Frequently Asked Questions

• Delegates attending from outside of Europe may require Visas in order to participate in our face to face programmes. Please note that the Student Tier 4 Visa is not applicable to Improve Veterinary Education delegates as a result of us being a private education provider. Further guidance on your entry requirements should be checked with your local embassy.
• Improve Veterinary Education does not provide support in obtaining Visas but can provide supporting documentation to support your application if requested.

The PgC is a university qualification that provides 60 academic credits. The qualification is positioned at Masters Level 7 within the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) framework for higher and further education. The 60 credits can be used towards achieving a Postgraduate Diploma (PgD) or Masters (MRes), which represent 120 credits and 180 credits respectively. The PgC is a recognised academic qualification that will demonstrate that you have achieved a certain standard in that subject. In order to progress to the Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) you will need to have been in practice for at least a year prior to starting the GPCert programme. 

Please check individual programme details with respect to those which are eligible for PGC status. 

Improve’s modular training programmes have been developed over a period of 20 years and are taught by world-renowned experts in their field.  They successfully blend theoretical lectures with hands-on practical sessions where appropriate and delegates also have access to valuable online learning components.

A PgC comprises 600 hours of notional study. This is typically made up of the following:

• 100 hours of taught sessions and ten hours of practical experience for Small Animal Medicine
• 70 hours of taught sessions and 48 hours of practical experience for Small Animal Surgery
• 82-94 hours preparing for and reflecting on the taught sessions. This includes pre and post course online evaluation and self-reflection
• 200 hours of independent study, including the preparation and writing of assignments
• 200 hours preparing for final examination

At the beginning of the programme, you will receive a syllabus and specific learning objectives for all of the taught modules.

During the programme, you will be required to document your current knowledge and skills prior to each module and undertake an informal short multiple-choice exercise. After the module, you will then undertake a further multiple choice exercise to reflect on the knowledge gained and implement a strategy to address any outstanding knowledge and skills gaps via independent study.

ISVPS provide the GPCert assessments and HAU provide the PgC assessments. For further information about assessments please contact us.

Delegates studying towards a PgC in Cardiology, Dentistry and Oral Surgery, Dermatology, Diagnostic Imaging, Emergency Medicine & Surgery, Exotic Animal Practice, Endoscopy & Endosurgery, Feline Practice and Ophthalmology additionally undertake the distance learning Advanced Practitioner module with HAU which is assessed via a portfolio.

The final examination takes place yearly covering the course syllabus. You must have attended all modules to be entered for the final exam.

All delegates will receive a subscription to Harper Adam’s online e-library providing access to 1,000s of scientific articles and abstracts.

Medicine delegates will be provided with Improve Veterinary Education’s Manual of Small Animal Medicine Vol 1 and 2 and Surgery delegates with Improve Veterinary Education’s Manual of Small Animal Surgery Vol 1 and 2.

The Improve Online Learning Platform provides access to a notes library, discussion forum and other study resources including webinars.

A dedicated Programme Coordinator will support every individual during their PgC programme to ensure a rewarding and successful learning journey.

ISVPS will provide support with assignments.

After you have successfully obtained your Postgraduate Certificate you can apply for the RCVS Advanced Practitioner Status. This is subject to meeting all of the other entry requirements set out by the RCVS in the Applicant Guidance Notes.

The following programmes are recognised PgCs enabling you to apply for the RCVS Advanced Practitioner Status:

Small Animal Medicine, Small Animal Surgery, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Feline Practice, Exotic Animal Practice, Cardiology, Dentistry & Oral Surgery, Diagnostic Imaging and Emergency Medicine & Surgery.

* Currently the RCVS does not list Endoscopy & Endosurgery as a designated Advanced Practitioner subject so it is not possible to apply for the Advanced Practitioner Status. 

For Small Animal Medicine and Small Animal Surgery, there is an additional requirement for evidence of Professional Key Skills CPD, access to this will be provided at the end of your programme. There will be an additional fee to complete this with Harper Adams University, please contact us for more information.

