AMTRA assessors: Supporting you in the Viva exam

Ever wondered what the role of an AMTRA assessor entails? We get to know the newest additions to the team of AMTRA assessors taking RAMA candidates through their Viva exams.

In addition to the written assessment organised by AMTRA, RAMA candidates will have a one-to-one 10-15 minute oral examination, also called a Viva, which is carried out by an AMTRA assessor.

The Viva exam is a unique additional check by AMTRA alongside the written assessments, giving AMTRA additional confidence that RAMA candidates are fit to be included on the AMTRA register.

The Viva, which, prior to November 2020, took place as a face-to-face interview, is designed to demonstrate that a candidate has an understanding of, and ability to implement in practice the key legislative elements of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations, the Code of Practice, and the VMD’s guidance for retailers.

In more recent years, technology has enabled the Viva exam to take place online, via a Zoom video interview. When introducing the new digital format, AMTRA was sure to provide a test link, to ensure candidates are at ease with the process, allowing them to perform to the best of their ability.

Regular feedback is collected from candidates who have taken the Viva exam, which reports a valued flexibility of where and when the exam can be taken, with 92% of candidates reporting the experience as satisfactory, good or excellent.

AMTRA assessors are, as the name suggests, there to support candidates through the process of their exam and journey to becoming a Registered Animal Medicines Advisor (RAMA). Here, we introduce the five newest AMTRA assessors, who joined the team in 2022.

Originally from East Anglia, Chris now lives in Canada where he works as a veterinary pharmacist.

With experience in the veterinary field, Chris put himself through the SQP qualification and the Harper Adams veterinary programme, and later chose to become an AMTRA assessor.

Becoming an assessor felt like a natural progression for Chris, who has previous experience teaching and working closely with pharmacy students at a college. Chris believes his role as an AMTRA assessor is to make people feel at ease, as students often know the information, but can find exams stressful.