Small Animal Surgery Online Learning

Small Animal Surgery Online Learning 2022/23

Starting Febuary 2022 Online & Practical Learning Post Grad Qualification Pathway

Small Animal Surgery Online & Practical Learning Program 2022-23

The new Small Animal Surgery Online and Practical Learning Program for 2022/23 has been purpose built to give veterinary surgeons access to world-class teaching materials, online.

Small Animal Surgery Online Learning has been developed by a team of registered specialists and covers soft tissue surgery and orthopaedic/spinal surgery, over the two year program.

All theory content is presented in an engaging and interactive online format. The program allows you to study with the support of a dedicated module specialist surgeon, available online to answer content questions, give case advice and help you throughout the program.

The practical modular days consolidate your knowledge over two full practical weeks. You will work with Australian Specialist Surgeons and Specialist Tutors to embed your new skills, practice all techniques and become fully confident in new procedures. Practical sessions (2023) are based in Queensland and will be held at either NVC Ormeau, Brisbane or UQ Vets Clinical Studies Centre, Gatton. Venues will be confirmed in early 2022.

Small Animal Surgery Online Learning is accredited by the International School of Veterinary Post Graduate Studies ISVPS as a training program for the General Practitioner Certificate in Small Animal Surgery (GPCert SAS) post graduate qualification.

Course Highlights

24 varied modules covering soft tissue and orthopaedic surgeries delivered over 20 months
Support and guidance from a Module Tutor - a recognised specialist in Small Animal Surgery
Each module will be supported by high quality surgical videos delivered by world class surgeons
A discussion forum for questions, debate and sharing cases with your Module Tutors & surgery peers
Each module consists of four sessions spread over one month. Sessions comprise separate lessons and case-based studies to work through at your own pace
Supported by 10 practical attendance sessions delivered in state-of-the-art wet-lab facilities (5 days ortho & 5 days soft tissue)
Pre-module and post-module assessments encourage you to reflect on your learning and evaluate your progress

Small Animal Surgery Online Learning

Starts: 1 February 2022
Format: 14 online theory modules & 10 days of practical sessions
Duration: 20 months
Queensland Practical Venue: NVC Ormeau or UQ Vets Clinical Studies Centre, Gatton TBC
GPCert in Small Animal Surgery
ISVPS Accredited Training Program
Price: AUD $21, 590 inclusive of GST

An initial $1000 deposit will secure your place in this program. Registrations are limited.
All ISVPS Registration & Examination Fees included

Register your interest

Register your interest to find out the latest course information

Small Animal Surgery Online Learning Modules

Module 1: Surgical Basics: asepsis, instrumentation, operative techniques and wound healing.

Start: February 2022

Key learning objectives:

Revise asepsis, sterilisation and appropriate antibiosis for surgical cases
Expand your knowledge of instrumentation and instrument handling
Become more familiar with the uses of suture, needles, staples and clips
Understand the principles of wound healing and how this applies to your clinical cases
Re-visit the principles of wound management and get up-to-date with what is available now

Module 2: Urinary and reproductive tract surgery

Start: March 2022

Key learning objectives:

Develop your skills in managing renal surgery
Extend your knowledge of obstructive diseases of the urinary tract from ureters to urethra to enhance your day-to-day management of urolithiasis
Improve your awareness of the myriad of surgical options for urinary incontinence that are available now including colposuspension, TVT and urethral occluders
Advance your familiarity of surgery of the male reproductive system – from prostatic omentalisation to penile and preputial procedures
Extend the range of procedures you can offer for the female reproductive system beyond ovariectomy and ovariohysterectomy

Module 3: Upper gastrointestinal surgery

Start: April 2022

Key learning objectives:

Become familiar with the surgical approaches to salivary gland disease
Consider oesophageal disease and when surgery may be appropriate
Gastrotomy and gastrectomy: there is more to surgery of the stomach than just GDV
Advance your knowledge of small intestinal disease and how your decision-making can reduce complications
Review and revise ruptures and hernias