For further information please see RCVS website.

Our PgC programmes are flexible to try to enable you to fit study in to busy practice life. With our Clinical PgCs, we have tried to ensure two modules are offered back-to-back for the duration of the course to reduce your travel time and costs and make the learning experience more immersive. With our Medicine and Surgery PgCs, these are run every month from 2-8pm, therefore reducing the amount of time out of practice.

No. We understand that you are busy professionals and aim to be as flexible as possible.

Whilst we need advance notice if you are going to be unable to attend a particular module, we will make every effort to find you an alternative venue and date. If the alternative dates don’t suit, you can attend the missed module when the programme runs the following year. The only restriction is that you need to attend all of the taught modules before you can sit the relevant ISVPS examination.

All applicants must:

• Hold a veterinary qualification
• Have spent a minimum of one year in veterinary practice
• UK-based applicants must also be on the RCVS Home Practising Register, whilst applicants based outside the UK must hold a qualification that would entitle them to register as a member of the RCVS

If you need to pause your studies, we have a dedicated team that will support and discuss the options that best suit you.

Yes. Each PgC is a recognised higher education qualification as validated by Harper Adams University. The qualification represents Level 7 (Masters) within the QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It provides 60 transferable academic credits at this level. The qualifications are therefore, by definition, academically equivalent.

You are able to “upgrade” from a GPCert to a PgC within 5 years of the GPCert exam date. Please contact ISVPS for further information – ISVPS.

As a guide we suggest you consider the following when deciding whether you think the facilities and equipment and your role in the practice will support your studies:

The practice

• Number of patients, species distribution and range of conditions seen should allow student to gain experience across the whole syllabus during the study period
• Either a manual or computerised system of patient records, allowing accurate recording, storage and retrieval of information
• Facilities to hospitalise patients and arrangements for OOH care
• Equipment and facilities to conduct radiographic examinations and ultrasound should be available within the practice or on referral. Access to CT/MRI equipment is not a requirement
• Suitable equipment for administration of oxygen and safe maintenance of anaesthesia
• Disinfection and sterilisation procedures in place which are suitable for the work undertaken
• Medicines are stored, prescribed and dispensed appropriately.

Our Medicine and Surgery programmes are held at various locations in the UK;

Small Animal Surgery- Swindon, Hatfield and Sheffield *
*consolidated programmes only available at Sheffield venue

Small Animal Medicine – Swindon

Our Clinical Postgraduate Programmes are held at our Swindon and Sheffield training centres, see the individual programmes for venue information.

We have excellent wet-lab facilities in Swindon and Sheffield, with state-of-the-art practical training equipment and technology.

To find out more about our venues, click here: https://www.improveinternational.com/uk/venue/

At the beginning of the programme, you will be granted access to the delegate area, which serves as a comprehensive resource hub. Here, you will discover pertinent details regarding your account, programme schedule, and financial information.

Additionally, upon enrolment in your examination, you will gain access to the ISVPS Candidate Area. This specialised section is tailored to provide you with essential information pertaining to your exams and assessments, ensuring you have the necessary support throughout the examination process.

Postgraduate Certificates

Small Animal Medicine & Small Animal Surgery

Attendance on the taught modules is typically once monthly on a weekday between 2.00pm and 8.00pm however, where there are case-based discussion webinars or practical sessions these times may vary.

All other Postgraduate programmes

Attendance on the taught modules is from 9.30am-17.00pm.

Practical Surgery & Ultrasound Courses

8.30am Registration

9.00am Course starts

16.30 Course finishes

Nurse Certificate programmes

9.00am Registration

9.30am Course starts

17.00 Course finishes

For Nutrition:

8.45am Registration

9.00am Course starts

17.30 Course finishes

Yes. You will receive a certificate of attendance for every course attended which you can use towards your CPD hours.

Improve Veterinary Education was established in 1998 by a group of veterinary surgeons from across the UK, including a number of recognised experts. We provide the highest quality CPD in a format that allows you to develop your skills and knowledge in a logical and progressive fashion, under the supervision of dedicated Course Directors, each of whom has the highest qualifications in his or her field.

