From Idea to Delivery: How We Develop Incredible Veterinary CPD Courses
Veterinary CPD is more than just an RCVS requirement, it plays a critical role in helping you stay at the forefront of your field. At Improve Veterinary Education, we’ve been creating veterinary CPD courses for both veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses for over 20 years, constantly refining our processes to ensure our offerings are both relevant and engaging. I’ve been working at Improve Veterinary Education for 4 years as part of the product development department, and today, I’d like to give you a behind-the-scenes look at how our veterinary CPD courses come to life.
CPD course ideas: Where do they come from?
The foundation of any successful veterinary course, whether it is a veterinary certificate, a vet nursing certificate, a short-course or a practical day, is a great idea. So, we would love to hear from you! We actively listen to the veterinary community, gathering suggestions from focus groups, surveys, social media, and direct feedback from delegates. This is something we are looking to develop further, to make it even easier for you to submit your CPD suggestions and give feedback on current course options. Emerging topics in veterinary medicine often shape our priorities. So, if you have a suggestion for a course you would like to take, please do get in touch with us, as we listen to every idea offered. We want to create content that matches with your needs.
Veterinary CPD course development
Designing a veterinary CPD course is a complex process involving multiple stages and begins long before a course goes “live”. Here’s how we transform your ideas into a comprehensive learning experience:
Step 1: Syllabus creation
The first step in creating a veterinary certificate or vet nurse certificate is designing a syllabus. This begins with consulting a subject matter expert (who is typically a specialist in the field) to outline the core content. This step is conducted in collaboration with The International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ISVPS) to ensure the syllabus meets high standards, and where appropriate, our certificate courses are accredited by Harper Adams University.
Step 2: Speaker selection
Next, we appoint a course director (a recognised expert in their field), who collaborates with us to select speakers or authors for each module of a course, ensuring every lesson is delivered by an authority in the subject.
Step 3: Course delivery decisions
The delivery method for a course depends on the demand and nature of the course. While some programmes are offered face-to-face or as blended learning experiences, online delivery has become increasingly popular. We have a purpose-built green screen studio at our Swindon offices which enables us to create high-quality video lessons. Our product development team of digital and graphic designers also transform expert-authored written content into interactive, text-based modules. Whether face-to-face or online, we aim to create impactful learning experiences and ensure learning is accessible for everyone, no matter their learning style.
Step 4: Adding interactive elements
One of the most exciting aspects of course development in our online CPD programmes is incorporating interactive features. These might include knowledge check quizzes, case studies, or set talking points on discussion forums. Our online course discussion forums foster a collaborative learning environment, allowing you to connect with other veterinary professionals, share experiences, exchange ideas, and build a supportive community to enhance your practical application of course concepts.
Depending on the course, additional elements like journal clubs, webinars, or task-based activities may be included. Our graphic designers and video editors work to create 2D and 3D anatomical diagrams, immersive activities, and animations, to help bring complex veterinary concepts to life.
We have recently enhanced this process further with the appointment of an instructional designer who is helping to optimise the way we present and build lessons, combining their knowledge of educational theory and lesson design to produce engaging content for our CPD courses.
Conclusion
The creation of veterinary CPD courses is a dynamic and evolving process. From idea generation to delivery, every step involves extensive planning and collaboration with experts to ensure the final product delivers real value to you. Our commitment to quality and innovation is why we invest so much effort into every course – to help you provide the best care for your patients and to enhance your expertise. As we continue to evolve, adopting new technologies like AR and VR, we are excited about the possibilities ahead. I hope you join us and discover the difference our veterinary CPD courses can make in your career.
Want to find out how it feels to take an online veterinary certificate? These articles about the veterinary oncology certificate and feline medicine certificate might help.
