The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has taken steps to professionalise and streamline the process of pig producers hosting veterinary students on farm for their undergraduate placements.
New graduates have identified Extra Mural Studies (EMS) as some of the most valuable experiences within their undergraduate education. All veterinary students in the UK must complete EMS throughout their veterinary degree, including 10 weeks of Animal Husbandry EMS (AHEMS) in the first two years of their programme, where valuable experience is gained in the handling and husbandry of a range of UK species.
“The time students spend on AHEMS helps prepare them for the rest of their clinical education and is known to have a significant impact on their decisions relating to which area of veterinary practice (eg, farm, equine, companion animal) they want to work in, following graduation,” RCVS said in an article on the NPA website.
In response to feedback from stakeholders on how to improve the accessibility and implementation of EMS, it has developed a new national booking database to support students, vet schools and placement providers in booking EMS placements, relevant to their experience needs and learning objectives.
EMS providers, both current and new, are now invited to showcase their placement and establishment on the database. They will be able to include a range of information, which can be seen by students nationally, highlighting the type of service(s) they can offer. This can include, but is not limited to: placement type, geographical location, species involved, expected case load, facilities and equipment available and more.
The RCVS EMS National Booking Database will also provide students, placement providers and vet schools with a mechanism to communicate with each other in advance of the placement. The addition of the messaging facility will allow an opportunity for asking questions, setting expectations and encourage the sharing of learning objectives.
“For pig producers, this system will provide a more streamlined approach to ensuring prospective placement students are the right fit for the farm,” RCVS said.
- If you are interested in hosting vet students but are not sure what would be required of you or what you need to consider,contact the NPA (NPA@npanet.org.uk)
- Or for further information on how to register for the EMA National Booking Database, please contact EMS@rcvs.org.uk
NPA senior policy adviser Katie Jarvis has set out some top tips for hosting students, which you can view HERE.