AMTRA RAMA (SQP) assessments

What follows is a summary: specific provisions relating to the online written assessments are set out in the document "Online written exams: Instructions and Information for Candidates and Employers" which should be studied.

 

A list of forthcoming assessment dates is available on the AMTRA website. Most assessments are carried out online: for most people this means sitting the exams at home or work or some other quiet place. In all cases the location must be able to support exam conditions including without being disturbed.

However, from time to time we do offer assessments hosted at Harper Adams University (in Shropshire), with one of two formats: either online butwhere the computer equipment is provided and configured for you, so you only need to turn up at the booked time, or with traditional pen and paper.

Instructions on how to book your exam are enclosed with your training manual. The current version of the booking form can be downloaded from the AMTRA website (form reference A03).

Booking a place on a training course is NOT the same as booking a place at the assessment. You must always send AMTRA an exam booking form if you intend to sit the assessment, regardless of where you are planning to take the assessment (or whether you've separately booked a training course).

 

Written assessments must be booked with AMTRA by the deadline date shown on our website, normally noon on the Friday that is 4 weeks before the batch of written assessments begins. As an exception, the viva (oral) exam may be booked up to 6 working days before the exam.

 

AMTRA will acknowledge receipt of your exam booking form by email. If you do not receive this within a week of submitting your exam form (or less if you are submitting very close to the booking deadline), please telephone AMTRA.

 

Your first assessment attempt must be taken within 24 months of enrolling with AMTRA, or you may pay a fee to extend this by a further 12 months. You must have enrolled with AMTRA first before booking your assessment – booking a training course is not the same as booking the assessment with AMTRA.

 

Please note the viva exams may become fully booked, and places are subject to availability. We do not anticipate any written assessments becoming full but may close these to bookings in exceptional circumstances. AMTRA and Harper Adams will make reasonable efforts to hold all assessments, but reserve the right to cancel an assessment at their sole discretion.

The fee for your first attempt at the written assessments and the viva is included in your original enrolment fee[1].

What you need to pass to become an AMTRA RAMA

Most candidates are assessed separately in the Base Module together with whichever species modules you have chosen:

• The Farm Animal Module
• The Equine Module
• The Companion Animal Module
• The Avian Module

To become an AMTRA RAMA you currently must pass the Base module, at least one species module, and the viva (oral exam) – but do see the section Changes to AMTRA Exams in 2024 and 2025 for how the viva requirement changes from September 2024.

Alternatively, Registered Veterinary Nurses are required to take just one written assessment:

• The Veterinary Nurse module

The Veterinary Nurse module effectively replaces the standard Base and Companion Animal modules, but RVNs may also enrol for the Farm Animal, Equine, or Avian modules if appropriate to their needs. RVNs must also pass the AMTRA viva (but do see the section "Changes to AMTRA Exams in 2024 and 2025" for how the viva requirement changes from September 2024).

To count towards the AMTRA RAMA qualification, the viva must be passed not more than 24 months before successful written assessments, so if written assessments are passed a long time after the viva (for instance after re-sits), then AMTRA will require a fresh viva (at the normal re-sit cost) before considering you for registration as a RAMA. Additionally, if you pass one or more written modules but fail overall to qualify as a RAMA, then any pass in the written modules will cease to be considered valid after 24 months if you don’t qualify in the meantime, and these would then have to be re-sat at the normal re-sit cost. Furthermore, if you fail all your written modules, AMTRA will normally require you to take a fresh viva (at the normal re-sit cost).