Is becoming an RCVS Advanced Practitioner something you aspire to? Or maybe you have noticed colleagues using the title and wondered what it means. Let's look into the Advanced Practitioner status a little more closely and discover what it is to be an Advanced Practitioner, and how to achieve this status yourself.
Please note, the qualifications required to be an Advanced Practitioner are undergoing a new accreditation process. We have updated this article to include the latest guidance.
What is RCVS Advanced Practitioner status?
RCVS Advanced Practitioner status is awarded to veterinary surgeons who have proven their knowledge and skillset in a particular field (or ‘discipline’) above and beyond that of the standard undergraduate veterinary degree. It is a recognition of a vet's commitment to furthering their skills and experience in a particular discipline over a period of five years. As an Advanced Practitioner, your name will appear on a searchable database held by the RCVS (the List of Advanced Practitioners) for five years after they grant your title, and then you need to re-apply.
There are 40 different areas a veterinary surgeon can obtain Advanced Practitioner status in, and a vet can register for up to three categories.
Advanced Practitioner vs Specialist - What's the difference?
Registering as an RCVS Advanced Practitioner is different from qualifying as a veterinary specialist. A specialist has further recognised qualifications in their field above that of an Advanced Practitioner, and is a protected title, so it is important to understand the limits of which you can advertise your skillset to the public even with further training in your area of interest.
An Advanced Practitioner title can be viewed as a formal recognition that your competency and interest in the discipline lies above that of the standard university degree, but not as advanced as a specialist veterinary surgeon. Advanced Practitioner status can also be a stepping stone for those wishing to pursue residency for specialisation.
What are the benefits of RCVS Advanced Practitioner status?
There are many benefits to becoming an Advanced Practitioner for the vet, their patients, and their practice.
Benefits for the vet
- The opportunity to shape and grow your career in an area you are interested in.
- Better employment opportunities - enhanced remuneration, better work perks or negotiating the purchase of equipment to support your clinical work.
- Accountability to stay up to date with CPD in your chosen field.
- Recognition of your commitment to further education, and lifelong learning in your discipline.
- A more rewarding or fulfilling career as you reach your potential
Benefits to patients
- Having further knowledge in your field will allow you to practice at a high standard of care, providing the best possible service to your patients.
Benefits to the practice
- Increased caseload and revenue generation.
- Clinic can promote an Advanced Practitioner's status as a point of difference between competitors, and as a draw to new clientele.
- Easier recruitment, as practices seen to support professional development are more attractive to employees
- A positive, growth-oriented workplace culture that supports retention
- Ability to offer mentorship and learning opportunities to more recent graduates.
How to achieve RCVS Advanced Practitioner status
All MRCVS members can apply to be considered for RCVS Advanced Practitioner status, and the RCVS has produced a detailed document with specific guidelines. In short you will need the following:
- A suitable postgraduate qualification
- A reference covering the last 5 years
- CPD showing your interest area
- Demonstration of clinical governance
- Actively practicing on the RCVS register
You’ll also need to pay a fee. Let’s look at these requirements in more detail:
1. Postgraduate veterinary qualifications
A postgraduate qualification in the discipline (e.g. small animal medicine) is required, equivalent to a Masters level 7. The RCVS lists several options for qualifications that meet the standard for application to the RCVS Advanced Practitioner List.
The most common are the GPCert, CertAVP, PgCert, or PgC. Many of these qualifications, if achieved before 1st March 2027, are pre-approved by the RCVS, making your Advanced Practitioner status application far simpler.
In Sept 2025, the RCVS announced changes to the accreditation process for these qualifications, requiring all providers to resubmit their qualifications against new criteria. This means that the qualifications that can lead to AP status are changing. If you can complete your qualification, including the assessments, by 1st March 2027, any previous eligibility will remain. If your qualification is not awarded by this date, the course will need to be re-approved. More information is available from your qualification provider.
Improve Veterinary Education offers several PgCs that were previously approved for application to the RCVS Advanced Practitioner list. For courses ending before 1st March 2027, the approved programmes include:
- Exotic Animal Practice certificate programme
- Feline Practice certificate programme
- Small Animal Cardiology certificate programme
- Small Animal Dermatology certificate programme
- Diagnostic Imaging certificate programme
- Emergency Medicine and Surgery certificate programme
- Dentistry and Oral Surgery certificate programme
- Small Animal Medicine certificate programme
- Small Animal Ophthalmology certificate programme
- Small Animal Surgery certificate programme
We are submitting courses due to end after the 1st March 2027 to the RCVS and we have every confidence that they will be accepted onto the list of approved courses again.
2. A reference
You will need a reference from another RCVS-registered colleague to testament your depth of experience in your chosen field spanning at least five years. You can use more than one referee if you have moved practices during the last five years. Your referee fills out a standard template questionnaire to be included when submitting your application.
3. 250 hours of relevant CPD
The application considers your veterinary CPD record over the last five years to see if your further education matches the area you wish to apply for Advanced Practitioner status. CPD needs to be recorded in the 1CPD platform and should total 250 hours over the five years, including a focus on external CPD (in person course attendance, shadowing at another clinic etc) rather than reading. The CPD record must show your learning in your area of interest, but also a broader approach to maintaining your skill-set as a practicing clinician.
4. Demonstrating clinical governance
If you want to apply for RCVS Approved Practitioner status, you’ll also have to write a statement illustrating how you as a clinician are actively involved in clinical governance, using two individual examples to demonstrate compliance with the code of professional conduct, utilising the whole of the clinical governance cycle.
5. Currently practicing
You must be registered as actively practicing in clinical work with the RCVS, and self-certify management of 100 cases per year in your chosen area. If you graduated after 2007, you must also have completed the Professional Development Phase (PDP) or VetGDP.
Fees for RCVS Advanced Practitioner Status
To be considered for the RCVS Approved Practitioner list, you’ll also have to pay the RCVS. At the time of writing, the application fee is £105. If you are successful you will need to pay a further fee each year in addition to your usual RCVS fees - this is currently £105 per year, but can go up with inflation. You’ll also have to pay a renewal fee every 5 years, which is currently also £105.
FAQs about RCVS Advanced Practitioner status
What is the difference between the CertAVP and Advanced Practitioner status?
Advanced Practitioner status is a title given to veterinary professionals who can prove they meet the requirements. The CertAVP is one of the postgraduate qualifications that can be used as part of your application for Advanced Practitioner status, alongside the PgC, GPCert, and PGCert.
Can I reapply for Advanced Practitioner Status if I’m unsuccessful?
Yes, you can reapply, but it is worth considering why your application was unsuccessful. Ask a trusted colleague or mentor to review your application with you to identify areas of improvement before reapplying, or reach out to the RCVS for feedback.
Is being on the RCVS Advanced Practitioner list worth it?
Sounding like a lot of admin? Fair thought. Although it can seem a daunting process, if you hold an accredited postgraduate certificate, proving you meet the rest of the criteria will be fairly easy, if a little labour-intensive.
Holding yourself accountable to achieve and then maintain the standard of Advanced Practitioner status can help engage your mind in your work, and increase your job satisfaction. Advanced Practitioner status may also provide a platform to discuss pay rises or improved work perks and equipment with your employer.
Whilst not for everyone, obtaining Advanced Practitioner status can be very rewarding and there are hopes that many of the profession will aim towards this goal as they progress through their professional careers.
After graduating from the University of Nottingham in 2016, Jo moved into small animal practice in the midlands, where she grew a passion for client communication and the subjects that most need it - like geriatrics and dermatology. Since 2020 she has worked as a locum vet in the Channel Islands as well as as a content writer in pet health topics.
