New certificate holders attend first award ceremony

Posted 15 May 2017

At an awards ceremony at Harper Adams University in April, 17 new Postgraduate Certificate (PgC) holders and the first recipient of a new Postgraduate Diploma (PgD) were presented with their awards.

The ceremony was organised by Harper Adams University in association with veterinary CPD provider Improve International and the European School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ESVPS).

Harper Adams provides the higher education body quality assurance for Improve’s postgraduate clinical modular training programmes across a range of species and disciplines. ESVPS is its assessment partner.

The ceremony, the first of its kind, was led by Emily Chapman-Waterhouse, link tutor at Harper Adams and featured Mr John Blackwell, former BVA president, as guest speaker. Certificate-holders, primarily those who had achieved the Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine or Small Animal Surgery, travelled from across the UK – and, in one case, from Athens – to receive their award.

Dr Ulrike Strohmeier from the Purton Veterinary Group in Swindon who received her Certificate in Small Animal Surgery said: “My PgC in Small Animal Surgery has proved a stepping stone in many ways. Perhaps most importantly, it has increased my confidence. I regularly carry out more technically difficult surgeries, some of which would previously have been referred. This is thanks to the new knowledge and skills I have gained by completing this PgC. I now hope to build a career in surgery.”

Commenting, David Babington MRCVS, managing director of Improve International, said: “The ceremony was a wonderful opportunity to bring our new awardees together and to celebrate their achievement in the beautiful setting of Harper Adams University. We congratulate them all and hope they will find their new qualification a benefit both to them and to their practice.”

Emily Chapman-Waterhouse added: “Harper Adams was delighted to host this awards celebration which recognises the dedication and application to their continuing education shown by all the recipients.”

Mrs Dale Ford, Assessment and Partnership Manager for the UK and Scandinavia at ESVPS, said: “Continuing education is a key element of a successful veterinary career and we’re delighted to have played a role in enabling these delegates to achieve success with a recognised qualification.”

Part of Benchmark Holdings Plc and based in Swindon, Improve International provides high quality CPD in a range of formats for veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, receptionists and practice managers to help them to develop their skills and knowledge, using a combination of review lectures, case-based discussion and where, applicable, hands-on practical sessions.