Call for views on Day One Competences

We are seeking views, via an online survey, on the Day One Competences required of newly qualified veterinary surgeons.

The survey is the first step in a review of the Day One Competences, which define the level to be expected of new veterinary graduates when they first qualify.

The competences set out in broad terms what is required of new graduates at the end of their veterinary degree, and provide the foundation for curriculum design and student assessment in UK veterinary courses.

“The Day One Competences are deliberately general as they aim to convey the important principles that all students must master by the time they graduate, regardless of the precise curriculum they have followed, so they are safe to practise in a range of veterinary contexts from day one after they graduate.” says RCVS Council member David Catlow, who chairs the Working Party undertaking the review.

“As it is over ten years since these competences were confirmed, we are reviewing them to ensure they remain valid, and to seek to ensure they reflect current and likely future expectations.”

The Working Party will report to the Education Policy and Specialisation Committee (EPSC), and includes representatives from the veterinary schools and the British Veterinary Association (BVA), as well as a recent veterinary graduate.

Since being confirmed by the RCVS, the Day One Competences have also been adopted across Europe, through the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE), and in countries such as Australia.

The survey can be accessed via our consultations section, and can be completed until 31 May 2013.