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Report sets out options for student EMS
“We are aware of the challenges that EMS places on students and providers and understand that, for many students, the placements can impact them financially" - Linda Prescott-Clements, RCVS.

Action plans will be presented later this month.
 
A report outlining options for the future implementation of student extra-mural studies (EMS) has been issued by the RCVS.

The document, available on the RCVS website, summarises discussions held at an RCVS stakeholder day in November, attended by practising vets, students, new graduates, vet schools and membership organisations.

Delegates at the 'Future of EMS' event considered the benefits and challenges around implementing EMS – particularly long-term sustainability - and worked in small groups to discuss the following three models

  • enhanced learning outcomes focused EMS placements that could reduce the number of weeks of EMS needed
  • additional structured placements co-ordinated by the school, further to intramural rotations, focusing on consolidating skills learned in the programme
  • initiatives to increase the availability of EMS placements and the number of workplaces offering EMS.

Outcomes from the day will be written up into viable proposals, with action plans presented to the RCVS Education Committee later this month.

The coronavirus pandemic had a profound impact on EMS, with the number of mandatory hours temporarily lowered and several modalities of EMS altered. Despite this, the stakeholder day revealed that students often find placements to be a valuable element of their studies.

In recent years, stakeholders have identified several challenges with the implementation of EMS placements, including the consistency of the quality of the experience for students, the availability and cost of placements and instances of discrimination faced by students.

Dr Linda Prescott-Clements, RCVS director of education, said: “We are aware of the challenges that EMS places on students and providers and understand that, for many students, the placements can impact them financially. As well as addressing these issues, we also want to make sure that the implementation of EMS is sustainable in the longer term and continues to provide valuable experience for students.

"The EMS stakeholder event was an opportunity for people from across the veterinary professions to come together to discuss the benefits and issues with the current systems and put forward suggestions for what future models of EMS could look like."

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.