| Clinical Training Scholars |
Queen Mother Hospital for Animals (QMHA)
Small Animal Junior Clinical Training Scholarship (internship)
Overview
The Royal Veterinary College’s small animal Junior Clinical Training Scholarship is a first class, world-renowned training programme for veterinary surgeons. It is designed for recent veterinary graduates, typically less than 5 years qualified, who wish to expand their knowledge and experience in all aspects of small animal practice. The programme is particularly attractive to, and is often a necessary initial qualifying step, for individuals who wish to pursue specialist training in a specific discipline i.e. a Senior Clinical Training Scholarship. However, the programme is equally suited to veterinary graduates that wish to expose themselves to a further level of training but don’t wish to pursue specialist training.
The Current Intern Class 2011-2012 outside the main entrance to the QMHA
Programme structure
The programme runs for 1 year plus a 2 week overlap period to ensure a smooth transition between the outgoing and incoming interns. The 2012/13 scholarship programme will run from Monday 25th June 2012 to Sunday 14th July 2013.
The first week is an introduction and orientation week and one week over the Christmas / New Year holiday period is spent working on the first opinion emergency service. The rest of the year is divided into thirteen 4 week long rotations and is organised as follows:
- Eight rotations assigned to small animal referral services at the QMHA:
- Anaesthesia
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Emergency and Critical Care
- Internal Medicine
- Neurology
- Orthopaedic Surgery
- Soft tissue Surgery
- A choice of dermatology, oncology or ophthalmology
- Three rotations on the out of hours Emergency Medicine service at the QMHA
- Two rotations assigned to annual leave and scholarly activities such as completing an externship or a research project.
Individual attributes
The Scholarship is designed for highly motivated recently qualified veterinary professionals who wish to develop their veterinary skills, experience and knowledge by working under supervision in a multi-disciplinary referral hospital, and by participating in the provision of a primary emergency service. Such an internship is frequently an ideal first step to pursuing a career as a veterinary specialist in a particular discipline.
“The internship at the Royal Veterinary College provides an excellent opportunity to develop knowledge and further your career whether your goal is academia, specialisation or private practice. The facilities are second to none and hospital ethos very friendly. The Queen Mother Hospital has a great referral caseload with high numbers on a daily basis meaning you are likely to see a great variety over the year.”
— Andrew Levine, BVSc (hons), PgCertVS, CMAVA, MRCVS (09/10 intern)
Research Project
Each scholar is encouraged to undertake a small research project but this is not essential and it should not become the focus of the scholarship and should not dominate or detract from the multiple other duties of the scholarship. Typically this would be a retrospective study, and might be part of a larger project already underway at the college. The very best projects will progress to publication in peer-reviewed literature but this is neither an expectation nor an objective of the project.
Towards the end of the scholarship, usually in June, each scholar must make a 20 minute presentation to the rest of the hospital staff. Either an interesting clinical case the scholar has seen or the results of the research project may be presented.
“The junior clinical training scholarship at the RVC provides a fantastic opportunity to gain experience of the clinical investigation and management of a varied, referral level caseload. After three years of mixed practice experience, this position has advanced my general theoretical understanding and practical abilities considerably, whilst allowing the development of personal interests and future career plans”
— Faye Swinbourne (09/10 intern)
Assessment and Appraisal
Each scholar’s progress is assessed on an individual basis and constructive feedback is provided both on an informal ad-hock and on a formal basis as necessary and throughout the year. Each scholar has a formal appraisal 6 months after the start of the scholarship i.e. half-way through. This is intended to track the scholar’s progress, and to ensure that all necessary tasks are completed by the end of the scholarship.
Application process
There will be 13 scholarships available in the 2012/13 year. The programme is highly competitive; we typically receive over 100 applications. This inevitably means that many good applicants are regrettably not successful. As the programme is very competitive, we encourage all applicants that are not successful but are serious about pursuing a Junior Clinical Training Scholarship to apply again here at The Royal Veterinary College, and to investigate other internship programmes.
