The UK veterinary pathway runs from an RCVS-accredited degree (five years standard; six at Cambridge; four-year graduate entry where offered) at one of the nine currently accepted schools, to RCVS registration — conferring MRCVS, the licence to practise. New graduates then complete VetGDP (the Veterinary Graduate Development Programme — structured first-job support, which replaced the old PDP), followed by ongoing CPD recorded in 1CPD. Note that today’s CPD duty sits under the RCVS Code, not the Act — mandatory CPD with statutory force is an item in the live VSA reform consultation.
Sources & verification
- The UK pathway is an RCVS-accredited degree (5 years standard; 6 at Cambridge; 4-year graduate entry where offered) followed by RCVS registration, which confers MRCVS — the licence to practise — source, verified 2026-06-10
- New graduates complete VetGDP (Veterinary Graduate Development Programme), the RCVS structured first-job support programme — source, verified 2026-06-12
- Today's CPD duty sits under the RCVS Code, not the Act; mandatory CPD with statutory force is a reform-consultation item — source, verified 2026-06-12 🔶
Verified reference information — not professional, medical, legal or careers advice. Regulations change; always check the cited primary source before relying on it.