Why is Specialist Status important?
Specialist status has been introduced to protect owners and their pets, providing them with the piece of mind in knowing that they are genuinely dealing with someone who has achieved the highest level of expertise in their field. An officially recognised Veterinary Specialist is an individual who has had advanced training in an approved facility provided by a fully qualified expert in their field. After completing these requirements the individual can then sit for the Diploma or Fellowship examinations, and once this status is achieved, they must fulfil other stringent criteria such as involvement in clinical work, research, and training other veterinary surgeons in their field. Specialist status is difficult to achieve and maintain, and it is the highest level of recognition of expertise that can be attained in clinical veterinary work.
Terms such as “Consultant” or “Ophthalmologist” or other such terms are confusing for the general public as in the human medical field they imply specialist status. It is important to understand that this is not the case in the veterinary field. Only a veterinary surgeon who is a Recognised Specialist is allowed to call themselves a “Specialist”. The Australian States’ Veterinary Registration Boards are looking into this issue at present and are likely to regulate on these terms in the near future to reduce this confusion for pet owners and prevent non specialists from using terminology which is designed to confuse the general public. Always ask to ensure you are seeing a fully qualified Specialist.
Please follow this link to the Veterinary Surgeons’ Board of Western Australia to clarify whether the person you are seeing is a Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology:
http://www.vsbwa.org.au/vets/specialist-veterinary-surgeons/
Post-graduate qualifications in Veterinary Ophthalmology
The veterinary profession has several levels of post graduate study available for people interested in ophthalmology. The initial level is often a UK qualification issued by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons called the Certificate in Veterinary Ophthalmology. This is awarded to general practitioners who have an interest in a subject but this is not a specialist qualification. Following obtaining a Certificate, a veterinary surgeon can then perform extensive further study and complete several years of training in a recognised residency, studying under a recognised Specialist. Only then are they permitted to sit for the Diploma or Fellowship examination, and only after achieving this high level qualification are they allowed to apply for specialist status. Specialist Recognition by the Veterinary Surgeons’ Board is considered the highest level of veterinary clinical specialisation in Australia.
