Academic roles ‘show GP pathway potential’, college tells London Vet Show

The development of academic roles in general veterinary practice highlights the potential of a new career pathway in the field, a senior RCVS official has argued.

The area is one of three where work towards reform of clinical career pathways post-graduation is now under way.

London Vet Show delegates heard yesterday (14 November) that a key document relating to the general practice pathway is set to be considered by a college committee soon.

But director of education Linda Prescott-Clements said the envisaged requirement for participants to add to future knowledge, plus developments in veterinary education, emphasised its potential.

Trained

She said: “Some of the universities have started to create roles in general practice. That’s a real opportunity and the people who do this training will be trained to do that research.”

The project is also considering ways in which more flexible paths to specialist training might be provided and how post-graduate qualifications are formally defined.

The session heard there had been substantial debate at stakeholder sessions about the project, particularly around the names of qualification, as well as support for the effort to address the identified issues especially around the flexibility of training access.

‘Two-tier system’

But Ms Prescott-Clements said the risks of creating a “two-tier system” and effectively devaluing the skills of experienced clinicians had been recognised and the college wanted to ensure there were no “unintended consequences” from any future proposals it brings forward.

Although stakeholder events are continuing, she added: “We have had so much feedback from the profession. Now is the time to get some concrete things down on paper before we go back to the profession.”

One suggestion from the floor was that senior vets could be engaged as supervisors within programmes that emerge from the current process.

A purpose statement for the general practice pathway is expected to be examined by the college’s education committee at a forthcoming meeting before going forward to council after that.