This is a three-year training programme that satisfies the requirements for certification by the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care and prepares the candidate for the certifying ACVECC examination held in September following completion of the programme.

Residents may opt to train in either the American or European College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. The programme is an intense, challenging, clinical programme supported by 7 board-certified ACVECC/ECVECC Diplomates, as well as a full complement of other specialists in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Neurology, Anaesthesia, Diagnostic Imaging, Oncology, and Clinical Nutrition. It is the largest and most successful ECC training programme in Europe and one of the largest in the world. The programme has an incredibly strong track record of successfully mentoring residents in achieving ACVECC and ECVECC Diplomate status. The Emergency and Critical Care team is also very productive with a strong record in securing research grants and publishing.

The training programme has a strong emphasis on clinical duties, but student teaching and clinical research are also integral parts of the programme which operates within the QMHA. You will participate in a number of roles including seeing emergency referrals, managing hospitalised critically ill patients, as well as undertaking night and weekend duties.

The QMHA has state-of-the-art facilities for the Section of Emergency and Critical Care. The Section includes the Emergency Referral Service, The Critical Care Service and the Out-of-hours First Opinion Service. Together, the Section sees over 5,000 small animal emergency cases per year. The Section is staffed by 7 Emergency and Critical Care Specialists, 8 Residents, 13 interns and 18 registered nurses. The Intensive Care Unit can accommodate 22 small animal patients, and is equipped with 4 oxygen kennels, 3 mechanical ventilators, a host of in-house diagnostic tests, including blood gas analysers, haematology and biochemistry machines and coagulation tests. We also have an active Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy Programme, VECCS Level 1 facility and we are the first ACVECC-recognised Level 1 Veterinary Trauma Centre outside of North America. The Section also runs a very active blood donor programme and operates the largest private small animal blood bank in the UK.

Selection criteria for the Residency in Emergency and Critical Care

Along with the attributes and qualifications required it is also desirable if you have:

• Completed a rotating, structured, supervised internship or equivalent experience (generally 2 years of practice)
• Provide evidence of commitment  to growth and development of the field of emergency and critical care

Further information

• QMHA Emergency and Critical Care service 
• ECVECC

If you have any queries about the ECC Residency please contact Dr Karen Humm (khumm@rvc.ac.uk) or Dr Dominic Barfield (dbarfield@rvc.ac.uk)

For general information about the programme see: Residencies. 

How to apply

For full details see How To Apply.