Module 4: Lower gastrointestinal surgery, liver, spleen and pancreas

Start: May 2022

Key learning objectives:

Improve your knowledge of large intestinal surgery and the differences between cats and dogs
Familiarise yourself with surgical approaches to the rectum and anus
Explore the options for liver surgery – suture, staples or electrosurgery
Review biliary tract surgery – anatomy and surgical options
Consolidate your knowledge of pancreatic surgery
Splenectomy – does it need removing and if so, which technique and what are the alternatives to removal?

Module 5: Oral, pharyngeal and aural surgery

Start: June 2022

Key learning objectives:

Become secure doing surgery of the lips, cheeks and tongue
Improve your approach to surgical treatment of palatal abnormalities
Maxillectomy and mandibulectomy: when and where to cut
Become more familiar with pharyngeal surgery and your options for tonsillar surgery
Make a considered choice for your patients between lateral wall resection, vertical canal ablation, ventral bulla osteotomy and total canal ablation/lateral bulla osteotomy
Revise the options for surgical treatment of aural haematoma

Module 6: Surgery of the upper airways, larynx and trachea

Start: July 2022

Key learning objectives:

Revise conditions of the nasal planum of the young and old to guide you when to operate
The nasal sinuses – when does surgical access become necessary?
Brachycephalic airway disease – a myriad of abnormalities
Perfect your knowledge of the larynx to allow you to successfully treat a wide variety of surgical conditions – paralysis, collapse, trauma, stenosis and neoplasia
Familiarise yourself with tracheotomy, tracheostomy, tracheal avulsion, collapse, resection/anastomosis, trauma, foreign bodies and neoplasia

Module 7: Surgery of the abdominal and thoracic cavities

Start: September 2022

Key learning objectives:

Perfect your approach to peritonitis by going into the detail of the pathophysiology, clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment options
By the end of this module you will have discovered the thrills of thoracic surgery and maybe even have answered some big questions:
- Big dog / little dog: who wins?
- Thoracostomy for pneumothorax, pyothorax and chylothorax – which tube?
- Thoracotomy – which side and which rib space?
- Lung Lobectomy – how many lobes can you take?
- PDA –is this still a surgical condition?
- Pericardectomy – how much should you take?
- PRAA – why does a regurgitating patient need a thoracotomy?
- Chylothorax – can you find the thoracic duct?
- Chest wall diseases – how far can you advance the diaphragm?

Module 8: Surgical oncology

Start: October 2022

Key learning objectives:

Revise the underlying principles of oncologic surgery to inform your surgical approaches to the most common tumours seen in practice
Bring yourself up-to-date on all the treatment options for mast cell tumours
Become comfortable with maxillectomy and mandibulectomy so you can approach oral tumours with more confidence
Familiarise yourself with gastrointestinal tumours so you can optimise your patient’s outcome
Recognise the differences between dogs and cats by learning about feline-specific tumours

Module 9: Reconstructive skin surgery – Practical session

Prac session: January 2023

Key learning objectives:

Become familiar with tension relieving techniques, performing undermining, tension-relieving sutures and relaxing incisions
- Tension relieving sutures: walking sutures, bolster/stent sutures and continuous pre-tensioning sutures
- Relaxing incisions: multiple punctate relaxing incision, simple relaxing incision, Z-plasty and V-Y plasty
Close different shaped wounds with confidence, including dog ears, triangular, circular/crescent and rectangular/quadrangular
Practise subdermal plexus flaps, namely advancement flaps, rotation flaps, transposition flaps and interpolation flaps
Practise axial pattern flaps, including thoracodorsal flaps and caudal superficial epigastric flaps
Recall the different skin graft options and execute full-thickness meshed skin graft and pinch and punch graft

Module 10: Gastrointestinal surgery – practical session

Prac session: January 2023

Key learning objectives:

