Day and Year One competences

An important statutory function of RCVS is to determine the standard of proficiency and the knowledge and skills needed to fit veterinary surgeons for practising in the UK.  The standard set for registration is a key benchmark that affects the approval of veterinary degree courses in the UK and overseas, and can also be seen as the starting point for identifying an individual's continuing education and training needs after registration.  All veterinary surgeons are required to maintain and further develop their professional competence.

There are many definitions of competence and many views on how it can be developed and assessed.  In general terms, however, competence is a concept that integrates knowledge, skills and attitudes, the application of which enables the professional to perform effectively, to be able to respond to contingencies, change and the unexpected.  There is no single, absolute measure for competence:  requirements and expectations change depending on an individual's job role and the context in which they are working.  Professional competence develops over time and an individual may work 'competently' at different levels, either at different stages of their career, or indeed from one day to the next depending on the nature of their work.  More is expected of someone who is practising as a specialist in their field, for example, than from a new graduate.  However, both must meet certain minimum standards, and it is these that are covered by the RCVS Essential Competences.

RCVS has defined the essential competences required of the veterinary surgeon in two parts:

• essential competences required at graduation - the "day one competences"

• essential competences required after approximately one year of further professional experience in particular areas of practice - the "year one competences".

The Year One Competences look very similar to the Day One Competences that should have been achieved by the time of graduation, except that after about a year of working in practice, the new graduate will be expected to have had actual experience of applying these competences in the work place and should be able to perform or manage them without close supervision, in a reasonable period of time, and with a high probability of a successful outcome.

The Day and Year One Competences cover three broad areas:

A - General Professional Skills and Attributes
B - Underpinning Knowledge and Understanding
C - Practical Competences

These must also be interpreted in the context of the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct which sets out the guiding principles for RCVS Members.

View the Essential Competences Required of the Veterinary Surgeon.