Case Study: Taking a Feline Medicine Certificate with Improve
Have you ever considered taking a feline medicine certificate? Or maybe you’re wondering what it’s like to study for an online certificate and whether this is the right format for you? In this article, Joanna Woodnutt MRCVS interviews Gemma Trulli MRCVS, a current student on the ISVPS General Practitioner Certificate (GPCert) in Feline Practice, to find out what it’s like to take an online veterinary postgraduate certificate, and where she hopes to take her career once she’s achieved her goal.
“It is an exclusively online certificate that has been engaging, clinically relevant and challenging me to the right level so far.” – Gemma Trulli MRCVS
Why did you choose to study a feline medicine certificate?
I work as a small animal veterinary surgeon at a busy first-opinion hospital practice. We see a large number of diverse clinical cases, many of which are cats. I have always had a specialist interest in cats and during my many years in clinical practice, I have come to appreciate that they most definitely are not ‘just small dogs’! I decided that I wanted to expand my knowledge and further my clinical expertise when it comes to seeing and treating cats within first-opinion practice.
What have you found to be the advantages of the Improve ‘Certificate in Feline Practice’ compared to other feline medicine certificates?
The Certificate in Feline Practice is exclusively online, which suits my learning needs at this point in my life. I can work through the modules at my own pace and fit my studies in around my busy work life and other personal commitments. Each module is delivered by a tutor who is a recognised specialist in their subject field, meaning that the information provided is up-to-date and clinically relevant.
Some of the other feline medicine certificates offer long modules that each cover a broader range of subjects. I felt that the Improve feline medicine certificate offered an advantage in this respect – there are more modules, but each one is shorter and more specific. This has helped me to remain motivated and divide my study time more effectively.
What’s the online course like?
The Improve certificate in Feline Practice is delivered over 24 months and consists of 16 different modules, each covering subjects such as feline neurology, feline cardiology, feline behaviour, and critical care and emergency case management. The tutor for each module is available online throughout each module to answer any questions and so far, they have all responded quickly to any queries that are raised. They also provide further reading, all of which so far has been useful and relevant to general practice.
Within each module, there are 4 main sessions, each comprising of separate lessons followed by case-based studies to challenge and test what you have learned. Each of the sessions consist of a mixture of presentations, interactive exercises and short quizzes to test your knowledge as you work through each section. This helps to break up what might otherwise be large chunks of written information and helps to keep me engaged and interested. I also find it helps me to divide up my study time into manageable sessions. The case studies are clinically relevant and really help to consolidate what you have learned by applying your knowledge to a real-life scenario. I have already used a couple of the case studies to help me work-up patients in clinical practice.
“I have already used a couple of the case studies to help me work-up patients in clinical practice.” – Gemma Trulli MRCVS
Feline medicine course notes are provided for each module and these are a very useful resource that I have already referred back to many times whilst at work. Even these are more than just large chunks of text and are interspersed with diagrams, photographs, tables and charts which makes them easier to digest.
Once the modules have been completed, the assessments for the ISVPS Certificate in Feline Practice consist of an applied knowledge examination and a case-based scenario examination, both of which are taken online.
What are the benefits of taking the feline medicine certificate online?
I’ve found the main benefit of an online feline medicine certificate is that it allows me to work at my own pace and fit in study time around a busy work and home life. Personally, I would not have been able to commit to a feline medicine course that required in-person attendance at this stage in my life.
There is an online discussion forum where you can communicate with peers and the module tutors. This is an invaluable, supportive tool that enables you to ask questions and discuss clinical cases. It means that even though the certificate involves self-study, you do not feel alone and unsupported.
What are your next steps after the certificate?
I want to primarily work with cats and would definitely consider working exclusively with cats, so this certificate is helping me reach my career goals. Although I’m enjoying the online format of this certificate, I do really enjoy and benefit from practical CPD so would consider short, practical, feline-related CPD courses in the future to top-up my knowledge and skills.
Would you recommend this postgraduate certificate in feline medicine?
I am really enjoying studying for this feline medicine certificate and the modules so far have kept me motivated and engaged. The Improve Certificate in Feline Practice would be suited to anyone in first opinion practice that wishes to further their feline veterinary knowledge and I would definitely recommend it to my peers.
Thank you for your insights, Gemma! We wish you the best of luck with your studies. If you’ve read this and feel the Certificate in Feline Practice is suited to you, you can book now. Or, to chat through your CPD options with a trained CPD Advisor, please schedule a callback.