Our courses are run in venues across the UK and also in a number of other countries including Spain, Portugal and Italy.

We are in partnership with Harper Adams University (HAU) and the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ISVPS) to ensure the highest academic standards.

Harper Adams University

Founded in 1901, HAU has a long, proud tradition of the highest educational standards and is widely recognised for the quality of its education. HAU validate Improve’s PgC programmes and ensures the teaching elements and examination processes meet the highest academic standards.

ISVPS

Is an awarding body who accredits and awards veterinary qualifications. They provide assessments in the form of assignments and examinations for all programmes.

For all one and two-day courses payment is due upon registration.  Payments can be made by credit card or BACS.

We offer the following flexible payment options on our modular programmes, see the individual programmes for more information.

Yes …..

At the beginning of the programme, you will be granted access to the delegate area, which serves as a comprehensive resource hub. Here, you will discover pertinent details regarding your account, programme schedule, and financial information.

Additionally, upon enrolment in your examination, you will gain access to the ISVPS Candidate Area. This specialised section is tailored to provide you with essential information pertaining to your exams and assessments, ensuring you have the necessary support throughout the examination process.

The International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ISVPS) is responsible for the accreditation and examination standards of the Nurses/Technicians and Veterinary Paraprofessional Certificates. 

The course provider (Improve Veterinary Education) is responsible for the course delivery and content. ISVPS is responsible for the programme accreditation, assessment and certification. 

There is no guarantee at this time that the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons will include the qualification in its Register. This does not, however, prevent individuals from listing the qualification after their name in their own documents or business notices.

No. Many previous delegates have completed courses with no desire to enrol for a certificate and have benefited enormously.

No, the programme has an order that must be followed. You can always review the lessons you have already completed but it is not possible to access lessons before the month when they are planned to be live.

Even though you may access our world-leading Learning Management System via any browser, it is recommended that you choose a browser that supports integrated HTML editor. Google Chrome or Edge on a Windows operating system, and Chrome, Edge or Safari on a Mac system. 

While using Internet Explorer (Edge) should not cause any issue, it has been reported that some security settings and adherence to W3C standards prevent the browser from operating in some instances. If you experience a problem, please try one of the other browsers before contacting Improve for additional support. 

Progress of the completion of your module and programme are tracked in different ways. 

For online programmes – Each module consists of 9 interactive lessons including a reflective/case study, MCQ writing and calculation practice during week 4, depending on the specific module. The interactive lessons will track and remember your progress whilst you complete it. When you return to a specific lesson or case study, you will return to the page that you last visited. 

Once a lesson is completed, a tick will appear next to the lesson icon on the module course page. You will also see a progress indicator at the top right-hand corner of the course page and a more detailed Progress Bar in the collapsible side menu on the left. 

Upon completing all 9 lessons and the 2 case/reflected studies, you will be awarded a Digital Badge, recognising your achievement. As you progress through the programme, badges will be awarded at 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 completion stages. 

Once you have completed a module you will also be marked as attending the taught session and will be able to download your CPD certificate.  

For attendance programmes – We will ask you to sign in at arrival. Once you have signed delegates will then be able to download their CPD certificate.  

• We will endeavour to allocate you face-to-face modules close together in date (e.g. within the same week) to reduce the numbers of trips to the UK required but these dates are restricted so you should be aware that you may have to make separate trips as places will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.
• It is your responsibility to check visa requirements and ensure that you have relevant documents in place well in advance of travel.
• Delegates attending from outside of Europe may require visas in order to participate in our face-to-face programmes. Please note that the Student Tier 4 visa is not applicable to Improve Education Delegates as a result of us being a private education provider. Further guidance on your entry requirements should be checked with your local embassy.
• Improve Education does not provide support in obtaining visas but can provide supporting documentation to support your application if requested.

