New vets urged to avail of Graduate Development Programme

New vets urged to avail of Graduate Development Programme

New veterinary graduates are being encouraged to sign up to the RCVS Veterinary Graduate Development Programme.

VetGDP, as it is known, – which has been specially designed to provide new graduates with direct workplace support, to help with the transition from vet school to their first role in the veterinary workplace.

All new graduates will work closely with a VetGDP adviser; an experienced professional in the same practice, who will provide support during the early stages of their career, giving holistic advice and guidance in areas that the graduate feels they need support with, as well as feedback on their progress.

Chair of the RCVS education committee, Dr Sue Paterson FRCVS, said: “I’m delighted that the VetGDP is going to be available for our new graduates this summer, especially after the extremely difficult year they have all faced during the pandemic, in particular, the challenges of remote learning.

“We have over 1,800 VetGDP Advisers around the UK who are registered and engaging in the online training, ready to help develop their new graduate colleagues and support them at this crucial time as they begin their working lives.”

‘Crucial time’

Unfortunately, one element of the VetGDP, the new e-portfolio, is not yet available, so some interim measures have been put in place [see ‘Getting started with VetGDP‘] to enable new graduates and their VetGDP advisers to start the programme this summer as planned.

Instead of using the e-portfolio for the time being, all graduates will be supplied with forms to use to select their Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) in discussion with their VetGDP Adviser, and to record their activities, progress and reflections, as well as feedback and comments from their VetGDP Adviser.

It is expected that the e-portfolio will be available soon, and graduates will then be asked to send their completed forms to the RCVS so their information can be transferred across to the online platform for them to avoid any extra work, although they can of course do this themselves if they prefer.

Veterinary practices and workplaces are being urged to make use of the new VetGDP digital assets and they will receive an email including information about how to access the assets once the become an RCVS Approved Graduate Development Practice/Workplace.

To find out more about the new VetGDP, or the current interim measures, please email vetgdp@rcvs.org.uk.

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