Veterinary medicine in the United Kingdom

Other professionals are also permitted to perform some animal treatment, through exemptions in the law, and these include manipulation techniques such as physiotherapy, chiropractic and osteopathy.

Other alternative medicine therapies, such as homeopathy, acupuncture, phytotherapy and aromatherapy may only be performed by a licensed veterinary surgeon.

There are a limited number of places on veterinary courses each year, with only ten UK universities accredited/pending to offer degrees.

With further training, extensive professional experience and by publishing articles in a particular subject area, it is possible to gain Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Recognised Specialist Status.

Newly qualified veterinary surgeons usually work as assistants for some time before being offered the opportunity to become a partner or a principal.

There are also opportunities to work for government services, including APHA (the Animal and Plant Health Agency) who are responsible for the control and eradication of major notifiable diseases, animal welfare, promotion of international trade and certain public health functions related to residues in meat and investigation of food safety incidents, and scanning surveillance, or the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) who license veterinary medicines.

All student nurses must complete a minimum of 2100 hours of work experience in general veterinary practice during their training.

[17] Lay staff, without formal qualification or status may be called veterinary assistants (the BVNA approved term).

These lay staff have usually undertaken some basic veterinary nurse education but are limited by law as to the procedures they may undertake on animals.

They work alongside qualified vets and veterinary nurses to provide care and support to animal patients and their owners.