• Online modules cannot be deferred without losing the real-time interactive engagement with the Module Tutor   
• Face to face modules (where relevant to your programme) can be deferred provided you complete all modules within 3 years of beginning the programme

Yes, you can.

• By choosing to pursue a PgC certification, you will be automatically enrolled in both the GPCert and PgC courses, along with their respective assessment requirements.
• You will need to register separately with both ISVPS (for the GPCert) and Harper Adams University (for the PgC) to receive their designated certifications.
• In programmes where the GPCert and PgC are offered separately, delegates have the option to “upgrade” to the PgC. This upgrade will be reviewed in collaboration with your programme coordinator (IVE) and the Customer Success Team (ISVPS) to confirm eligibility and provide support. You can upgrade within 4 years of receiving the GPCert award.

All applicants must:

• Hold a veterinary qualification
• For progression to the Postgraduate Certificate (PgC), individuals must have spent a minimum of one year in veterinary practice prior to starting the General Practitioner Certificate (GPCert) programme.

The GPCert is a middle-tier qualification awarded to veterinary surgeons who successfully complete a dedicated modular training programme accredited by ISVPS and the associated ISVPS assessments. Only registered veterinary surgeons who have been qualified for a minimum of one year can apply to undertake a General Practitioner Certificate.

To find out more about the ISVPS assessments please contact us.

ISVPS are responsible for the invigilation of the exam using an independent invigilation company. More details can be found here.

Yes, there are additional assessment criteria. Contact your Programme Tutor for further information.

• Registration is made directly to ISVPS (for the GPCert) and HAU (for the PgC) – you will be provided with contact details allowing you to complete their registration forms
• Ideally, the decision to aim for the PgC should be made within the first two months of the programme starting to enable you to benefit from the HAU library access and select your face to face modules if applicable to your programme

The PgC is worth 30 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) credits but delegates are advised to check with their local governing body for the relevance of these credits in their country.

Yes, the full programme to achieve the GPCert is all online with the exception of the Surgery programme which includes ten practical modules. These will be held in two locations, see the programme for further information.

Currently, to achieve an Nurse Advanced Certificate (NAdvCert) the assessments are*:

• Case log of 25 cases which you have nursed in practice during the programme. There are specific requirements for these cases, dependent on the discipline.
• Online Applied Knowledge Examination (OAKE)
• Written Assessment (Literature Review)

* Assessment details may be subject to future change

Please contact ISVPS with any queries and for further details on assessments (english@isvps.org)

There are no prerequisites to joining the Nurse Advanced programmes and to achieving the ISVPS Nurse Advanced Certificate (NAdvCert) qualification. However, ISVPS strongly advise that before registering for the Advanced Nurse Certificate, delegates should either have obtained the ISVPS Nurse Certificate (NCert), or equivalent qualification in the chosen discipline, and/or have been in clinical practice for at least 5 years. 

Yes, there will be a live session every 3 months to help embed your understanding. The date and time of these will be communicated in a timely manner.

All applicants must hold a recognised qualification in veterinary medicine.

Delegates will be provided with: 

• Notes to support every lesson 
• Reading list 
• Module Tutor (diploma holder/equivalent and or above in their field) 
• Improve Education Programme coordinator 
• Discussion Forum (tutor mentored only for online programmes) 
• Pre and post-module evaluation reflection questions 
• Reflective sessions incorporating multiple-choice writing and study skills (online only) 
• Summary videos at the end of each week (online) 
• Subject textbook (if applicable) 
• Online Study Skills 
• 12-month access to the RCVS knowledge library 
• ISVPS customer support team 
• Syllabus 

Yes. The programme has no fixed start date, you can enrol at the most suitable time for you.

The full ISVPS exam fee is included in the programme price, however, registration confirmation is required and must be done directly with ISVPS. You will be provided with ISVPS contact details allowing you to complete the registration forms. All the assessments are online. 

ISVPS is responsible for the exam using an independent invigilation company. More details can be found here (https://www.isvps.org/p/en). 

One module is released weekly.

