Course to help practices hosting overseas vets
RCVS recommends overseas veterinary surgeons 'see practice' before completing their SME.
A new course has been launched to support those hosting an overseas veterinary surgeon that is seeing practice.
Hosted by RCVS Academy, the course specifically advises those hosting, or considering hosting, overseas veterinary surgeons preparing for the Standard Membership Examination (SME).
To register and practise in the UK, some veterinary surgeons that qualified outside of the UK must sit the SME. This will enable them to join the RCVS register if they do not have an RCVS-recognised qualification.
In order to prepare for this, RCVS recommends that these candidates ‘see practice’ in the UK before their exam. This covers a range of sectors, such as companion animal, equine, production animal and veterinary public health.
RCVS’ new course offers clear, practical guidance to veterinary workplaces to ensure they have the confidence to offer support for the growing number of SME candidates.
The syllabus explains what the SME process will look like for candidates preparing for the examination. It clarifies what tasks overseas veterinary surgeons are permitted to carry out while ‘seeing practice’, and confirms the appropriate level of supervision they require.
It also discusses how important these veterinary workplaces are in supporting overseas veterinary surgeons with their professional journey, with interviews with previous SME candidates and their mentors.
RCVS says that hosting an overseas veterinary surgeon, practices make a direct contribution to their development and expertise. In return, they may gain new perspectives to enrich their workplace.
Claire Hobson, RCVS examinations manager, said: “This new Academy course will highlight the importance of workplaces offering ‘seeing practice’ opportunities and demonstrate how vet-led teams can play a vital role in supporting SME candidates to gain valuable learning experiences.”
The course is available to RCVS members on the RCVS Academy webpage.
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Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.
