A groundbreaking new Continuing Professional Development course — Veterinary Basic Surgical Skills (VBSS) — has been launched and delivered by the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science.

The two-day residential programme is the first of the newly formed Veterinary Surgical Training Academy, a collaboration with the University of Nottingham Veterinary School and Veterinary Instrumentation. The programme provides veterinary surgeons with practical surgical skills and orthopaedic techniques, underpinned by its ethos of ‘leading the way in safe surgery.’

The course has been inspired by the equivalent and very popular human surgeon course, Basic Surgical Skills, delivered by the Royal College of Surgeons. Their course is widely viewed as the cornerstone of surgical training and sets the standards for all trainees taking up their first surgical position.

The Vet School is applying for accreditation of the VBSS with the Royal College of Surgeons. The December course was attended by Eric Drabble, Course Director of Basic Surgical Skills for the Royal College.

Eric, who has trained well over 1,000 surgeons, said: “Rob and the team at the Vet School have been far-sighted and it’s a fantastic idea to develop a veterinary version of the human equivalent.

“The highest possible standards are demanded with surgery. The course is providing a wonderful opportunity to teach, enthuse and equip young veterinary surgeons with the basic skills and craft that will provide the foundation for their careers.”

Professor Rob White, Sub Dean for Continuing Professional Development at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, said: “We are delighted to offer the VBSS — the first course in our new Surgical Academy. We hope that it will help early career graduates to gain confidence in those first formative years of practice and above all, ensure that surgical procedures are safer. It has also been good to see those who have been in practice for some years attend — it’s a fantastic course for re-visiting techniques and procedures for reassurance and revision.

“Our team are constantly looking at how we contribute to the veterinary profession. We’re committed to providing vets with the knowledge, skills and support they need at whatever stage of their career.”

The course adds to the Vet School’s portfolio of Continued Professional Development, with a packed calendar of courses in place for 2018, including two re-runs of the VBSS course.

The next VBSS course takes place Wednesday 21 March and Thursday 22 March 2018. More information about the course, including details on how to apply, can be found on the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science website.