First cohort begin new innovative VetSkill programme

The VetSkill qualification delivers a Level 3 programme, and is designed for students to have a better balance between practical and theoretical elements than the previous curriculum offered.

VetSkill is an Ofqual and CCEA approved awarding organisation, a professional regulatory body and an ifATE and ESFA approved end point assessment organisation who approve Myerscough College to deliver their qualification.

This week, Myerscough’s first cohort on the new two-year programme began their studies, under the guidance of lecturer, Chloe Dodd.

Cat Randell, fellow lecturer in vet nursing and further education programme lead, explains: ‘’Here at Myerscough, we believe that the learner’s journey from student to registered veterinary nurse is important and our aim is to inspire excellence in all.

‘’Since our move to the new programme, we have been gathering feedback from our students in relation to the course, structure, wellbeing, workload and assessment. Most of the feedback from our learners was negative surrounding workload stress. Many of our students struggled with the number of assessments alongside revising for their exams.

‘’VetSkill is structured differently, and although there are more exams, we think that this shift in workload will benefit our students in the long-term making the assessment process more manageable for them with the aim of helping them balance their workload.

‘’The move of awarding bodies has afforded us the opportunity to reassess the course structure in many ways, including better embedding of anatomy and physiology through the programme, and an extension of the course dates to remove mandatory guided learning.

‘’Veterinary nursing is a practical job underpinned by theory, and it is essential that our students care confident in both aspects.

‘’VetSkills’ practical assessments allow us to check learners progress and competence, and also help develop our student confidence with assessing their practical skills as they work towards their licence to practice exam (OSCE). Our year one students will also have the opportunity to assess our year two students at their mock OSCE exam, we hope this will give them insight into the examination and feedback process as they move into their final year of training.’’

The photograph shows VetSkill learners with lecturer, Chloe Dodd.