Our Academy Vet Clinic
The Virtual Veterinary Medicines Academy
Veterinary Prescriber’s Virtual Veterinary Medicines Academy (VVMA) provides online learning modules for vets and vet nurses. It is the best place to gain a clear understanding of the evidence, regulations and practical aspects pertaining to the use of veterinary medicines.
Our aim is to make sense of medicines, and help veterinary practitioners to make informed decisions about treatments for animals. We do this by taking into consideration all the various sources of information on veterinary medicines: clinical trials, reviews, formularies, regulatory information, and promotional material.
We are an independent company. We don't accept sponsors or advertisements, because we want to provide impartial, evidence-based information in the best interests of the animal.
Our modules
Our modules cover a wide range of topics, ranging from new medicine reviews, drug group reviews, authorised medicines and cascade use, to general topics on practical use and regulatory compliance.
Our content is based on a thorough review of all available published evidence (through the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Knowledge Discovery Service and VetMed Resource (CAB Abstracts).
New CPD modules are delivered each month in our Virtual Veterinary Medicines Academy (VVMA). As a subscriber to the VVMA you also get access to unique product guides, quick-reference resources and monthly medicine updates. Each module is written by a specialist, and shared with a range of professionals for comment, including practising vets, and undergoes a rigorous editing process before we add it to our VVMA.
Our modules are concise and clearly written, and only take 15 to 30 minutes to complete. They are also available as audio files and text, so you can download a podcast and listen at your convenience. The index makes it easy to navigate between modules, and search by topic.
Breaking down complex information
We make our modules easy to follow, by clearly distinguishing fact from opinion. We design our content with a view to keeping veterinary professionals up-to-date with research on medicines, and to help them with making therapeutic decisions. With clear links to official sources, we provide impartial, independent information about medicines, regulatory updates and practical aspects of medicine use. Our modules deliver all the information you need, in a succinct format:
concise and thoroughly referenced summary of the published clinical evidence.
clear explanation of the context of the information, with signposting to official sources on regulatory and professional standards (with our unique Horse's Mouth feature), and references to national policies and guidelines
distinguishing clearly between fact and opinion
pointing out uncertainties
““I find the Veterinary Prescriber very useful with the topics you cover especially with the Veterinary Practice Standards in mind. The modules are clear & easy to follow. The links included are useful for more information. The short test at the end ensures that there is understanding of the module. It is also very useful to have the online ‘chat’ facility.””
““This is the most useful resource I’ve found for both information and critical evaluation of everyday practice.””
What does our VVMA offer?
Our wide range of content covers:
the library of CPD modules, with a new module added each month
certificated CPD quizzes in each module
note-taking area to record personal notes
tips for reflective exercises to help with objective-led CPD
SQP/RAMA-accredited CPD
monthly medicines news, covering regulatory changes, newly marketed medicines, newly authorized medicines, reclassifications, and changes to product information (e.g. side effects)
unique product guides - the Parasiticide Guide and Specials Database
quick-reference resources
opinions on a wide range of medicine topics in the Dog's Blog
access to 'Ask Andrea!', a medicines information service designed specifically to help with medicines queries.
Frequently Asked Questions about the VVMA
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Individual vet nurse/SQP subscriptions: £9.98 (incl. vat) per month; rolling contract, cancel any time.
Individual vet subscription £11.99 (incl. vat) per month; rolling contract, cancel any time.
Practice subscriptions: £600 (plus vat) annually. Requires 30 days’ notice for cancellation after the first 12 months.
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With a practice subscription you can include any number of team members on one practice. For practices with multiple sites you will need to purchase a practice subscription for each site. Individual subscriptions are for one person only.
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Individual subcriptions are a rolling monthly contract which can be cancelled at any time.
For a practice subscription, after the first 12 months, we require 30 days’ notice of cancellation.
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Simply visit the website www.veterinaryprescriber.org, and login using your email and password.
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The vet modules are written for prescribers and other professionals who make decisions about medicines choice, and so these modules contain more information about clinical trial evidence and technical detail.
The vet nurse/SQP modules have a greater focus on non-prescription medicines. These modules are accredited by the SQP regulators AMTRA, Vetpol and VetSkill.
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Our content is mainly focused on companion-animal practice. However, there is also a wide range of general content on regulation and practical medicine use, which is relevant to all fields of veterinary medicine.
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Our subscribers have access to our information service, Ask Andrea! You can ask any question about medicines you like - often, we will create a module in response to a user's question.
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Our content is written primarily for veterinary practitioners in the UK, which means that the information is presented in the context of UK regulations and the products that are available in the UK. Nevertheless, much of the information is applicable in other countries and we have subscribers from all around the world.