BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine

Re: BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine

Frances Barr — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 13:39:15 GMT

Hi Tom

It's intended to be pretty flexible. You can spread your studies out over 4 or 5 years rather than 3 if this suits you better. If need be, you can apply to suspend studies for a year part way through (for example, if you decide to go travelling, or your work or family life changes so that study is temporarily difficult). Life's sometimes difficult to predict, and we do your best to allow flexibility

Frances

Re: BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine

Anna Sacewicz — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 21:01:36 GMT

Hi Sarah

Thank you very much for your answer, its very helpful and I think I made my decision.

I had couple years break from practice ( baby) and now , when I back I'm not feeling very confident, so this kind of course will suit me perfectly.

Anna

Re: BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine

Marie Kubiak — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 16:38:36 GMT

[quote user="Francisco Gomez"]

The current CertAVP I'm doing, requires you to write them up at the same time as they're being studied. In my mind you should have a period of study before they ask you to write a case report.

[/quote]

I think this is the main difference with the CertAVP and the PGCert and GPCerts - the CertAVP expects you to have the knowledge and be undertaking the evaluation just to prove this and thereby earn the qualification, the others are taught and support you more along the way while you learn and advance along the course.

Marie.

Re: BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine

Tom Ward — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 15:18:31 GMT

What flexibility is there in the timings - have you got 3 years only to get the cases etc., or can you stretch it out over a longer period if necessary?

Re: BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine

Francisco Gomez — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 11:32:51 GMT

[quote user="Sarah Keir"]

The cases can be collected during the proceeding 2 years but you are advised not to do cases on subjects until you have been taught that module.

[/quote]

That's what I meant.

The current CertAVP I'm doing, requires you to write them up at the same time as they're being studied. In my mind you should have a period of study before they ask you to write a case report.

Re: BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine

Francisco Gomez — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 11:30:34 GMT

Thank you Frances.

I'm quite a long way through CertAVP, so I will stick with it for now. If it doesn't work out, I will definitely consider it.

Re: BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine

Sarah Keir — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 11:30:09 GMT

The BSAVA cert is RCVS registerable.

I am not sure I understand you Francisco. For the BSAVA cert the first 2 years a series of taught modules, year three is for writing up cases. The cases can be collected during the proceeding 2 years but you are advised not to do cases on subjects until you have been taught that module.

Sarah

Re: BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine

Frances Barr — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 11:28:02 GMT

The BSAVA PGCert doesn't rely on previous experience. The first 2 years has structured study (a mixture of day courses and online learning). The final part is a case book (10 case reports), hopefully putting into practice what you have learned. Please feel free to message me if you'd like more information. Frances

Re: BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine

Malcolm Ness — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 11:21:32 GMT

[quote user="Francisco Gomez"]Not sure if it makes sense...[/quote]

I'm not sure that it does.

[quote user="Francisco Gomez"] not just paying to obtain a title.[/quote]

I wasn't aware of that option - tell me more.

Re: BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine

Francisco Gomez — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 10:34:24 GMT

Hi,

Is the BSAVA Cert relying on previous cases. I.e. Do you need to write any essays about previous experience? And what is more important, is it recognised by RCVS?

The problem I find with the current certificate structure is that you meant to have managed the cases before enroling. My point of studying is improving my clinical practice, not just paying to obtain a title. During current CertAVP studies (own experience), you need to write case reports from the past, but you would get a fail/low mark if you didn't do it correctly. However, this is the reason I enrolled in the first place!

Not sure if it makes sense...

Re: BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine

Sarah Keir — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 09:30:51 GMT

Hi Anna,

I am in the second year of this course. Having not done such a structured course of CPD, I find it very useful as everything is covered rather than just jumping around little bits of CPD and avoiding stuff I don't like, like neurology. I looked at doing the Cert AVP but the course structure didn't appeal to me (lots of general stuff before getting to the interesting stuff and lots of essay writing) and nearly all the people I spoke to said they hated doing it or stopped doing it. Saying that, the BSAVA cert is really quite intense if you are doing it in the 3 years on top of a veterinary full time (i.e. full time plus, plus, plus) job.

As to know whether you should chose it, it depends on your circumstances. Hope this helps a little.

Sarah