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- Council Members
- Role of Council Members
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- Dr Louise Allum
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- Dr Richard Hillman
- Dr Benjamin Kennedy
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- Paper classification: some definitions
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- About extra-mural studies (EMS)
- EMS requirements
- Information for vet students
- Information for EMS providers
- Information for vet schools
- Temporary EMS requirements
- Practice by students - regulations
- Health and safety on EMS placements
- EMS contacts and further guidance
- Extra-mural studies fit for the future
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- Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons
- Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses
- Contact the Advice Team
- XL Bully dog ban
- 'Under care' - guidance
- Advice on Schedule 3
- Controlled Drugs Guidance – A to Z
- Dealing with Difficult Situations webinar recordings
- FAQs – Common medicines pitfalls
- FAQs – Routine veterinary practice and clinical veterinary research
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- GDPR – RCVS information and Q&As
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- Accrediting veterinary degrees
- Accrediting veterinary nursing qualifications
- Reasonable adjustments for student vets
- Health and disability in veterinary medicine study and practice
- The role of the veterinary schools and the RCVS
- Reasonable adjustments and the Equality Act 2010
- Reasonable adjustments and Day One Competences
- Examples of reasonable adjustments for vet students
- Annex
- Reasonable adjustments for student vets - summary
- Reasonable adjustments for student veterinary nurses
- Health and disability in veterinary nurse education and training
- Reasonable adjustments for students and the UK disability discrimination legislation
- Educational assessment of veterinary nurses
- Roles of key stakeholders in the application of reasonable adjustments
- Examples of reasonable adjustments for vet nurse students
- Embracing reasonable adjustments for student vet nurses - summary
- External review of the RCVS by ENQA
- Requirements for remote and online student assessments
Information for overseas vets
If you’re a veterinary surgeon with less than 18 months' experience in a comparable clinical role, you may need to complete the VetGDP. This applies whether you qualified overseas and are starting your first job in the UK, or you’re UK-qualified and returning after practising abroad. This page explains who the VetGDP applies to and what you can expect.
The information on this page is for:
- Vets who qualified overseas and are starting a job in the UK with less than 18 months of experience in a comparable role.
- UK-qualified vets who practised overseas and are now starting a UK-based role with less than 18 months of experience in a comparable role.
Please note - exemptions may apply.
Vets with over 18 months' experience
If you're:
- An international registrant, or
- A UK-qualified vet returning to the UK
and you have between 18 months and three years of comparable experience, enrolment in the VetGDP is recommended but not mandatory.
Log into your RCVS My Account and choose the VetGDP statement: 'OS over 18 months experience'.
Even if you're not required to enrol, the VetGDP is still a valuable source of support and guidance during your transition into UK veterinary practice, and we would encourage you to take part in the programme.
Video: VetGDP for overseas vets and UK-qualified vets returning from overseas
This short animation provides key information about the VetGDP for international vets and returning UK-qualified vets.
Below the video, you'll find a step-by-step checklist to help you get started.
Video transcript
The Veterinary Graduate Development Programme – VetGDP – is designed to help you develop your professional and clinical capabilities.
There will be a VetGDP Adviser in your workplace supporting you to become a fully competent, confident and independent veterinary surgeon, setting you up for a long and fulfilling career.
If you choose to work overseas after graduating in the UK, we won’t expect you to complete the VetGDP abroad.
If you return to the UK with less than one year’s experience* in a role similar to the one you’re taking here, you’ll need to complete the VetGDP.
If you have less than three years’ experience, we would recommend you enrol, but it won’t be mandatory.
If you qualified as a vet overseas and register with the RCVS, you must enrol onto the VetGDP if you have less than one year’s experience* in a role similar to the one you’ll be undertaking in the UK.
If you have more than one year* of experience, you are welcome to complete the VetGDP as it will provide you with excellent support.
You can enrol, or apply for exemption, onto the VetGDP on the RCVS website. The step-by-step guide takes you through this essential first stage in the process.
Your employer must be a VetGDP-approved Graduate Development Practice or Workplace.
They can choose to become one before you start work with them – but you won’t be able to join until they have completed this process. Look for the logo - and if you don’t see it, ask!
Your VetGDP Adviser is committed to supporting your professional development, and you’ll meet regularly. You will take the lead and request the support you need. This might include asking for advice on clinical consultations or feedback on a case, and scheduling monthly meetings to obtain feedback and discuss your development.
The progress you record in your e-portfolio will include your journey from your first few weeks through to becoming a more experienced professional working independently. Your VetGDP Adviser can also add their feedback on cases or the discussions you have together.
At the start of the programme, you and your VetGDP Adviser will meet to review which activities, known as Entrustable Professional Activities – or EPAs – are relevant to your role. You’ll find more information on our website.
You’ll then upload them into your e-portfolio, where you will record your progress with each activity.
You must demonstrate that you can perform all activities within your role without support: that you have become a competent, confident vet.
You’ll agree with your VetGDP Adviser when the time is right to submit your e-portfolio to the RCVS for peer review and sign off.
We expect it to take around one year, but it may take more or less time than this.
Need further help? Feel free to get in touch.
* Please note: this requirement has now been changed to 18 months of experience.
VetGDP checklist for overseas and returning vets
- The first step for all vets joining the Register from overseas is to log into their RCVS My Account and complete their VetGDP statement.
- Vets who qualified overseas and are beginning a position in the UK with less than 18 months of comparable experience must enrol in the VetGDP.
- Vets who qualified in the UK, practised overseas, and are starting a UK role with less than 18 months of comparable experience must enrol in the VetGDP.
- For vets with between 18 months and three years of comparable experience, enrolment in the VetGDP is recommended but not mandatory.
- Both your employer and your VetGDP Adviser must complete the required VetGDP declarations.
- It is essential to confirm that your new employer is a VetGDP-approved Graduate Development Practice/Workplace. This means they have submitted the necessary declarations and have at least one VetGDP Adviser on their team. Look for the VetGDP logo on their communications - if you don't see it, don't hesitate to ask.
- Once you have started your new job, you will collaborate with your VetGDP Adviser to agree the Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) that cover the scope of your responsibilities.
- Once you have agreed your EPAs, you should add them to your e-portfolio - please refer to the e-portfoilo user guide for further guidance on this.
- As you progress through the programme, you should meet regularly with your VetGDP Adviser - at least once a month - to discuss your progress and any support you may need. This may include guidance on clinical consultations and feedback on your cases.
- You and your adviser will document your progress in your e-portfolio, tracking your growth from the early weeks through to greater experience and independence.
- To complete the VetGDP, you must demonstrate your ability to perform all tasks related to your role confidently and independently. You will collaborate with your VetGDP Adviser to determine the appropriate time to submit your e-portfolio to the RCVS for peer review and approval.
- The VetGDP typically takes 12 to 18 months to complete, depending on your experiences. If you require additional time, please email the VetGDP team at [email protected] to discuss your options.
- You can find further helpful guidance in our Working in the UK course at the RCVS Academy. If you have any questions, please email the VetGDP team at [email protected].