A summary of the work carried out by Veterinary Surgeons in South Africa and the training and qualifications involved, with comparison to Veterinary Surgeons in the United Kingdom.
Introduction
Veterinary work in South Africa can be extremely varied, with the option to not only treat domesticated pets and rural livestock but also specialise in treating the abundance of wildlife protected by reserves or private owners. To be a Veterinary Surgeon in South Africa requires hard work and dedication like many professions, but also a passion to make a difference whether it be regarding a small domestic pet or a critically endangered species.
Qualifications and Requirements
To begin the journey of becoming a Veterinary Surgeon in South Africa, it is important to start strong and decide upon your path as early as possible. Not only are certain school grades required for entry to the course, but hands-on experience with animals in a variety of settings is recognised and valued when each individual is assessed for suitability.
Currently, the University of Pretoria is noted as the only university in South Africa that offers a Veterinary Science degree. According to this university, the minimum criteria for entry to the Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BSCv) course are specific school subjects such as english, mathematics and physical sciences, for example physics and chemistry, at specific and high grades. Other qualifications are also taken into account for those who have already completed further education and are not applying to the course in their final year of school education.
Should anyone internationally wish to apply for the study of a BSCv course with the University of Pretoria, some allowances are made each year for international students to join. For the small number of these students that are granted admission, they must comply with the Department of Home Affairs’ regulations and obtain a study permit.
The BSCv degree course is accredited with the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC), the Veterinary Statutory Body in South Africa. The SAVC has legal authority over those practicing veterinary and para-veterinary professions in all of South Africa, and keeps a register of all those authorised to carry out this work. Registration with the SAVC is compulsory for anyone wishing to carry out veterinary duties professionally. In essence, the SAVC is responsible for monitoring the standard of veterinary work in South Africa, ensuring it is ethical and that the environments meets safety standards for all animals and professionals.
Training and experience
To obtain a Bachelor's degree of Veterinary Science in South Africa, veterinary students must complete six years of education and training, with a curriculum that is broken down into modules over each academic year. Like many other universities, when modules are passed the students obtain credits, with a minimum requirement of credits to advance to the next year. This system means that commitment and dedication to each year of study are essential components to the successful completion of the course. However, to obtain a pass with a distinction, the last three years of study are the most important as the average grading is calculated with the results from these years, with a cumulative weighted average of 75% or more needed to achieve this. At the end of their studies and after obtaining their degree, graduates must complete a Compulsory Community Service (CCS) year as dictated by the state. This year will mean they are employed by the national Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD).
The training programme itself involves lectures on a wide variety of topics and aspects of study, with practical sessions filtered into the students’ learning routinely and a final year of practical exposure to more specific areas, culminating with a final and in-depth research report.
Not only are common domestic species such as canines and felines discussed during this course, but also avian, equine, bovine, ovine and porcine, in addition to some wildlife species. It is important for all involved in veterinary work to have a broad understanding of a variety of species. However, it would be fair to say that the South African BSCv course highlights wildlife topics such as African wildlife management and conservation in a unique way when contrasted to the United Kingdom for example. South Africa places great importance on educating many at a base level on the importance of conservation efforts, with environmental education being introduced formally at a primary school level. This concept was implemented to ensure as many people as possible are aware of conservation efforts, environmental issues and can combat concerns such as human-wildlife conflict at its core. Therefore, it is of note to highlight the distinction between topics covered in South African veterinary teaching in comparison to other countries and why it is of relevance.
Comparison to the United Kingdom
Having a personal background related to veterinary work in the UK and a keen interest in South African veterinary practices, it is of interest to me to draw comparisons between the teachings and work carried out by veterinary surgeons in both of these countries.
Veterinary students in the UK have a number of universities available to them across the country, with some of the highest ranking establishments being the Royal Veterinary College in London, the University of Cambridge, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Glasgow. The course they offer to qualify as a veterinary surgeon in the UK is a Bachelor degree of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (BMVS). Those who qualify must then register with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the UK’s Statutory Body for those in the veterinary sector. They will then be required to upkeep RCVS standards in order to continue practicing and will have the letters MRCVS (Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) after their official title.
The RCVS functions quite similarly to the SAVC by setting standards for education and professional actions of veterinary staff, and maintains a register of all those qualified to practice. The RCVS, similar to the SAVC, also requires graduated Veterinary Surgeons to complete the Veterinary Graduate Development Programme (VetGDP) to assist them in their first role practicing veterinary medicine. They have eighteen months to complete a portfolio under the guidance of an approved VetGDP advisor, and in an approved practice. This post-graduate experience is required for the veterinary surgeons to demonstrate that they can perform all of the duties of their role without guidance and are fully competent.
The course offered in the UK is often completed in five years, a year less than that in South Africa. Across most of the universities, the structure of the course remains similar in terms of credit format, however the first two years are largely theory based and regarded as time to gain foundational knowledge. Years three to four are then labelled as clinical and give students the opportunity to build on their foundational knowledge by putting it into practice, with their final year involving no lectures and exclusively clinical work and case studies. Interestingly, the final year also often allows students to choose selective studies in more niche aspects of veterinary work, and does include topics such as exotic species, captive zoo animal studies and wildlife topics should they have an interest in it. This is not mandatory and students can also use this time to further their skills in core subjects such as small or large animal medicine which is focused on domestic, livestock or equine animals.
