Elsewhere in the world, postgraduate vet certificates are much more common than they are here in the US. In fact, they’re so common that vets in other countries have discussed the need for a ‘middle tier’ of clinician – one who is more highly qualified than a general practitioner, but not a specialist. In this article, we’re going to explore what vet certificates, further qualifications for vets, and the creation of a ‘middle tier’ of certified clinicians does for veterinary clinics, vets, and the wider profession.
It’s hard to quantify just how many of the 35,000 vets in the UK hold further qualifications like certificates. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) reports the numbers holding their own vet certificate - in 2021 it stood at 1505. Over 4000 UK vets have also taken our certificates. With a third certificate provider in the mix, this brings the total number of vets with certificates to 6000 or more, or around 1 in 5 vets. European countries similarly have large numbers of vet certificate holders.
Traditionally, there has been those with their vet degree (general practitioners), and board-certified specialists. Most DVMs make the decision to be one or the other at graduation or soon after – generally, the intensive training to specialise puts off people from applying later in their career. But what happens when an interest develops later in a vet’s career – maybe after a challenging but rewarding case?
That’s where certificates come in. The growth of postgraduate further qualifications for vets (eg certificates) has created a group of vets who have more knowledge and skills in a specific area than the average general practitioner, but who don’t have the extensive training necessary to be specialists. Thus, the ‘middle tier’. In the UK, the RCVS has even created a formal ‘middle tier’ of Advanced Practitioners – vets can apply for this status after meeting eligibility criteria (which includes a postgraduate veterinary certificate and demonstrable interest in their discipline) and paying a fee. In 2021, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) reported that 956 vets had Advanced Practitioner status.
From a clinic point of view, as animal medicine has become more advanced it has become difficult to keep up with all the knowledge and equipment. This, and the litigious society we live in, has necessitated more referrals. But referring comes with its own problems - it can be hard to find a specialist within a reasonable travel distance, and while referral hospitals are fantastic resources, they aren’t necessarily needed for ‘minor’ referrals. Their extensive training and advanced equipment can make their services relatively expensive when the case doesn’t need the full might of a hospital.
For veterinary clinics, further qualifications for vets can help redirect these ‘minor’ referral cases. In a small survey of certificate holders in the UK, 89% said their professional practice had improved since their certificate (Tulloch, 2022). Instead of referral, cases can be dealt with in-house by a DVM with a certificate. Surgical certificates are especially useful for this – with lots of knowledge but little extra equipment, practices can retain more of their surgical cases and undertake more complex surgeries, especially when their veterinary technician team are highly trained with vet tech certificates too. We recently spoke to a certificate holder who - with plenty of experience under his belt - is doing hip replacements, TPLOs, and neuro surgery, including taking referrals. He's trained two of his nurses with Anesthesia Certificates too, so they can safely monitor even complicated anesthetics.
Similarly, dermatology certificates, medicine certificates, and feline medicine certificates can all allow practices to retain more of their own cases, and work them up more thoroughly, rather than referring. There's some evidence that feline-friendly clinics can boost clinic income (Denis 2023), and clinics who have certificate holders on staff can even accept low-level referrals from neighbouring clinics, further increasing clinic revenue.
"There’s no doubt it has grown the business. I think the certs have really helped us develop what we do in the practice." - Les Blerk, holder of a Postgraduate Certificate in Surgery and two Advanced Certificates in Surgery
And that’s not to mention the effect on clients. Clients are more attracted to clinics that can demonstrate highly qualified staff. Clients who can be dealt with in-house are happier, and more highly bonded to the practice. In other words, a DVM’s further qualifications can increase customer acquisition, reduce churn, and increase spending, thereby increasing practice revenue.
So, what about the DVMs themselves? Is having a vet certificate worthwhile? Well, yes. As a group, veterinarians tend to be highly intelligent perfectionists, always looking for the next challenge – after a lifetime of taking the next exam, then the next, the sudden lack of direction after graduation can feel alien. In other countries, it’s very common for vets to take their first vet certificate 2-4 years after graduation, once they’ve become more familiar with day-to-day practice and are missing the challenge and the adrenaline of exams.
Of course, the knowledge gained from doing vet certificates is also life-changing for DVMs. More confidence means less stress at work, and veterinarians also find they spend less time working in disciplines they dislike as they take on more responsibilities in their interest areas. Fed up of nasty dentals? Get a veterinary dermatology certificate and you’ll be too busy seeing skin cases to do many! There’s also great satisfaction in using new knowledge and skills to get better outcomes for patients.
"Without the cert I wouldn’t be a vet anymore. I had become bored with being a General Practitioner" - Les Blerk
Career development is an important aspect of job satisfaction, and vets who invest time and effort in their career are usually more satisfied than those who don't. In one survey of those with 'Level 7' postgraduate qualifications in the UK, 56% felt their qualification had significantly advanced their career and 55% felt it had improved their job satisfaction (Tulloch, 2022).
"It has vastly improved my clinical decision making and made me a more confident and competent veterinarian." - Dr Cari Wilson, who took our GPCert/PgC in Internal Medicine
Definitely not! Many certificates in the US are attendance certificates for longer courses or CE bundles. When we say 'certificate', we mean a recognised qualification, achieved after intensive study (nominal 600 hours) and a formal examination process by a rigorous independent body. A 'postgraduate certificate' (like our PgCs) is a respected university qualification with transferrable credits.
No, it's important to understand that our certificates do not confer eligibility for board recognition. Instead, they are a formal qualification with postnominals that can help you advance your career in general practice. In the UK, France, and several other countries, the right level of certificate can allow you to apply for a special 'middle tier' status, putting you demonstrably above GPs but below Board-Certified Specialists.
Vets who pass the GPCert exams can use the GPCert postnominals for their discipline. Vets who go on to complete the PgC exams can also use the PgC postnominals for their discipline. However, vets should never refer to themselves as a specialist. For example, a vet who passed both assessments in dermatology can refer to themselves as "John Smith DVM GPCert(Derm) PgC (Small Animal Dermatology)".
Other countries have proven the success of postgraduate veterinary certificates and the growth of the ‘middle tier’, and it's likely that the same pattern will soon be seen in the US. General practitioner DVMs with advanced qualifications can improve a clinic’s income considerably. However, perhaps more importantly, certifications can help veterinarians be more satisfied with their careers. By providing a clear route to career development, vet certificates can help DVMs carve the career they want, stay in practice, and reduce the shortage of veterinarians in the US.
Inspired? Take a look at our certificate programs and gain an internationally recognized qualification.
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