The Accelerated ECC Programme was developed by experienced veterinarians, both Fellows and Members of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Emergency and Critical Care, from Improve Education’s Australian Partner, the Animal Emergency Service (AES). The course is a foundation level and was developed in a practice setting to enable attendees to rapidly apply their learning in practice on an ongoing basis.

For up-to-date  information regarding the assessment, please visit www.isvps.org.

You will spend on average 4 hours per week/module. Revising for the final exam is additional, depending on your programme. 

The examination fee is included in the full course price however those delegates that require to resist any part of the assessments will be subject to additional assessment fees which are paid directly to ISVPS. Delegates will also be provided with a suggested reading list where there may be additional cost of books and articles depending on the individual preferences. 

If attending an attendance programme, travel and accommodation fees will also be applicable. We suggest ensuring that your travel and accommodation reservations are always refundable for unforeseen situations. We try our best not to cancel or move dates, however there may be times when speakers are unable to attend at short notice.  If we need to change dates, we will notify delegates at the earliest opportunity and do our best to replace and or reschedule.  

Whilst most delegate complete the certification within a 12–18-month time period (depending on course start and assessment dates). Delegates have 3 –years to attend 75% of the taught modules to be exam eligible and a further 4-years to pass the ISVPS assessments.

Building a professional network can lead to job opportunities and staying informed about industry trends with your peers. Enrol in our courses to elevate your career while gaining networking opportunities. 

Registration for the examination (and associated written assessment) is automatic and delegates are required to confirm via a response e-mail. Those wanting only to take the modular programme as Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours can do so. However, they should notify both Improve Veterinary Education and ISVPS upon starting their programme. Please note delegates will not be able to use the post nominals associated with the particular subject qualification and be awarded the qualification badge.  

Upon confirming with ISVPS delegates will be sent a confirmation email containing a password to access the ISVPS ‘Candidates’ Area’, which is separate to Improve Veterinary Education’s Learning Management System (LMS). In addition to providing access to assessment guidance, the ISVPS 

‘Candidates’ Area’ also permits candidates to submit their written assessment to ISVPS anonymously. 

We suggest that all delegates english@isvps.org  to their contacts to ensure they receive correspondence from ISVPS.

The majority of NCert/VTCert/VPPCert programme are worth a minimum of 100 CPD hours (approximately 48 hours of delivered sessions and 52 hours self-study time). Please note that CPD hours are depending on the number of modules per programme.  

The programme is worth a minimum of 12 CPD hours (approximately 48 hours of delivered sessions and 52 hours self-study time).

Even though you may access our world-leading Learning Management System via any browser, it is recommended that you choose a browser that supports integrated HTML editor. Google Chrome or Edge on a Windows operating system, and Chrome, Edge or Safari on a Mac system. 

While using Internet Explorer (Edge) should not cause any issue, it has been reported that some security settings and adherence to W3C standards prevent the browser from operating in some instances. If you experience a problem, please try one of the other browsers before contacting Improve for additional support. 

Progress of the completion of your module and programme are tracked in different ways. 

For online programmes – Each module consists of 9 interactive lessons including a reflective/case study, MCQ writing and calculation practice during week 4, depending on the specific module. The interactive lessons will track and remember your progress whilst you complete it. When you return to a specific lesson or case study, you will return to the page that you last visited. 

Once a lesson is completed, a tick will appear next to the lesson icon on the module course page. You will also see a progress indicator at the top right-hand corner of the course page and a more detailed Progress Bar in the collapsible side menu on the left. 

Upon completing all 9 lessons and the 2 case/reflected studies, you will be awarded a Digital Badge, recognising your achievement. As you progress through the programme, badges will be awarded at 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 completion stages. 

Once you have completed a module you will also be marked as attending the taught session and will be able to download your CPD certificate.  

For attendance programmes – We will ask you to sign in at arrival. Once you have signed delegates will then be able to download their CPD certificate.  

Our programmes are postgraduate qualifications and require a sound knowledge of veterinary anatomy, physiology and nursing prior to entry.