It is of relevance to note that the United Kingdom is one-fifth of the size of South Africa, with quite the number of farms and livestock holdings. Although wildlife is present in abundance in some areas, the level of monitoring and medical intervention required of key species may not be as involved as it is specific to veterinary work in South Africa for a variety of reasons. All of these factors contribute to the likelihood that interest in wildlife work in a veterinary setting may be less common in the UK than in South Africa, although it is still an available option.
The Role of a South African Veterinary Surgeon
As expected of all veterinary surgeons, the role primarily involves treating sick and injured animals as ethically as possible, and maintaining their health and welfare. Furthermore, they are responsible for controlling zoonoses, diseases carried by animals that can also affect people, and must therefore indirectly protect animal owners and consumers of animal products. To do this, veterinary surgeons apply their knowledge in a clinical or outdoor setting, and carry out a number of duties in a very multi-faceted role.
Many veterinary surgeons will work with domestic or companion animals, largely cats and dogs in a clinical setting. These vets are likely to work in what is called small animal first opinion practices, however some practices are known as ‘mixed’, which means they will also see larger animals and sometimes livestock. When working with large kept animals, the sectors of work then fall under equine, livestock or production medicine for animals such as beef cattle, poultry or sheep for example. Within small companion animals, it is also possible to be regarded as an exotics vet if they surgeon has a special interest in more unusual kept species such as lizards, fish and some small mammals.
After some time practicing veterinary medicine and taking part in further graduate training to gain certification, some choose to move on to specialised services in a referral environment and can select specific disciplines similar to human doctors such as ophthalmology, dentistry, internal medicine and radiology.
According to the SAVC, the opportunities to apply a veterinary medicine degree do not end there, as further career paths that could utilise this level of education are in the field of epidemiology which relates to the study and control of disease spread, research and development of existing and new medicine and the ethics involved, and providing input and imposing regulations for the management of animals in shelters, laboratory animals, farmed animals and captive wild animals.
Veterinary involvement with captive wildlife in both small monitored environments and as far as large reserves is an extremely rewarding but challenging role. In order to assist these animals, the veterinary surgeons often need to undergo training in not only species-specific requirements and medicine, but must also understand capture and release techniques, captive breeding methods, wildlife relocation and rehabilitation in detail, disease management for large herds, and animal import and export. Furthermore, they often are trained in the safe use of a dart-gun as sedation can be performed from a distance in a vehicle of from height in a helicopter. In large settings such as a reserve, the vets are often very experienced as they have to make clinical judgements without a full examination of the animal, a detailed health status report or an estimated weight for calculating drug dosages.
To work with wildlife as a vet is not only a lifestyle choice as they are often called out unexpectedly to help injured animals and must attend quickly when they are found, but it is also a commitment to help conservation in a very personal and impactful way. Not only do they carry out work to assist the reserve and animals, but can commonly be found giving lectures and presentations to veterinary and conservation students to help spread word on the specialised work they do and why they do it. Having personally spoken to these accomplished vets in person, I can comfortably say they live for their work and are extremely passionate about the care and conservation of wildlife and find satisfaction in inspiring others and continuing to spread their message.
Which Countries’ Veterinary Degrees are Recognised by the SAVC?
The SAVC has a relationship with other veterinary Statutory Bodies in some international countries, however the list is not lengthy. Due to a mutual recognition agreement with the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the SAVC allow for the automatic registration of those holding specific degrees from Australia, New Zealand, England and Scotland if the individual is already on the register of their own country. This means they do not need to undergo any further assessment from the SAVC and may join their register to practice in South Africa.
For any countries not on this list, an examination must be undergone to join the register before they can practice in South Africa, with the timings, fees and requirements shown on the SAVC’s website for further information. The automatic registration from the countries listed above also only applies to qualified veterinary surgeons and does not include veterinary nurses, veterinary care assistants, animal care assistants, or any similar roles. However, this may be something the SAVC aims to develop in the future.
How vet surgeons support conservation in South Africa
South Africa's globally renowned success as a conservation stronghold relies on the success and standards of its veterinary sciences. With 100+ years of proactive wildlife management, from inoculating and vaccinating species against disease, preforming part hysterectomies on keystone species such as lion, ensuring breeding and a population level suitable to the constraints of its habitat to todays modern necessity of rhino de-horning as a resulting in poaching.
South Africa veterinarians provide a balancing an exacting effect to species protection, this in tandem with effective ecological and habitat management give South Africa its success.
From working in field during our endangered species wildlife placement to a last line of defence with our captive rehabilitation work, without vets, many species futures would be in jeopardy.
Conclusion
To be a veterinary surgeon in South Africa, regardless of their chosen sector, takes determination, passion for animal care and welfare and integrity. The role is challenging to achieve as South Africa has some of the world’s highest standards when it comes to conservation work and veterinary standards, however it is the opinion of many that it is worth it. This is evident when you see the outcome of the work carried out, whether it be companion animal, livestock or wildlife, and when you witness the care and compassion these vets possess. Often, the road less travelled is the most exciting and invigorating, and that is certainly true for the lives of veterinary surgeons in South Africa.
References:
Damoah, B. and Omodan, B.I. (2022) ‘Determinants of effective environmental education policy in South African schools’, International Journal of Educational Research Open, 3, p. 100206. doi:10.1016/j.ijedro.2022.100206.
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