The Scholarship is advertised in January and February both in the Veterinary Record and on the Royal Veterinary College’s Graduate School website. Shortlisted candidates are invited to attend interview in March, and we endeavour to inform of successful short listing for interview in writing at least 2 weeks before the interview date. Specific queries regarding how to apply should be directed towards Human Resources: hr@rvc.ac.uk
The interview is relatively short and typically lasts for 15 minutes. The interview is designed to test the applicant’s understanding of the role and function of a scholar, their motivation for pursuing a scholarship, and their ability to cope with challenging clinical scenarios.
“The RVC JCTS internships are a fantastic way to experience multiple disciplines within veterinary medicine and is ideal for anyone considering a residency. The course is very well organised and you feel fully supported at all times. One benefit of the RVC internship over others is that you can maintain your first opinion experience through the first opinion emergency department. I've also enjoyed being exposed to the variety of research that takes place within the RVC. It's exciting and motivating to feel that you're within a team that is at the forefront of the development of veterinary medicine.”
— Amy Callum (09/10 intern)
Selection Criteria
JCTS applicants must be eligible for (and must pay and organise for themselves) Membership of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. For further details of this, please see: www.rcvs.org.uk or contact the RCVS directly. Applicants must be an MRCVS by the date the scholarship starts, and ideally by the date of application and interview.
Small animal JCTS applicants must be able to communicate clearly in English, both verbally and in writing; applicants for whom English is not their first language must have taken either IELTS or TOEFL. The scores that we require are 7.5 in IELTS with no element below 7.0 or 100 in TOEFL with no element below 24 (internet-based test). A certified copy of your test result must be submitted with your application. Applications that do not satisfy these criteria cannot be considered. Foreign language applicants are encouraged to practice as a veterinary surgeon in the UK for at least 1 year prior to application to the JCTS programme.
For more information on these tests please see:
A minimum of twelve months experience as a qualified veterinary surgeon in small animal practice in the UK is desirable but this is not essential. Veterinary undergraduates due to qualify in the summer of the same year are welcome to apply but their grades and references must indicate they are likely to graduate.
Essential personal attributes include:
- willingness to work hard
- ability to cope under pressure
- have a positive attitude at all times
- be able work with a range of people from veterinary students to professors
- have the patience to teach and guide veterinary undergraduate students
When completing the online application form, applicants should therefore ensure they include the following information:
- Confirm they are eligible for membership of the RCVS
- Enter a veterinary degree which is registrable by the RCVS
- Enter any postgraduate qualifications they may have
- Confirm they are a EU citizen or they have the right to abode in the UK
- Confirm how they meet the English language requirement above, and if applicable submit their English language test results
- Confirm if they have any internship experience
- Provide examples of:
- any work they have undertaken in a veterinary practice
- of their experience of research
- whether they have published any papers or presented at conferences
- Confirm if they have visited the RVC previously, and if applicable reasons why
The Online Application Form has been structured to allow applicants to enter the as much of the above information we require in the relevant sections of the form. However, for points 1, 5, 6, 7,8 and those listed as essential personal attributes, applicants should use the Supporting Statement/Letter of Intent area (section 5) of the online application form to provide the necessary evidence/information.
Terms and conditions
The scholarship attracts:
- A tax free stipend that is paid monthly
- Rent-free accommodation on site for the duration of the scholarship, although a contribution to utility bills is mandatory.
Annual leave may only be taken in the two rotation blocks assigned for vacation and scholarly activity according to the rota.
Visiting the QMHA prior to application
If you wish to visit the QMHA prior to applying for a scholarship then please contact Lindsay Kellett-Gregory on lgregory@rvc.ac.uk. This is usually best done September through to January immediately prior to application; and it is better to visit for a full week rather than 1 or 2 days
Further information
Further information regarding the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals at the Royal Veterinary College can be found at: http://www.rvc.ac.uk/QMH/Index.cfm
For general information regarding Post-Graduate study at the Royal Veterinary College see: Graduate School
If you have any further queries, the directors of the Junior Clinical Training Scholarship are:
- Lindsay Kellett-Gregory - email: lgregory@rvc.ac.uk
- Sophie Adamantos - email: sadamantos@rvc.ac.uk
