In the veterinary industry, it’s standard practice to continue education after you’ve become a professional.
But, why is continuing education after you’re a qualified vet so important? To understand more, we’ve looked at some of the benefits it brings to the industry, your career, and – most importantly – the animals in your care. Let’s take a look at the key reasons why veterinary CPD is so important!
The Evolving Field of Veterinary Medicine
The veterinary industry rarely stands still. With a constant range of advancements driving the practice forward, continuing education helps to stay on top of new technologies and knowledge.
Artificial intelligence (AI), for example, is becoming increasingly useful in diagnosis and predictive medicine by utilising breed data and past animal history to improve accuracy. Almost 40% of veterinary practices are now using AI, making it a top priority to hire vets with AI knowledge.
There are also new treatments and medications to be aware of. In the US, PetDx has created a liquid biopsy test for cancer – OncoK9 – enhancing detection in the early stages of the disease and lowering costs.
By staying up to date with developments, you can offer all the possible solutions for a problem and bring the best care to your practice. New developments can cater to different budgets, show more success as a treatment, and provide alternatives when a traditional solution isn’t working. For your animals and their owners, this makes continuous education invaluable.
Gain New Perspectives on Practices
Veterinary medicine isn’t an industry that’s black and white. Different practices can evolve over time, with efficacy and suitability changing as we learn more about animal health. By continuing your education, you can maintain a fresh perspective of the practices on offer and gain a deeper understanding of whether they’re suitable for the animals in your care.
An example of how perspectives can shift is clear in the case of antibiotics. When they first hit the market, veterinary professionals were likely to hand them out for even minor injuries to prevent the chance of infection. Now, though, continued education and development have shown that giving animals too many antibiotics contributes to antibiotic resistance, posing a greater risk to all animals.
If vets didn’t continue learning, those who began working a few decades ago might have a completely different and outdated perception of the use of antibiotics. This could cause issues in the workplace and lead to outdated care for the animals.
Continuously evolving your perspectives of practices based on new research is crucial to delivering modern care. It can also encourage professional development, opening new doors to areas of practice you hadn’t previously considered.
Improve Diagnostic and Treatment Capabilities
There’s no doubt that veterinary capabilities have improved over time. With the implementation of new technologies and a deeper understanding of medical problems and treatments, modern veterinary practice can provide better care for animals.
By staying up to date with these developments, you can harness the potential of veterinary advancements to better treat the animals in your care.
Maintaining a level of education also helps refresh your knowledge of illnesses, practices, and treatments. This is particularly true for cases you may not see as frequently, like rare cancers, and those that require an advanced level of knowledge to treat. By continuing your education, the useful knowledge you learned when first studying remains fresh in your mind.
The Impact on Career Advancement
Whether you’re looking to progress to a new veterinary position or move practice, continuing education is likely to have a positive impact on your career advancement. It can help you:
- Learn new skills to fit the requirements of a promotion
- Outshine competitors with advanced knowledge
- Bring crucial knowledge of contemporary treatments to practices
- Prove your passion and commitment to the treatment of animals
You’ll also feel more confident in your skills, helping you stand out in interviews and take on new opportunities when they’re offered. By constantly learning, you remain a key player in your industry, improve your salary and ultimately drive your career forward.
Professional Development Opportunities
After looking at the benefits, it’s clear that continuing education in the veterinary industry is crucial. But how can you continue learning while you work?
There are a number of options available, including:
- Online courses and workshops
- Certification programmes
- Conferences and webinars
- Online research resources and publications
For any of these options, just make sure they will contribute to veterinary CPD hours as required by your national registration body. Professional associations also offer programmes to continue professional development, such as the lifelong learning offered by the RCVS in the UK.
Keep Your Veterinary Career Moving Foward
Careers don’t have to become stagnant. By using education to bring new life to your veterinary role, you can learn new skills, become qualified for different roles, and offer first-class treatment for the animals in your care. Continued professional development also opens doors to an entire world of veterinary careers.
If you’re looking to put your education to good use, we can help. At The Vet Service, we help talented vets find their dream job, with veterinary jobs in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia and further afield. Register today to find your dream role.
