Postgraduate study
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Doctor of Veterinary Medicine DVetMed

Awards: DVetMed

Study modes: Full-time

Programme website: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

The Professional Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine will provide an opportunity for qualified veterinary surgeons to undertake a period of advanced clinical training in a chosen specialty under the guidance and supervision of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and European/ American veterinary specialists.

The programme will consolidate and enhance evidence based- knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes to enable independent practice to the standard of a recognised specialist in the chosen discipline. Additionally, it will provide you with training in and experience of research. You will be required to produce a dissertation, defend it at viva examination, and present and publish your findings. The programme will provide training and experience of teaching, as well as access to optional courses in specialty-relevant areas.

You will undertake SCQF level 12 compulsory courses of specialist training in your chosen discipline and a selection of SCQF level 11 courses. Studying for four years at 180 credits a year is more than a standard professional doctorate but this allows the programme to align with specialist clinical training at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, provides you with increased depth to your clinical training, and provides training and experience in research and clinical teaching.

  • Have a critical and comparative knowledge at the level of a specialist in the field of the current background, theories, concepts and technical methodologies relating to their chosen specialty
  • Obtain clinical experience and technical/practical skills sufficient to meet requirements of the specialist qualification in their chosen subject.
  • Gain all the necessary specialist professional and academic skills to analyse, research, synthesise and critique scientific developments.
  • Develop key abilities to communicate fundamental concepts to scientific, clinical and lay audiences, as well as colleagues utilising multiple techniques.
  • Have the opportunity to obtain a broad specialist clinical, research and teaching

The specialist training in clinical techniques, research and teaching will afford you many opportunities. After graduating you will be able to seek career advancement/specialism within your clinical setting, as well as following research and/or teaching roles should you choose.

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A degree in veterinary medicine (BVM&S Veterinary Medicine or equivalent), membership of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (MRCVS), and a minimum of one year's postgraduate clinical experience.

Students from China

This degree is Band D.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Tuition fees

For further information on fees for this programme, please contact the Programme Administrator: ​​​​DVetMed@ed.ac.uk

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • Programme Director, Dr Richard Reardon
  • Phone: +44 (0)131 651 3915
  • Contact: DVetMed@ed.ac.uk
  • Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
  • The University of Edinburgh
  • Roslin
  • Easter Bush
  • Edinburgh
  • EH25 9RG

We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

Please note that there is no direct application or entry to this programme. It is only open to veterinary surgeons accepted onto specialist clinical training positions. These are advertised separately by the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies clinical services.

Further information

  • Programme Director, Dr Richard Reardon
  • Phone: +44 (0)131 651 3915
  • Contact: DVetMed@ed.ac.uk
  • Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
  • The University of Edinburgh
  • Roslin
  • Easter Bush
  • Edinburgh
  • EH25 9RG