As pet parents, naturally you want to find a vet who has the relevant medical knowledge for your species of pet, who you trust and who is caring. You may also be interested to know about any further training they have undertaken. This is especially important if your pet is being referred for any reason. There are a few ways of gaining this information: by talking to the vet practice team, by checking their website, or by looking at the initials after their names. These initials can get quite confusing, so let’s break it down!

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What do the letters after a vet’s name mean?

All vets will have at least two sets of letters after their name. Firstly, they will have their degree qualifications, which will vary slightly depending on which university they qualified from. In the U.K., the possibilities are:

  • BVM&S or BVMS – Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (from Edinburgh and Glasgow universities)
  • BVetMed – Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (from the Royal Veterinary College)
  • BVSc – Bachelor of Veterinary Science (from Bristol or Liverpool university)
  • BA VetMB – Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (from Cambridge university)
  • BVM BVS BVMedSci – Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, Bachelor of Veterinary Surgery, Bachelor of Veterinary Medical Sciences (from Nottingham university)
  • BVMSci – Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Science (from Surrey university)

These all mean the same thing, that the vet holds a degree which qualifies them as a veterinary surgeon. (Note, just to confuse things, a vet’s degree is actually a level 7 qualification, like a Masters, rather than a “normal” level 6 BA or BSc!). In addition to this, they will have the initials MRCVS after their name.

MRCVS- What does this stand for?

MRCVS stands for Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. The title of ‘veterinary surgeon’ is protected by law, meaning that only members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) may call themselves veterinary surgeons. Apart from a few exemptions, as laid out in the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, only veterinary surgeons can practice acts of veterinary surgery. So, all practicing veterinary surgeons in the U.K. must be members of the RCVS. 

You may also notice the initials FRCVS after a vet’s name. This stands for Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Fellowships are given out in recognition of ‘outstanding contributions to the veterinary profession’. So vets with FRCVS after their names are members of the RCVS who have been awarded a fellowship for their contribution to veterinary knowledge, practice or the profession as a whole.

What about all the other letters?

The rest of the letters will indicate any further training that the vet has undertaken. Vets can study for a ‘certificate’, either in general practice or in a specific species or subject area. This is achieved while working in practice and can involve lectures, clinical discussions, presentations, studying scientific journals and recording enough relevant cases they have worked on. Once the vet has passed the examination at the end, they will have the initials CertAVP, ‘certificate in advance veterinary practice’; PgC or PGCert, Postgraduate certificate; or GPCert, General Practitioner Certificate, after their name.

If they have studied towards a ‘designated’ certificate, rather than a general one, the details will then be in brackets after the CertAVP initials. The vet may have studied for a species-based certificate, such as CertAVP (small animal medicine, SAM), GPCert (SAM) or CertAVP (Equine Practice, EP). Or they may have studied a specific subject, such as CertAVP (Veterinary Cardiology, VC). If you aren’t sure what the specific initials mean, just ask your vet or take a look at a list of possible certificates here.

It’s important to note that these certificates do NOT make the vet a ‘specialist’. They do mean that the vet has undertaken further training and qualification. 

A vet may have studied towards a master’s (MSc) or a doctorate (PhD) in a veterinary subject. In which case these initials would appear after their name too. 

What‘s a Veterinary Specialist?

A Veterinary Specialist could be likened to a consultant in the world of human medicine and is the highest level of veterinary expertise in the U.K. Veterinary Specialists must undertake a Residency for at least 3 years. This means they are being trained by Veterinary Specialists and only working in the subject area they wish to specialise in. They will also need to carry out and publish some clinical research in the area. And then sit the Board examinations to become a Veterinary Specialist, or Diplomate. Once complete, they will have the initials D or Dip after their name, followed by their area of expertise. For example, DSAM is Diploma in Small Animal Medicine. Diplomates must show that they are up to date with the required level of knowledge every 5 years. 

Hopefully now all those initials after a vet’s name will seem less confusing! Remember, if you aren’t sure then the practice or referral centre’s customer care team will always be happy to explain what they mean. 

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