Correctly place a tube in the oesophagus
Approach the cervical oesophagus and recognise its anatomical features
Recognise the possibilities for oesophageal surgery and perform an oesophagotomy/oesophagectomy
Correctly place a tube for gastrotomy
Execute a gastrotomy/gastrectomy
Perform an incisional gastropexy
Recall the indications for intestinal biopsies and apply the correct method
Apply intestinal surgery techniques, namely enterotomy/enterectomy

Module 11: Urological surgery – practical session

Prac session: January 2023

Key learning objectives:

Recognise the urological structures with relevance for surgical procedures
Execute a nephrectomy/nephrotomy
Confidently get samples from renal biopsies
Recall the key points to correctly place a tube for cystotomy
Perform a cystotomy/cystectomy
Apply the theoretical knowledge to perform, step by step, a prescrotal urethrostomy in a dog and a perineal urethrostomy in a cat
Practise urohydropulsion

Module 12: Head and neck surgery – practical session

Prac session: January 2023

Key learning objectives:

Put into practice the theoretical knowledge of ear surgery, performing a total ear canal ablation, a lateral bulla osteotomy and a ventral bulla osteotomy
Perform a lateral approach to the larynx and locate the relevant structures for the tie-back technique
Recognise all the steps of unilateral arytenoid lateralisation by watching its demonstration
Perform a modified extracapsular thyroidectomy
Execute a mandibular and sublingual sialadenectomy

Module 13: Thoracic surgery – practical session

Prac session: January 2023

Key learning objectives:

Perform a lateral intercostal thoracotomy
Execute a median sternotomy
Perform a total lung lobectomy
Recognise all the steps of a pericardiectomy and practise a partial pericardiectomy
Place a drain in the thoracic cavity for thoracocentesis
Place a drain in the abdominal cavity

Module 14: Joint diseases of the forelimb

Start Feb 2023

Key learning objectives:

Consider the conditions of the shoulder including luxation, osteochondrosis and dysplasia and excision arthroplasty surgery
Revise the conditions of the elbow including luxations, IOHC, elbow dysplasia, developmental disease and ununited anconeal process
Understand developmental carpal disease, carpal hyperextension and arthrodesis and luxations of the carpus and foot
Discuss growth plate disorders

Module 15: Joint diseases of the hindlimb

Start Mar 2023

Key learning objectives:

Discuss the pros and cons of the myriad of surgical options for the ruptured cruciate
Consider alternative causes of stifle dysfunction than the cranial cruciate ligament
Revise the underlying causes of patellar luxation when choosing a surgical approach
Perfect your knowledge of hock anatomy and the conditions that affect the joint including osteochondrosis and luxation
Review the conditions that affect the hip including dysplasia & luxation and familiarise yourself with a variety of procedures described to treat them
Understand the pros and cons of total hip replacement

Module 16: Fracture repair I

Start April 2023

Key learning objectives:

Understand how to perform the initial assessment of the fracture patient
Be familiar with the descriptions and applications of fracture classification
Apply the principles of fracture repair and decision making in fracture repair to your cases
Appreciate the variety of methods available for fracture fixation and implants, including plating and external fixation devices

Module 17: Fracture repair II

Start May 2023

Key learning objectives:

Understand the principles of fracture reduction, including both closed and open techniques
Be familiar with the options for bone grafting including both cancellous and cortical grafts
Describe the stabilisation of specific fractures of the fore and hindlimb
Discuss the clinical approach to the following complications: Delayed union / Non-union / Mal-union / Osteomyelitis

Module 18: Spinal surgery I

Start June 2023

Key learning objectives:

Integrate the principles of lesion localisation to your spinal cases via a systematic neurological examination and its’ interpretation
Understand the application of neurodiagnostics
Appreciate the approach to and management of paraplegia and tetraplegia
Be familiar with the clinical approach to neurological emergencies, including cranial trauma and status epilepticus

