New RCVS Academy course launched to help veterinary professionals with responsible advertising and social media use

The RCVS Academy, our free, online learning platform for veterinary professionals, has launched a new course to help veterinary professionals navigate RCVS guidance on responsible advertising and social media use.

The ‘Advertising and social media’ course is part of the client engagement category and was developed in collaboration with our Standards & Advice Team based on the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct and its supporting guidance.

Through interactive features and scenarios, the course breaks down the supporting guidance to the Code of Professional Conduct into clear, practical advice that can be easily applied in daily practice and covers areas such as advertising, endorsing products and services, and using social media in a way that upholds professional standards.

Those who complete the course will be able to:

• Explore the forms of advertising relevant to the professions;
• Understand why ‘vet’ or ‘veterinary’ is a sensitive word for the purposes of company incorporation;
• Identify their responsibilities when endorsing veterinary products and services;
• Understand how to advertise professional status accurately;
• Assess how to balance obligations to clients and the public with the right to discuss careers and cases publicly.

The course begins with a short knowledge check to assess the users current understanding of the topic, followed by three bite-sized modules and a final reflection section.

The course takes around one hour to complete, is free to access via the RCVS Academy, and counts towards annual continuing professional development (CPD) requirements for both veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses. To access the course, simply log in with your MyAccount details at academy.rcvs.org.uk.

For any questions or help accessing the course, please contact the RCVS Academy at [email protected].