD Course booking opened
o Small animal wound management and reconstructive surgery
o Professional Skills: managing complex issues in animal health and
conservation workplaces
Proposed CPD Courses – Face-to-Face
 UKIDRG Embryology course
o 5 day; June 24 to 28; practical and lecture components
o target audience: new non-veterinary research workers working
predominantly with rodent models in industry
o induction training in embryology for research workers
o This course has run on several occasions over the last 5 years with
strong academic lead from Agatha Kai-Kai
Proposed CPD Course – On-line

Preparation for working in small animal practice in the UK (working title)
o On-line, stand-alone course; no tutor support; narrated Powerpoint +/MCQ + links to key learning resources
o Target audience:
 IN HOUSE (non-fee paying): new starts; particularly new
graduates and graduates that have not worked in the UK
 EXTERNAL (fee paying): veterinary graduates from out-with
the UK wishing to work in small animal practice
o AIM: to highlight aspects of UK small animal veterinary practice that
may differ from practice outside the UK with particular emphasis on
core legislation and on common procedures and expected practices.

The main drive for this course is requirement on a rolling basis for staff
training of this nature given the diverse background and regular staff
turn-over in the small animal clinic, and based on issues relating to the
implementation of legislation in the clinic. It expands on work that
Aileen Brown had done to improve staff induction. However, many of
these themes are universal to small animal practice (this is aimed
largely at the first opinion work performed in the hospital) and, as
such, it may also have some wider interest.
o Learning outcomes will be set by major internal stake-holders (e.g.
DVSAP clinician, Pharmacy, VCS administration) but are likely to
include items such as:
 be able to implement the prescribing cascade
 understand UK drug labeling
 appreciate clinical activities that can be performed by
veterinary nurses and what level of supervision is required
 appreciate clinical activities that can be performed by
veterinary students and what level of supervision is required
 be able to design appropriate vaccination and worming
protocols for small companion animals in the UK
 become familiar with the common small companion animal
neutering practices in the UK
 understand what the minimum requirements are for performing
procedures such as neutering
 understand and be able to apply the rules of supersession
 be able to refer a case for treatment at another practice
o ACADEMIC LEADS:
 Donald Yool (main); Aileen Brown; Nick Bomer, Liz Shipley
BVA Video Project
o This has been approved previously by SMG
o AIM:
 Develop relationship with BVA
 Improve outreach to wider veterinary community
o CONCEPT
 RDSVS will provide a series of videos demonstrating key
clinical techniques or concepts for commercial streaming by
BVA through their website with substantial incentivization for
BVA members and branded as RDSVS products
Other relevant planned activity:

formalise simple process for outling and proposing new CPD courses


finalise administrative structure for running CPD events
Plan evening seminar series to take over when Medicine Clinical Club stops
from September