Module 19: Spinal surgery II

Start July 2023

Key learning objectives:

Revise the surgical options for spinal surgery according to site:

Cervical spine
- Ventral slot procedure
Thoracolumbar spine
- Hemilaminectomy
Lumbosacral spine
- Dorsal laminectomy
CSF tap and Myelography
- Identify the appropriate landmarks for acquiring CSF samples and obtaining diagnostic myelograms

Module 20: Joint diseases of the forelimb – practical session

Prac session: August

Key learning objectives:

Consider the conditions of the shoulder including luxation, osteochondrosis and dysplasia and excision arthroplasty surgery
Revise the conditions of the elbow including luxations, IOHC, elbow dysplasia, developmental disease and ununited anconeal process
Understand developmental carpal disease, carpal hyperextension and arthrodesis and luxations of the carpus and foot
Discuss growth plate disorders

Module 21: Joint diseases of the hindlimb – practical session

Prac session: August

Key learning objectives:

Discuss the pros and cons of the myriad of surgical options for the ruptured cruciate
Consider alternative causes of stifle dysfunction than the cranial cruciate ligament
Revise the underlying causes of patellar luxation when choosing a surgical approach
Perfect your knowledge of hock anatomy and the conditions that affect the joint including osteochondrosis and luxation
Review the conditions that affect the hip including dysplasia & luxation and familiarise yourself with a variety of procedures described to treat them
Understand the pros and cons of total hip replacement

Module 22: Internal fixation I – practical session

Prac session: August

Key learning objectives:

Apply cerclage wires and tension band fixations
Place positional and lag screws
Recognise the most important features to correctly approach tibial fractures
- Approach the tibia medially and apply a bone plate
Recognise the most important features to correctly approach radial fractures
- Approach the radius cranio-medially / laterally and apply a bone plate
Recognise the most important features to correctly approach femoral fractures
- Approach the femur laterally, apply a bone plate and an intramedullary pin (plate and rod)

Module 23: Internal fixation II – practical session

Prac session: August

Key learning objectives:

Recognise the most important features to correctly approach humeral fractures
- Approach the humeral shaft laterally
- Apply a bone plate and an intramedullary pin (plate and rod)
Perform a dorsal approach to the carpal joint
Perform a carpal arthrodesis
Perform a medial and lateral approach to the tarsal joint
Perform a tarsal arthrodesis

Module 24: External fixation and bone grafting – practical session

Prac session: August

Key learning objectives:

Perform a surgical repair of the tibia with a type II linear frame
Execute a surgical repair of a comminuted radial fracture with a type IB linear frame
Do a surgical repair of a comminuted femoral fracture with a type IA linear frame
Harvest cancellous bone from the proximal humerus and iliac crest

Course Speakers

Dr Jane Ladlow MA VetMB CertSAS CertVR MRCVS

Dr Jane Ladlow MA VetMB CertSAS CertVR MRCVS Collapse

Dr Jonathan Bell BVM&S CertSAS DipECVS MRCVS

Dr Jonathan Bell BVM&S CertSAS DipECVS MRCVS Collapse

Dr Kelly Blacklock BVM&S DipECVS FHEA PGCert MRCVS

Dr Kelly Blacklock BVM&S DipECVS FHEA PGCert MRCVS Collapse

Dr Pieter Nelissen DVM CertSAS DipECVS MRCVS

Dr Pieter Nelissen DVM CertSAS DipECVS MRCVS Collapse

Dr Rachel Burrow BVetMed CertSAS CertVR DipECVS MRCVS RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery (Soft Tissue)

Dr Rachel Burrow BVetMed CertSAS CertVR DipECVS MRCVS RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery (Soft Tissue) Dr Rachel Burrow qualified in 1991 from the RVC, London. After several years working in mixed practice, Dr Rache …

