29 Jan 2020
“We owe it to our newest veterinary surgeons to find better ways of preparing them for the complexity of clinical practice” - Stephen May, chairman of the RCVS Graduate Outcomes Working Group.
James Westgate
Job Title
RCVS council has approved a number of proposals aimed at improving the education and support of veterinary students and new graduates.
A series of recommendations were put to RCVS council (23 January) that came out of the Graduate Outcomes Project, a wide-ranging consultation launched in 2018 to gather the views of the profession in four key areas.
The areas covered in the proposals are:
The approved proposals for the day one competences concerned the implementation of a new conceptual model for the skills and experience required of new graduates, including a greater focus on non-clinical competences, such as the need to develop resilience and other professional skills.
Furthermore, more specific and detailed guidance on the day one competences will be developed, supporting their implementation by veterinary schools.
The college has promised to deliver a new programme of support for graduates centred on the provision of feedback and guided reflection against professional activities relevant to their role, as identified by each graduate, and supplied by their workplace mentor.
An online training package to support mentors in their roles will also be developed and, as a result of feedback from the profession, a mechanism to accredit practices delivering the new programme will be created.
Stephen May (pictured), chairman of the Graduate Outcomes Working Group that reports to education committee, said: “We owe it to our newest veterinary surgeons to find better ways of preparing them for the complexity of clinical practice, and primary care in particular, as well as supporting them through the early stages of their careers and ensuring they are ready for what awaits them.
“We now look forward to carrying out further work and developing proposals on the future of EMS and clinical education for general practice, as well as supporting the education team at the RCVS in developing the new model for day one competences and the replacement for the PDP.”
The Graduate Outcomes consultation document is available for download, while full papers for the January 2020 council meeting are also available.
