RCVS Academy launches course on hosting overseas vets seeing practice

The RCVS Academy has launched a new course to support veterinary professionals who are hosting overseas vets who are seeing UK practice in preparation for sitting the Statutory Membership Examination (SME).

The Academy, our free, online learning platform, has designed the new course ‘Welcoming overseas vets: A guide to seeing practice,’ to support veterinary professionals who host, or are considering hosting, overseas-qualified vets preparing to sit SME.

Some veterinary surgeons who qualify outside the UK are required to pass the SME to register and practise in the UK. As part of their preparation, the RCVS strongly recommends that candidates spend time ‘seeing practice’ in the UK across a range of sectors, including companion animal, equine, production animal and veterinary public health.

The RCVS continues to receive feedback from hundreds of overseas vets who are experiencing difficulties finding workplaces able to host them. This new course provides clear, practical guidance to help practices, and other veterinary workplaces, feel confident in offering this crucial support to our increasing number of SME candidates.

Designed for veterinary professionals across all veterinary sectors, the course explains the SME process and clarifies the tasks overseas vets are permitted to carry out while ‘seeing practice’, including the appropriate level of supervision required.

It highlights the vital role veterinary workplaces play in supporting overseas vets at a key stage in their professional journey, with interviews from previous SME candidates and their mentors.

Claire Hobson (pictured), RCVS Examinations Manager, said: “This new Academy course will highlight the importance of workplaces offering ‘seeing practice’ opportunities and demonstrate how vet-led teams can play a vital role in supporting SME candidates to gain valuable learning experiences.”

By welcoming an SME candidate into their workplace, veterinary teams contribute directly to the development of a future colleague, share their expertise, and gain new perspectives that can enrich their workplace, whilst making a meaningful contribution to the future of the UK veterinary workforce.

The course is available now on the RCVS Academy. Veterinary professionals can access the course by logging in with their MyAccount details on the Academy webpage. 

For further information, please contact [email protected]