My Oncology Certificate: What it’s like taking an online veterinary oncology course with Improve Veterinary Education.
Have you ever wondered about taking a veterinary oncology course and not sure whether it’s for you? Or maybe you’re unsure about taking an online veterinary certificate, and worried about whether digital learning works?
I am currently about halfway through studying for the postgraduate ISVPS General Practitioner Certificate (GPCert) in Oncology. My experience so far has been very positive, and I would recommend this programme to my peers with a clinical interest in oncology. So far, I have found studying for this certificate challenging but rewarding and clinically applicable. In this article, I’m going to take you through what studying an online certificate has been like, and how this veterinary oncology certificate is benefitting my career.
Why I chose an oncology certificate
I work full time as a small animal veterinary surgeon in a first opinion hospital practice. I have previously completed a medicine certificate and hold the RCVS Advanced Practitioner status in small animal medicine. This has allowed me to tailor my clinical work to a heavily medicine-biased case load.
Through my clinical work and previous studies, I developed an interest in veterinary oncology. I wanted to consolidate my existing knowledge, learn more, and gain expertise in this field. I hope that this will allow me to provide an evidence-based approach to oncology cases and the best outcome for my patients. I am passionate about being able to offer informed choices to clients whose pet has a cancer diagnosis and offer meaningful treatment options – where appropriate – to extend good quality life.
Expanding my knowledge in this area will – hopefully! -make me feel more confident when advising colleagues with oncology cases, allowing them to consider a range of treatment options within a framework of contextualised care. As available treatments increase, veterinary professionals are becoming more open to treating pets with cancer. I hope that improving my skills in this area will allow me to provide safe and compassionate treatment options to pets within a first opinion setting.
Why the oncology certificate from Improve Veterinary Education?
The ISVPS General Practitioner Certificate (GPCert) in Oncology is a modular, online oncology course that is delivered over 14 months. The assessment phase of the certificate – including case logs and a written examination – is held after the modular programme, meaning the certificate programme runs over a 2-year period.
I have previously always preferred ‘face-to-face’ learning and for some veterinary CPD courses, this is still my preference. Despite this, the online format of this certificate programme appealed to me. The timetable of 12 modules over 14 months is intensive, and the flexibility of being able to study from home suits me as I can fit this around a busy life and full-time work.
What is it like?
This oncology certificate is delivered in 12 modules that cover the main concepts of oncological disease and approach to specific cancers in pets. The course starts with modules on the biology of cancer, and the latest information on diagnosis, staging, and therapy options to provide a deep understanding of the disease and a broad knowledge base from which to build upon. The programme then progresses through individual modules on specific cancer types in small animals. These act as a ‘deep dive’ into common cancer types covering the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment in detail.
The course is delivered by module tutors who all work within the clinical field of oncology. This means the course has a very practical feel with information that can be directly applied to cases in practice rather than just an academic approach. This is one of the main reasons why I chose the Improve programme over other, similar qualifications. The lessons are all referenced providing a clinically relevant, evidence-based approach to the diseases covered.
Studying veterinary oncology online – does it work?
The format of the online learning is logical and easy to navigate. Each module runs for about 4 weeks and includes lectures, interactive learning, assessments, case studies, and access to discussion forums – the discussion forums are a valuable platform for conversation and case discussion with peers and with the module tutors. Each module is sub-divided into nine lessons which include quizzes and reflective exercises throughout. This allows me to assess my knowledge as I study, and plan areas that need more work. I have found this format useful to divide the workload up and to organise study time around a full-time job without feeling overwhelmed.
Veterinary oncology course notes
The course notes provided with each module are a hugely valuable resource. They are easy to read, logical, and well-organised. It is like having a summary of several leading textbooks and research papers on each topic to hand. I am sure I will be referring back to them frequently throughout my career to look up information on prognosis, survival times, and treatment protocols when faced with oncology patients.
The module tutor – an unexpected resource
Each module has a designated module tutor who is a recognised specialist in their field, giving you access to a subject matter expert to answer your questions and provide online support. My experience with this has been positive to date – the module tutors have all replied quickly and thoroughly to my questions. Where needed they’ve provided me with further reading or we’ve discussed their opinion or approach to a particular case or problem. It is like having a specialist on hand to answer your questions as you study each module!
Variety and interactivity
I benefit from the variety in how the content is delivered within this certificate programme. The lessons are interactive and despite covering a large amount of information, are not just delivered as blocks of text. The use of diagrams, flow charts, pictures, etc means each lesson is engaging and I can maintain focus for longer than simply reading or listening to a lecture. I have been impressed by the detail and quality of the case studies that are included in each module. These appear to have been carefully selected to cover some of the key points and nuances in diagnosis and treatment for each module and are clinically relevant to general practice, rather than simply being a ‘perfect’ case to present.
The online format does require you to be self-motivated to keep up with the lessons and assessment, however, there is plenty of support from peers on the discussion forums, so it doesn’t feel like you are studying alone!
Top tips for vets considering a postgraduate certificate in oncology
My top tips for those that are considering this veterinary certificate programme, is to be organised and plan study time in your diary each month to keep on top of the workload for each module.
Secondly, I would advise keeping a log of cases you treat during your studies so that you have a choice of cases to draw from when submitting the final case log. If you are as forgetful with patient names as me, this will really help! It is also a great way to assess your progress and notice how your knowledge and confidence with case management grows as you work through the certificate.
Conclusion
The Improve Veterinary Education veterinary oncology certificate course is clinically applicable and is therefore suited to veterinary surgeons working in first opinion practice. The certificate programme is intense, but I have found the workload is manageable if organised and motivated, and the flexibility of the online format is a huge advantage for busy veterinary surgeons! I would recommend studying for the oncology certificate programme with Improve Veterinary Education with confidence to colleagues wishing to deepen their knowledge of veterinary oncology.
Does this sound right up your street? Find out more information about our veterinary oncology certificate programme. Or, see the rest of our online veterinary postgraduate certificates.