Newsletter Highlights
- Message from the President
- Strategic Plan
- Ombudsperson Role
- Call for Nominations
- Exam accommodations
- Training Centre Annual Updates
- Media Committee - Diplomate Interview
- Free Online Tube Check Training Module
- Dates for the Diary
Message from the President
Strategic Plan
In the March 2026 Newsletter, I mentioned that we were working on a strategic plan for the College. In our College this takes the form of a short document prepared by the President and approved by the Executive Committee, identifying opportunities and challenges for the College. The previous Plan was prepared under the presidency of Andrey Parry. That plan served the College well in providing inspiration for its various initiatives.
The current plan for the period 2026 to 2030 is now completed. It can be reviewed and revised as future College Presidents see fit. The plan identifies expansion of the College in terms of membership, the diversification of work environments, and the evolution of the discipline as areas that present new opportunities and challenges. Based on this, the strategic plan identifies key areas of focus for the coming period. These areas cover ongoing attention to standards in residency training and certification; adaptation to the current and projected numbers of residents and Diplomates that the College supports; the geographic profile of our College; the nature of the work that members undertake; and the critical evaluation of the contributions and limitations that artificial intelligence can bring to our work.
As part of its five‑year detailed reports (revalidation) to EBVS, ECVDI is required to show sound governance and sustainability, awareness of future challenges and risks, and planned development of training capacity, examinations, and standards. Our strategic plan is part of this process, and it has been well received by EBVS. I will present the plan at the College AGM in November. To view the strategic plan please visit: https://www.ecvdi.org/sites/www.ecvdi.org/files/medias/documents/ECVDI/ECVDI%20Strategic%20Plan%202026.pdf
Ombudsperson Role
Progress can also be reported on the position of Ombudsman in our College. The Welfare Committee has been active in promoting the position, which we hope will be a resource that will assist in addressing conflicts and disputes should they arise. The Ombudsman role calls on an experienced College member, free from committee attachments, who will be available to residents and Diplomates. This is a new position, but its general role is to provide a confidential and impartial mechanism for addressing concerns about perceived maladministration, procedural unfairness, or improper treatment within ECVDI. A call for nominations has been sent out, and we are in the fortunate position to be able to appoint three individuals to this role. I am pleased to share that Jeremy Mortier, Laure Gatel and Agustina Anson have now been appointed. They will be meeting in the near future to discuss the role in more detail and consider how it may evolve over time. We hope they will be able to support one another both in their work and in shaping the development of the role. An email will be sent out to the membership following this meeting with further information.
Call for Nominations
On a more immediate note, you may have seen that the Selection Committee has sent out a call for nominations seeking candidates to fill various remaining vacant committee and other positions in the College. Please do consider nominating yourself for any that you feel will suit your profile, or approaching other members to ask if they would be happy to be nominated. Nominations are passed to the Selection Committee, who then match the nominees to available positions. This process assists in keeping the membership of our various committees transparent and, for positions that are filled by election, gives the membership the best possible range of candidates from which to choose.
Fintan McEvoy
President, ECVDI
Exam Accommodations
The updated Exam Accommodations Guidance, including the procedure for requesting extra time during the examination, is now available in the Resident section on the ECVDI website. Candidates who require additional time are encouraged to review the document carefully and ensure that any requests are submitted in accordance with the outlined process and deadlines.
https://www.ecvdi.org/info/residents/resident-exams
Training Centre Annual Updates
The Credentials Committee will shortly circulate a Google Form for Programme Directors to complete regarding their programme. As you will be aware, we previously removed the requirement for Training Centres to submit an annual update form and instead asked that any major programme changes be reported directly to the Committee. This approach has not worked as effectively as hoped, so we are reintroducing a Google Form to collect specific information. The form has been designed to be simple and quick to complete, and it will help ECVDI maintain accurate and up‑to‑date programme records.
Media Committee - Diplomate Interview
We are pleased to present this interview with a distinguished member of one of the College’s committees dedicated to resident training (RIVDI) Alessandro Delaude.
https://www.ecvdi.org/ecvdi-interview-alessandro-delaude-2026
Free Online Tube Check Training Module
As part of a recently published study, Andrea Vila Cabaleiro (second-year Diagnostic Imaging Resident at the Royal Veterinary College) and supervisor Ella Fitzgerald (Nell) have developed a Nasoesophageal/Nasogastric Tube Check Training Module, hosted by the Royal Veterinary College:
The module includes 196 real radiograph cases, evidence-based guidelines for tube positioning and interpretation, and instant answers. All are freely accessible in one place. I hope it may serve as a useful training tool for interns, residents and clinicians across different institutions.
For any questions, please contact Andrea Vila Cabaleiro (avilacabableiro@rvc.ac.uk)
Dates for the Diary
2026
- 8-10 May 2026: Sonopath Summit - Vienna, Austria
- 2 June: Theoretical Exam resit
- 3 June: RIVDI Diplomate Session (LA) - Zoom
- 15-19 June 2026: Vet Meet Summer Camp - Sao Miguel, Azores
- 12-16 July 2026: IVRA Conference - Fukuoka, Japan
- 14-17 October 2026: ACVR Annual Scientific Conference - New Orleans, USA
- 17-18 October 2026: RIVDI Mock Exam (practical) - Brussels, Belgium
- 5 November 2026: RIVDI Resident Day - Birmingham, UK
- 6-7 November 2026: EAVDI-BID Meeting - Birmingham, UK
- 7 November 2026: ECVDI AGM - Birmingham, UK
- 25 November: RIVDI Diplomate Session (SA) - Zoom
2027
- w/b 25 January 2027: ECVDI Exams week
- 22-25 September 2027: EVDI Annual Congress - Helsinki, Finland