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International Postgraduate Veterinary Education Symposium

A female vet points toward a clipboard held by a younger male vet

Join us this autumn for the inaugural International Postgraduate Veterinary Education (PGVE) Symposium, and become part of a new international community of practice committed to advancing postgraduate veterinary education.

This unique, two-day event will bring together veterinary educators and practitioners, researchers and innovators from around the world to exchange ideas, drive progress and shape the future of the profession. 

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Overview and dates

By attending the PGVE Symposium, you’ll have the opportunity to join a dynamic and growing global community dedicated to advancing postgraduate veterinary education and training through collaboration, research and innovation. Together, we’ll explore opportunities for research and share best practices across advanced training pathways - including postgraduate qualifications, internships and residencies.

The PGVE Symposium takes place immediately before the London Vet Show this November, in the historic surroundings of Ironmongers’ Hall in the heart of London. With only 100 tickets available, early registration is essential to secure your place at this landmark event. 

The event is split across two days, with an additional pre-symposium workshop and networking day for those interested in contributing to the further development of the community of practice.

Register now

Symposium 

When: Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 November 2025
Where: Ironmongers’ Hall, off Shaftesbury Place, Aldersgate Street, Barbican, London EC2Y 8AA 

Pre-symposium workshop 

For those keen to play a more active role in shaping our community of practice, we’re hosting a pre-symposium workshop and networking day on 17 November at the RCVS headquarters in London. This is a valuable opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of the PGVE network.

When: Monday 17 November 2025
Where: RCVS, 1 Hardwick Street, London, EC1R 4RB*

Featured speakers

The symposium will feature inspiring presentations from leading voices in the fields of both the veterinary and health professions. 

Click the plus icons below to learn more about our distinguished speakers - their backgrounds, areas of expertise, and what they’ll be presenting at the symposium.

Professor John Norcini

Professor John Norcini

Professor John Norcini will offer insights into the history and evolution of workplace-based assessment in health professions education.

Biography

Professor John Norcini PhD is a Research Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Upstate Medical University, and a Fellow at Presence, a Centre at Stanford Medical School.

He previously held senior roles at the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) and the American Board of Internal Medicine.

He has authored over 200 publications, has lectured and taught in more than 45 countries, and serves on the editorial boards of several peer-reviewed journals.

An honorary Fellow of both the Royal College of General Practitioners (UK) and the Academy of Medical Educators, John has received numerous accolades, including the Karolinska Prize for Research in Medical Education and the Hubbard Award.

Professor Olle ten Cate

Professor Olle ten CateProfessor Olle ten Cate will explore the multi-layered nature of competence in the health professions and Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs), a framework he pioneered.

Biography

Professor Olle ten Cate, PhD, is Emeritus Professor of Medical Education at University Medical Center Utrecht and a 2024-25 Visiting Professor at the University of California, San Francisco.

With a background in medicine and a PhD in social sciences, Olle has spent four decades advancing curriculum innovation, educational research and faculty development at the Universities of Amsterdam and Utrecht.

He founded and led the Center for Research and Development of Education at UMC Utrecht (2005 - 2017), and served as President of the Netherlands Association for Medical Education (2006 - 2012).

He has authored 500+ publications and 600+ presentations, and supervised more than 25 PhD candidates. His honours include the NBME J.P. Hubbard Award, AMEE Ian R. Hart Award, the Han Moll Medal, and a Dutch Royal Distinction. A Fellow of the American Educational Research Association, AMEE, and an Honorary Fellow of the UK Academy of Medical Educators, he focuses on competency-based education, especially entrustable professional activities and entrustment decision-making.
 

Professor Lambert Schuwirth

Lambert SchuwirthProfessor Lambert Schuwirth will share cutting-edge insights into how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can support learning.

Biography

Professor Lambert Schuwirth is Professor of Medical Education, NewMed School, and Director of Healthcare Innovative Learning Solutions (HILS), Australia.

Lambert earned his MD from Maastricht University and has held various roles there since 1991, including Chairman of the Inter-university and the Local Progress Test Review Committee, the OSCE Review Committee and the Case-based Testing Committee, and coordinator of the assessment programmes for the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences.

While in the Netherlands, he also advised medical colleges in both the Netherlands and the UK.

Since 2007, Lambert has been a full professor for Innovative Assessment at Maastricht University. From 2011 to 2025, he was Strategic Professor for Medical Education at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, and chaired the Prideaux Health Professions Education group.

He currently leads research and evaluation at NewMed, an innovative medical school initiative in Australia, and advises multiple Royal Australian Colleges and the Australian Medical Council on assessment.

His interests focus on the ethical and effective use of modern technology, including generative AI, in education and assessment.

Professor Suzanne Chamberlain

Suzanne ChamberlainProfessor Suzanne Chamberlain will present an overview of the large-scale medical licensing assessment processes conducted by the General Medical Council (GMC).

Biography

Professor Suzanne Chamberlain PhD is Head of Assessment and Liaison for the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) at the GMC. In this role, she provides expert assessment advice to support the development of the MLA, including leading on the GMC’s oversight of the applied knowledge test for students at UK medical schools and spearheading plans for MLA reporting and evaluation research.

