RCVS’s current review of extra-mural studies (EMS) has been prompted by a number of issues and the BVA has been very much involved in the process. Since the last major review in 1995, there have been significant changes in the UK higher education system: changes to the content and structure of the veterinary curriculum, to the number and organisation of veterinary schools as well as the introduction of increased tuition fees, adding to increasing levels of student and graduate debt. Revised requirements and guidelines for EMS were published by the RCVS in 2005, introducing greater flexibility into EMS programmes, but the basic concept of EMS has remained essentially unchanged for many years.

The RCVS has therefore set up a working party to review the requirements for EMS. The working party first met in December 2008, and invited open-ended comments and views from the profession to help inform its considerations. (See Annex A for membership and remit of the working party.) Having considered all the various responses, the working party then held four days of ‘evidence gathering sessions’ at RCVS to discuss ideas further with a number of organisations and individuals. (See Annex B for the list of those who attended.)

The working party has now formulated its initial proposals and seeks further comments from the profession before it makes its final recommendations to RCVS’s Education Policy and Specialisation Committee in the Autumn. The working party’s findings and proposals are set out below and all members of the profession, either as individual members or as representatives of the various veterinary associations and universities are invited to comment.

Responses
Comments should be sent by email by Friday 28th August to Amelia Findan, at the BVA - at ameliaf@bva.co.uk. These responses will then be collated and forwarded to the RCVS by the 4th September 2009. If you wish to send your response directly to the RCVS, please direct them to Mrs Freda Andrews, Head of Education, at RCVS – at f.andrews@rcvs.org.uk

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