Get Back into Small Animal Practice with Confidence
Are you returning to Small Animal Practice after a break? Do you want to get right up to date on conditions that you're likely to see during a typical day in practice?
Here's how GP Refresh can help you, from Course Leader Catherine Sturgeon......
Learning Safely in the Covid-19 Era


This highly interactive course with targeted practical sessions has been modified in order to provide learning in a safe and supportive environment for delegates, staff and tutors. You'll experience the same quality teaching, and the same number of practical sessions, with full tutor support throughout. Interactive seminars covering essential areas of small animal practice will be held online during the first 2 days of the course. Then you'll come to our Training Centre fully prepared for the third day, which will be entirely practical.
Social Distancing, enhanced cleaning measures, and Full PPE for the practical sessions will ensure that you can learn with confidence and support. Get the essential practical tips and help from our tutors that will make all the difference for your smooth transition back into small animal practice.
Book with confidence - if your circumstances change or you can't attend the course for any reason, we'll give you a full credit note valid for 18 months or transfer you to another suitable practical session at a convenient time for you. If we can't run the practical sessions due to restrictions, you'll still get the online days at the scheduled time, and we'll rearrange the practical to ensure that you get your hands-on sessions.
Join the hundreds of vets who have already used this course to enjoy returning to small animal practice, getting right up to date, or re-training from another clinical area.
Includes 2 FREE Surgery DVDs worth £190+VAT
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As an Equine Vet going to small animal, I found this course very informative and helpful. The practicals were excellent and great for gaining surgery competency. The lectures were very approachable. I would recommend this course to anyone thinking of the move to small animal practice.
Nicky Walsche MRCVS
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What a fantastic course this has been!I have been out of small animal practice for 5 years raising children and this was the best way to get back into it. The course was so packed with useful information and the practicals were so helpful. I feel so much more confident and competent now!
Samantha Bixley MRCVS
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Excellent refresher course for small animal practice. Good mix of theory and practical covering the most commonly found issues in first opinion practice. The lecturers are very approachable and helpful, plus the lunches were great too! Highly recommended for those who’ve had a break from practice, or if you just need a summary of current thinking in small animal practice.
Michael Buard MRCVS
The Refresher course for Vets in Small Animal Practice
Instead of a subject-specific CPD course, do you just want a really good update in several key small animal practice areas? Are you returning to small animal practice after a career break or coming to work in the UK and want a broad introduction to best practice in the UK? Do you just need an update after many years in practice?
Includes 2 FREE Surgery DVDs worth £190+VAT

The Refresher Course for GP Vets
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This was a brilliant way to catch up after 13 years out of small animal practice. Covered such a wide range of topics, good mix of lectures and practical sessions to build confidence. Along with the Online Mini Series to work through later. I am now feeling much more confident at facing a daunting return to practice
Lisa Shaul MRCVS
There are currently spaces available on the January 2021 Course and the August 2021 course - the perfect opportunity to develop your skills and confidence and get the most out of your return to practice.
What sort of things will we help you sort out!

Our approachable and friendly speakers have selected a variety of subject areas to discuss with you. They will provide you with clear, reassuring and practical guidance, equipping you with the confidence to cope with the complexity and diversity of small animal practice in the UK today.
Not just theory! There's lots of practical stuff too!
Otitis externa practical, how to insert a chest drain, wound dressings, enterotomy/ectomies, film reading sessions, sutures, staples and clips

There's lots of practical stuff too on GP Refresh
Have a question?
Call us now to speak to one of the team - We'll be delighted to help.
0151 328 0444

