Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistant

Re: Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistant

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 23:09:07 GMT

It will definitely boost your CV, no question there. Plus being a distance learning course, you can start any time you like. We do have quite a few international VCA students so by all means drop by the website, drop an email or ring up our admin team for a chat, they're happy to help if you're interested.

Kind regards,
Mark

Re: Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistant

meep_ kitten — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:12:23 GMT

Thats great, thanks for advice! Good way of combining learning whilst getting experience, and hopefully will boost cv and chances of getting a training position for the RVN Dip!

Re: Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistant

Mark Hedberg — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 10:15:50 GMT

Hi, Meep!

The VCA is often used by students who do not meet the academic requirements to go directly to the L3 Veterinary Nursing Diploma. That said, it's a very practical, quality course in its own right; there are students who take it because they prefer a more 'hands on' entry into Veterinary Nursing - this way they have more experience in practice before going onto the VN course. Alternatively, they take the course because there may not be a Training Practice in their area. (Just as an example.)

There are practices that have gone on to become a Training Practice because their VCA worked out so well and they wanted to train them up 'all the way'. :)

If you have the GCSE's to go directly onto the VN course, there's no reason why you can't start directly, as Steph Smith correctly said. However, many nurses started as VCAs and there's no reason you can't start with a VCA if you feel that suits you best.

A VCA is not able to be a registered veterinary nurse, however. (This may be what you meant when you asked if the RCVS recognized the diploma.)

You are not allowed to perform Schedule III procedures as a VCA. The syllabus and training is shorter and you are expected to work under the supervision of a veterinary surgeon or a veterinary nurse. This is not a short cut to being an RVN. However it's a good foundation if you want to then continue your training as a student veterinary nurse.

Kind regards,
Mark

Re: Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistant

Steph Smith BSc(hons) RVN — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 00:24:04 GMT

[quote user="meep_ kitten"]Its a level 2 diploma, awarded by City and Guilds. Does anyone know if this is recognised by RCVS[/quote]

Not sure what you mean by "recognised" by the RCVS..?

You can apply for VN training with a VCA city & guilds diploma and with Level 2 Key or Functional Skills in Application of Number and Communication, if you don't have the GCSE's (or equivalent). But if your ultimate goal is to be an RVN, why spend money/time on the VCA diploma...?

http://blog.caw.ac.uk/index.php/caw-news/caw-chooses-city-guilds-to-award-vn-qualification-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=caw-chooses-city-guilds-to-award-vn-qualification-2