Dr Rachel Burrow BVetMed CertSAS CertVR DipECVS MRCVS RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery (Soft Tissue) Collapse

Dr Samantha Woods BSc MA VetMB CertSAS Dipl.ECVS MRCVS

Dr Samantha Woods BSc MA VetMB CertSAS Dipl.ECVS MRCVS Collapse

Kevin Parsons BVSc(Hons) CertSAS,PhD,DipECVS FHEA MRCVS

Kevin Parsons BVSc(Hons) CertSAS,PhD,DipECVS FHEA MRCVS Collapse

Sebastien Behr DVM DipECVN MRCVS RCVS Specialist (Veterinary Neurology)

Sebastien Behr DVM DipECVN MRCVS RCVS Specialist (Veterinary Neurology) Collapse

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FAQ

What are the entry requirements for the SAS 2022/23 program?

It is recommended you have a minimum of 1 year clinical experience to register in this program. It is most beneficial to practitioners who have had some significant surgical experience and are in a busy clinical practice. Please contact the Improve Team directly if you wish to discuss your suitability.

How many CPD Points is this program is accredited for?

The Small Animal Surgery Online Learning Program is accredited for 248 RACE approved credit points or 248 hours of continuing education (CE) points in Australia.

Some state boards allocate 2hrs of CE points for every 1 hr of practical time – please check with your Australia Board if you are unsure.

When does the learning content become available for each module?

The content for this program will be available through the online learning platform. At the beginning of each Module month, the content for weeks 1 and 2 will be released. At the beginning of the 3rd week, the remaining content will be released.

How can I track my progress in the program?

Progress of the completion of your module and program are tracked in different ways.

Each module consists of 9 interactive lessons including reflective study which may involve case studies, MCQs writing and calculation practice during week 4, depending on the specific module. The interactive lessons will track and remember your progress whilst you complete it. When you return to a specific lesson or case study, you will return to the page that you last visited.

Once a lesson is completed, a tick will appear next to the lesson icon on the module course page. You will also see a progress indicator at the top right-hand corner of the course page and a more detailed Progress Bar in the collapsible side menu on the left.

Upon completing all 9 lessons and the 2 case studies, you will be awarded a Digital Badge, recognising your achievement. As you progress through the program, badges will be awarded at 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 completion stages.

How many hours per week will I have to spend on the program?

You will spend on average 3-4 hours per week. Preparation of assessments and revising for the final exam is additional depending on your route.

Is the SAS 2022/23 program all online?

No, the full SAS program is mix of online theory and face to face practical teaching over 20 months.

The surgery practicals are consolidated into two 5-day sessions at the end of each year.

How do I find out more about the General Practictioner Certificate (GPCert) in Surgery ?

Here is a link to the ISVPS website, who accredit the qualification and run the assessements and GPCertSAS examinations https://www.isvps.org/p/au/examination/general-practitioner-certificate-in-small-animal-surgery/

Further information on the requirements of the GPCert SAS can also be found on our website here.

ISVPS communicates direclty with all delegates in the SAS program to provide details on registration for the GPCert and communications on the ISVPS assessments & examination.

Are the GPCertSAS assessments all online?

Yes – all the assessments required by the ISVPS for the GPCert, including the final examinations, are online.

It is a prerequisite of the GPCertSAS that the full accredited program must also be complete – which includes the online theory and full attendance at the face-to-face practical sessions.

How do I submit my online assessments for the GPCert?

All ISVPS assessments are uploaded to the candidates’ area via the ISVPS website. You will be given a full informaton and logins to the candidates’ area when you register with ISVPS.

What about the ANZCVS Membership in Small Animal Surgery - will this program help me with that?

This program completes the Learning Objectives of the GPCert SAS syllabus and is not intended to fully cover the ANZCVS Membership requirements.

The program will provide a solid clinical and practical knowledge that will definitely benefit those undertaking further study in small animal surgery and a number of our program participants have used it for preparation.

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