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Excellent 3 days with a good variety of clinical topics both medical and surgical. I would recommend this course highly to anyone who wants a common sense confidence booster. Great teachers and great atmosphere.
Mark Hedberg MRCVS
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Brilliant interactive CPD course that fully met my expectations. Excellent tutors, helpful and happy to answer all my questions, give advice and practical tips. I found the course very interesting and informative. It helped me to refresh and establish my knowledge and skills and boosted my confidence. I have also learned a lot. Would recommend it to anyone who needs to refresh their general practice skills, as I really enjoyed it.
Joanna Maciejewska MRCVS
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Details and informative lectures packed into three days. Practical sessions very useful. We were very well cared for all round including plentiful and delicious food
Sally Ashbridge MRCVS
The GP Refresh Course Dates
January
27th
- 27th January
TO
January
29th
- 29th January
CPD Solutions Training Centre
Studley, Warwickshire
£1997 (+VAT)
August
4th
- 4th August
TO
August
6th
- 6th August
CPD Solutions Training Centre
Studley, Warwickshire
£1997 (+VAT)
Become a more confident and more proficient small animal vet with the proven hands-on practical GP Refresh.
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Thank you very much for the greatest, most enjoyable course I have ever been on. It was an excellent training and a refreshing course. These three days were really useful for me to start to feel much more confident in practice, thank you so much to Catherine Sturgeon, Vanessa Schmidt, Carl Bradbrook
Lyubima Dimitrova MRCVS
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I am so glad to have found this course. Having been in equine practice, and then industry, since graduation this was the perfect CPD to reignite my passion for small animal medicine and surgery. It has given me the confidence to feel able to go back into practice and even down a completely different route. The broad knowledge that I have gained will also help me in my industry role. All tutors were fantastic and so understanding for all levels. My greatest fear for returning to practice is in surgery and Catherine was excellent. I can’t praise her enough. I would be keen to return for further surgical training.
Anna Welch MRCVS
Have a question?
Call us now to speak to one of the team - We'll be delighted to help.
0151 328 0444

The GP Refresh Course Programme
Day 1 Medicine and Dermatology
- Approach to Gastrointestinal Diseases
- Hepatopathies and pancreatitis- what you need to know
- Canine Atopic Dermatitis, Pyoderma and Malassezia dermatitis
- Endocrine updates for today’s practice
- Getting the most from your ‘in house’ laboratory
- Fleas and other creepy crawlies
- Otitis externa (practical)
Day 2 Emergency Care and Radiography
- Blood transfusions in first opinion practice
- Blocked cats and how to unblock them
- How to drain a chest (practical)
- Abdominal radiography- what can you see? (practical)
- Thoracic radiology- sort out those lung patterns! (practical)
Day 3 Anaesthesia and Surgery
- How to use Sutures, staples + clips (practical)
- Wound management – getting them to heal (practical)
- Current Anaesthetic equipment and agents and how to use them
- Exploratory laparotomy
- Enterotomy + enterectomy + cystotomy (practical)
- How to sedate your patients safely in typical practice scenarios
- Analgesia – what’s new
The GP Refresh Course Tutors
Course Leader
- Catherine Sturgeon BVetMed(Hons) CertSAS DipECVS MRCVS
Course Tutors
- Abby Caine MA VetMB CertVDI DipECVDI MRCVS
- Vanessa Schmidt BVSc(Hons) CertVD DipECVD MRCVS
- Carl Bradbrook BVSc CertVA DipECVAA MRCVS
- Simon Tappin MA VetMB CertSAM DipECVIM-CA MRCVS
- Andrew Kent BVSc DipECVIM-CA MRCVS
Have a question?
Call us now to speak to one of the team - We'll be delighted to help.
0151 328 0444

Feedback from Delegates on Recent Practical Courses with Covid Precautions
The handling of the practical sessions under the current circumstances was excellent.
Miriam Collister MRCVS
Everyone was lovely. And the COVID-19 protocol was very good.
Tatiana Santos MRCVS
Excellent organisation and friendly especially during difficult circumstances with restrictions of Coronavirus
Paula Jane Parker MRCVS
‘Fantastic given the Covid-19 restrictions. Thank you all!’
Lynne Faulconbridge MRCVS
‘Excellent from start to finish. Educational, professional, approachable and friendly. Felt very safe. Practical Session superb.’
Alison Baxter MRCVS
Really pleased with the Covid measures put in place.
Laura Stone MRCVS
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This was an excellent refresher after 3 years in farm animal practice. We were able to practice a range of practical and surgical skills using cadavers such as gastropexy and splenectomy. The lecturers were all incredibly engaging and it was a good opportunity for case discussion. I would recommend this course to any vets new to small animal practice or following a career break as it provided a good summary of general practice all lumped into a 3 day course. It was also a good chance to meet others in similar circumstances to me and share experiences.
Amy Glanvill MRCVS
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After 10 years of equine only practice I felt stuck, disillusioned and worried about starting out in small animal practice. This course was a great overview and update and exceeded any of my expectations. The tutors gave good lectures and were friendly and approachable, and there was a great practical element with good tuition on techniques which I’ll now feel happier about when faced with in practice. Well organised, good coffee and notes! Friendly delegates and staff.
Gail Scott MRCVS
Have a question?
Call us now to speak to one of the team - We'll be delighted to help.
0151 328 0444