With more than 20 years of experience in educational assessment, Suzanne has worked as a psychometrician for the medical schools of Plymouth and Exeter, a senior researcher at the UK’s largest GCSE and A-level awarding body, and Deputy Head at the National School of Healthcare Science, NHS England.

She is also an Honorary Professor at the University of Birmingham’s College of Medical and Dental Sciences.

Professor Martin Cake

Professor Martin Cake Professor Martin Cake will present his work on professional identity formation and the preparation of veterinary students for entry into the profession.

Biography

Professor Martin Cake PhD is Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching and Associate Professor of Veterinary Anatomy at the School of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, in Perth, Western Australia. 

A veterinarian and musculoskeletal researcher, Martin is passionate about veterinary education, including teaching, curriculum development and educational research.

Through a leadership role in Murdoch's Veterinary Professional Life programme, Martin has developed a particular interest in fostering professional skills, employability and resilience in the next generation of veterinarians.

He also led the multinational project VetSet2Go: Building Veterinary Employability, which developed a framework outlining key capabilities for success in veterinary practice. 

Wendy Preston

Wendy PrestonBiography

Wendy Preston MSc is Head of Nursing Workforce at the Royal College of Nursing

With over 35 years’ experience, Wendy specialises in advancing nursing practice across diverse roles.

She holds an MSc in respiratory care and independent nurse prescribing, plus a PG Cert in higher education. She is now pursuing a PhD in nursing research, with an international focus.

After a decade in ward management, Wendy moved to clinical academia, combining advanced nurse practitioner and senior lecturer roles before becoming a consultant nurse.

She advocates for legislative change to empower nurses in delivering safe, effective care.

Programme

The PGVE Symposium will focus on four overarching themes. Each corresponds to a key stage in a veterinary professional’s career, where education and training play a crucial role.

These are:

      • Graduate transition into the profession
      • Advanced education and training (eg: postgraduate qualifications, internships and professional development)
      • Continuing education and professional development
      • Licensure and revalidation

Who should attend

The symposium is open to anyone with a passion for advancing postgraduate veterinary education. We especially welcome those involved in supporting and training veterinary surgeons and nurses after graduation, as well as anyone committed to improving workforce satisfaction and wellbeing through educational best practice.

Registration and cost

Attendance at this inaugural symposium is limited to 100 delegates, with places allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Tickets are available at a flat rate of £100 per person, which includes access to both days of the symposium and the pre-symposium workshop. Please note that this is a fixed rate; no partial refunds will be issued for single-day attendance.

If tickets sell out, a waitlist will be created. Those on the waitlist will be contacted in order of registration should places become available.

Register now to secure your place at this landmark event

Call for contributions

Delegates are warmly invited to contribute to the PGVE Symposium. It's an excellent opportunity to showcase creative approaches, fresh thinking and practical solutions to an engaged audience of international veterinary educators, practitioners, researchers and other professionals. 

We welcome proposals from individuals with professional or educational expertise in areas relevant to the symposium's four key themes. Please note that we are unable to accept poster submissions.

Important: all contributors must be registered to attend the symposium.

We are inviting two types of contributions: 

1. Abstracts

Submit an abstract of your work for the opportunity to deliver a ten-minute presentation, followed by audience feedback.

Please complete and return the abstract form in the related documents area below.

2. New ideas

We are also hosting a session dedicated to 'Ideas and Innovations'. Delegates are invited to present new ideas in a concise three-minute slot, followed by audience feedback. 

Please complete and return the new ideas form in the related documents area below.

Submissions deadline

The deadline for all submissions is 31 August 2025. Successful applicants will be contacted shortly after the deadline.

Questions?

If you have any questions about contributing to the symposium, please email Dr Linda Prescott-Clements, RCVS Director of Education, at: [email protected].

PGVE Symposium background and additional information  

The need to strengthen postgraduate veterinary education has never been greater. Unlike the health professions, veterinary education beyond graduation remains surprisingly underexplored, with little published evidence to inform best practices.

This challenge was rigorously examined in a recent paper published in the Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, entitled ‘The Veterinary Education and Training Landscape Beyond Graduation: Where is the Evidence?’.**

The paper is authored Dr Linda Prescott-Clements, RCVS Director of Education, alongside international collaborators Professor Kent G. Hecker (Canada), Professor Harold G. J. Bok (Netherlands) and Professor Martin Cake (Australia).

It highlights the potential opportunities and benefits of placing greater emphasis on postgraduate veterinary education and development, exploring them through the four themes we will be focusing on at the symposium. 

Be part of an international network shaping veterinary education

This symposium - and future events like it - aim to build and strengthen an international community of practice dedicated to driving progress in postgraduate veterinary education.

Through collaboration, we hope to deepen our shared understanding of best practices in education and training, spanning the transition from graduation through to postgraduate programmes such as certificates, internships, residencies and continuing professional development. By doing so, we can help improve the postgraduation experience for veterinary surgeons and nurses, while also supporting greater satisfaction, engagement and wellbeing across the veterinary profession worldwide.

* Exact timings will be confirmed shortly. 
**If you would like to receive a copy of ‘The Veterinary Education and Training Landscape Beyond Graduation: Where is the Evidence?’, please email Dr Linda Prescott-Clements. 

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