Boost Your Veterinary General Practice Skills, Your Way: Enrol in single courses through the AVA Chartered Veterinary Practitioner program

Registrations for the  Essential Veterinary Clinical Skills (Small Animal) commencing 12 May 2025 are closing soon! 

Veterinarians looking to elevate their skills and career satisfaction don’t need to commit to the full AVA Chartered Veterinary Practitioner (AVA CVP) Accreditation Program to benefit – they can enrol in single courses to suit their needs and interests. This flexible, accessible approach means whether you’re looking to refresh technical skills, build confidence in consulting, or strengthen leadership abilities, there’s an option that fits your professional goals. 

Dr Rebecca Flegg vowed to “never settle as a mediocre vet” but after more than a decade working as a small animal veterinarian in Perth, she found herself feeling stale. About to take on a full-time role in a mostly solo vet practice, she recognised she needed to update her knowledge and skills. Her decision to enrol in the AVA CVP Accreditation Program in 2023 proved transformative. 

^{Image: Dr Rebecca Flegg}

“This course has helped reinvigorate my passion for what I do as a GP and helped me realise that what I do day-to-day really does make a difference to my patients' and clients' lives. This course helped remind me there is always more to learn,” Bec shares. She credits the broad mix of clinical refreshers and essential ‘soft skills’ training – communication, wellbeing, stress management, and consulting frameworks – for helping her feel more equipped for the demands of general practice. 

Learning practical consulting frameworks was an immediate game-changer. From using cheat sheets to applying structured consult techniques, Bec is now more efficient and better prepared in daily practice. One of the aspects she found particularly valuable was the quality of the teaching. “The teachers have been wonderful, all of them highly skilled and knowledgeable in their areas of expertise,” she says. 

Importantly, the safe and supportive peer environment was also a highlight. “I found the Zoom calls with my teachers and peers were a great place to throw ideas around regarding cases in a safe space without any judgement.” 

^{Image: Dr Ross Polst}

For practice owners like Dr Ross Polst, the AVA CVP has delivered benefits well beyond clinical knowledge. Owner and principal veterinarian at Hinterland Veterinary Surgery on the Gold Coast, Ross was attracted to the program by the opportunity to elevate the standing of general practitioners. He found the early modules especially eye-opening: 

"The first component of the AVA CVP course, Veterinary Personal and Professional Effectiveness was a real eye-opener for me into aspects of both veterinary as well as personal life that I had not previously known about or even contemplated,” he said. 

The program gave Ross practical tools to protect team wellbeing, implement structured consulting, and improve workplace culture. His clinic has now introduced proactive protocols around burnout prevention, communication, and building resilience. 

Ross highlights mindset work as one of the most powerful aspects of the course: “[Looking at] how you approach your work, how you approach difficult conversations with clients, how you approach conversations with staff. Just changing your perception and not getting bogged down by dwelling on things before anything’s actually happened and getting your mindset correct.” 

Like many students, Ross has found the supportive learning community a significant bonus. “I actually found the Zoom meetings almost therapeutic as far as being able to connect in a social way to fellow owners and get their perspectives. Practice ownership can be quite isolating.” 

For Queensland veterinarian Sarah Fitzgerald, the AVA CVP Online Courses offer the ideal professional extension. Working part-time as Clinical Lead at Fraser Coast Veterinary Services, Sarah was seeking to challenge herself and stay engaged in her GP role after starting a family. 

^{Dr Sarah Fitzgerald}

“For me, success in my career looks like enjoyment and longevity in the profession. The way the course material is presented gives a good framework which can be applied to so many day-to-day duties of a general practitioner – communication, self-awareness, work-ups and case management,” Sarah says. 

Already, she has implemented a more structured approach to clinical reasoning and introduced surgical and emergency checklists, improving both patient care and her confidence. 

Beyond clinical skills, Sarah has appreciated the emphasis on emotional intelligence. “I’m finding it fascinating to explore the concepts of mindset and emotional intelligence and how they relate to successful clinical practice.” 

The AVA CVP’s supportive cohort culture has also impressed her. “Everyone has been so lovely! It's been great that everyone has been open to discuss their own journeys and ideas, and this has been well facilitated by the course structure.” 

For practices like Tropical Vets in Northern Queensland, the AVA CVP is making a business-wide impact. Director Dr Graham Lauridsen enrolled to update his knowledge and mentor younger staff more effectively. He notes the accreditation could enhance the business’s ability to attract and retain quality veterinarians. 

“I come out of most weeks with a list of things to implement in practice,” says colleague Dr Hannah Butler. The course’s relevance to everyday general practice has meant real-world changes are happening across Tropical Vets' clinics, from new protocols to improved time management strategies. 

For any veterinarian passionate about general practice and keen to grow personally and professionally, the AVA CVP offers a powerful and flexible pathway. As Ross sums it up, “I definitely encourage all veterinarians, young and old to enrol in the AVA CVP and see for yourself how much you and the profession can grow with the right tools.” 

Registrations to study Essential Veterinary Clinical Skills course, commencing 12 May 2025 are closing soon 

If you’re ready to take your career and personal growth to the next level, contact the AVA CVP Program Manager Annmaree Jackson on (02) 9431 5004 or email education@ava.com.au to discuss your study options.