• NCert – you must have received and passed a Veterinary Nurse qualification. Proof of qualification will be required for eligibility.
• VPPCert – you must have been working in a veterinary environment for two years and provide evidence that you have been involved within the discipline, which is being taught on the particular programme, for which you are seeking access. This will require proof of employment with reference, current CV and self-certification.

• To obtain either the NCert/VTCert or VPPCert delegates will require to: 
  • Attend 75% of the taught modules 
  • Submit a 2500 word written assessment (requires academic writing and Harvard referencing) 
  • Complete and pass a one-hour remotely invigilated online examination consisting of 25 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)  and 90 minute online applied knowledge examination (OAKE) 

Registration for the examination (and associated written assessment) is optional, and delegates undertaking an Improve Veterinary Education modular training programme can choose to attend the course without undertaking any assessment. Delegates choosing NOT to undertake any assessment receive acknowledgement of their ‘Continuing Professional Development’ (CPD) hours from Improve Veterinary Education but ARE NOT eligible to receive the NCert/VPPCert in their chosen discipline.  

Registration is via a unique registration link provided at the start of the course via the online learning platform Moodle. Upon registration, you can anticipate email confirmation. (Please add english@isvps.org to your contacts to ensure you receive correspondence from ISVPS).  

The confirmation email contains a password to access the ISVPS ‘Candidates’ Area’, which is separate to Improve Veterinary Education’s Learning Management System (LMS). In addition to providing access to assessment guidance, the ISVPS ‘Candidates’ Area’ also permits candidates to submit their written assessment to ISVPS anonymously. 

In addition to the 2500-word written assessment, we suggest that delegates spend an additional 52 hours of self-study. You will also require access to journals and articles via an internet library service. All modular nursing programme have access to the RCVS knowledge library. Delegates will be required to register via the online learning platform. Other internet library services are available   (e.g. PubMed; Google scholar) which may incur an additional registration fee. 

The examination fee is included in the full course price however those delegates that require to resist any part of the assessments will be subject to additional assessment fees which are paid directly to ISVPS. Delegates will also be provided with a suggested reading list where there may be additional cost of books and articles depending on the individual preferences. 

If attending an attendance programme, travel and accommodation fees will also be applicable. We suggest ensuring that your travel and accommodation reservations are always refundable for unforeseen situations. We try our best not to cancel or move dates, however there may be times when speakers are unable to attend at short notice.  If we need to change dates, we will notify delegates at the earliest opportunity and do our best to replace and or reschedule.  

Proof of qualifications as awarded in the country of origin will be required prior to enrolment on the programme. These are required by ISVPS for exam registration. Please do contact us to discuss your eligibility for further information. 

• Notes to support every lesson 
• Reading list 
• Module Tutor (diploma holder and or above in their field) 
• Improve Education Programme Tutor 
• Discussion Forum 
• Pre and post-module questions 
• Reflective sessions incorporating multiple-choice writing and study skills 
• Summary videos at the end of each week 

These dogs are not being scanned for any diagnostic purpose and consequently, it would be unethical to sedate them.

We are only able to provide dogs that are ‘normal’ for scanning courses since the scanning does not take place in a veterinary clinic with appropriate facilities. We believe that being able to accurately identify normal ultrasonographic appearance is the most important part of learning how to scan dogs with abnormalities.

We are very grateful to the owners of dogs who allow their dogs to be used. They are made aware of the benefit of clipping these dogs for scanning, but we cannot clip them without permission and sometimes have to choose between not accepting a dog for scanning where permission to clip has been denied and not having enough dogs for the scanning session. Many of the dogs who are return visitors have clipping declined on subsequent visits due to clipper rash after a previous visit. We find using plentiful amounts of water enabling the ultrasound gel to soak in by applying in advance allows non-clipped dogs to be used.

We consider it inappropriate to provide cats for ultrasound scanning due to the stress of transportation and restraint without sedation. We will not be providing live cats for any of our scanning courses/modules.