Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery
Become a Super Soft Tissue Surgeon in just 12 Months!
Download a Brochure with Full Course Information Now
Secure your place on the March 2026 intake with a deposit of £997 + VAT.
This innovative course commencing in March 2026, will help you to develop your confidence and skills in small animal soft tissue surgery and gain a valuable qualification in as little as 12 months.
Reserve your place now and look forward to nine full days of hands-on practical surgery training with expert and approachable tutors helping you to develop your soft tissue surgical skills. No orthopaedics involved!
You’ll also get:-
- Full support for continuous assessment by critically reflective essay – no formal exams
- Primarily Practical Training – 9 days of hands-on practicals to develop new skills
- Valuable work-based learning skills that you can use throughout your career
- Extensive online resources to provide a framework for your study – webinars, Online Mini Series Courses, self-assessment MCQs and bespoke reflective writing resources
- Access to a wide range of full text eJournals and eBooks through the University’s eLibrary
- A whole range of Course Bonuses including a text book, surgical instrument and CPD Vouchers
- A dedicated contact at CPD Solutions tp help you throughout your study
- A valuable PgCert qualification awarded by the University of Central Lancashire
Your programme is divided into three modules and each module commences with a practical attendance session where you’ll learn new skills to take back to your practice:
- Essentials of Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery
- Small Animal Abdominal, Perineal and Urogenital Surgery
- Small Animal Head, Neck and Thoracic Surgery
Practical attendance sessions:
- 4th – 6th Mar 2026 (3 days)
- 1st – 3rd Jul 2026 (3 days)
- 11th – 13th Nov 2026 (3 days)
You’ll combine these structured attendance courses with work-based reflective learning. During each module, you’ll complete a reflective essay that will be assessed by your tutor. You’ll receive plenty of help and guidance on how to write the essay and feedback on a draft from your tutor.
Course Tutors
Lynda Rutherford BVM&S MvetMed DiplECVS PGCertVetEd FHEA MRCVS, ECVS and RCVS Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Faye Swinbourne BVM&S MVetMed DipECVS MRCVS, RCVS, EBVS and ECVS European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Lara Dempsey BVetMed GPCertSAS GPCertSAM CertAVP(GSAS) DipECVS MRCVS, RCVS and European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Will Robinson BVetMed MSc BSAVA PGCertSAS DipECVS MRCVS, RCVS and European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Elinor Field BVetMed DipECVS MRCVS, RCVS and European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Lee Meakin MA MRes PhD VetMB DipECVS FRCVS, RCVS and European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery
What’s your investment?
You can secure your place on this small group programme with a non-refundable deposit of £997 + VAT (£1196.40) paid to CPD Solutions. You can then select from the following payment options:
1. Save a full 10% of your course fee (£1144.70 + VAT) when you make full payment within 2 weeks of receiving your CPD Solutions invoice. The total CPD Solutions fee that you pay (inclusive of the deposit) is £10,302.30 + VAT (£12,362.76).
2. Pay in full at least 8 weeks before the course starts. The total CPD Solutions fee that you pay (inclusive of the deposit) is £11,447 + VAT (£13,736.40).
3. Spread your payments. After your initial deposit of £997 + VAT (£1196.40) you pay £2500 + VAT (£3000) by 15th January 2026, then 6 payments of £1325 + VAT (£1590) monthly from 1st March 2026 until 1st August 2026. The total CPD Solutions fee that you pay (inclusive of the deposit) is £11,447 + VAT (£13,736.40).
You also need to register with the University of Central Lancashire. The University registration fee is £2750 (no VAT applies) for UK students or £4400 (no VAT applies) for EU/International students.
Applicants for this study route must hold a veterinary degree and have at least 2 years postgraduate clinical experience. Applicants must have access to suitable veterinary clinical cases to facilitate work-based learning reflections during the programme. UK-based applicants must be on the RCVS UK Practising Register. EU/International applicants who are not RCVS Members will need to satisfy the English Language proficiency requirements of the University of Central Lancashire (www.lancashire.ac.uk/international-students/english-requirements).
Any questions? Please call us on 0151 328 0444 or email [email protected] and we’ll be delighted to help you.
Feedback from graduates of this PgCert:
“I’d like to thank you for all the organisation that you have put in to this. Running a practice gives me some understanding of the plates you are spinning. The course is excellent. I got so much out of the three days and everyone else was buzzing with excitement about what they’d learned.” Johanna Headley MRCVS
“I just wanted to pass on my thanks to all for this course. All the staff at Studley were friendly and welcoming, the food and refreshments were excellent and the course itself was brilliant. The lab staff were helpful and kept a continued supply of instruments and equipment throughout the practical sessions without us even noticing, and the practical sessions themselves were so good in terms of learning for the certificate, allowing essential hands-on experience. I cannot thank Faye and Lynda enough for their teaching, support and patience through the first module of the course, they were so lovely, helpful, unpretentious and always happy to answer any questions.” Katherine Bott MRCVS
“Can I just report how much I enjoyed the practical days? I think I was expecting it to be good, but it was so much better than I thought it would be. Thanks for all your organisation, and thanks to the tutors for making it so friendly and welcoming.” Lynn Wood MRCVS
“Amazing 3 days of extensive practical training allowing a large variety of experience, practising techniques. Most skills are almost immediately applicable to patient management.” Sophie Cloney MRCVS
“The tutors are wonderful and explained everything very well, offering a lot of support and help when needed.” Ioana Muresanu MRCVS
“Excellent sessions. Good mix of self-directed learning from guide, 1-2-1 discussions with tutors and discussion of issues not in guide. Surprisingly useful to cover basics as well!” Gareth Parry MRCVS
“Really appreciated tutors with clear understanding of general practice limitations/necessities. Smart, clean venue. Lovely team.” Sophie Cloney MRCVS
“Excellent experience, learned so much I can use in practice straight away. Tutors were amazing, so knowledgeable and friendly and learned so much from them.” Laura Hamilton MRCVS