Veterinary Ultrasound and Radiography Mentorship Program

Course overview

The SkillVet Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasonography Mentorship Program is a 9-month postgraduate continuing education program designed for small animal veterinarians who wish to develop a structured, clinically applicable approach to diagnostic imaging. The program combines radiology, ultrasonography, case-based learning, supervised practical training, and longitudinal mentorship to help participants progress from foundational interpretation skills to confident clinical application in daily practice. The program is delivered across five in-person modules between October 2026 and June 2027, taking place in Prague, Warsaw, Bucharest, and Cluj. The curriculum begins with thoracic and abdominal radiology, including normal anatomy, lung patterns, pleural and mediastinal disease, thoracic masses, cardiac radiology, gastrointestinal and genitourinary radiography, and abdominal mass interpretation. The radiology component then progresses to musculoskeletal imaging, including aggressive versus non-aggressive bone lesions, diseases of the growing and mature patient, trauma, and extensive case-based revision. The ultrasonography component introduces ultrasound physics, artefacts, machine optimisation, and scanning technique before progressing through a systematic small animal ultrasound curriculum. Participants receive supervised training in abdominal ultrasonography, including the liver, biliary tract, spleen, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, urinary tract, reproductive tract, adrenal glands, and lymph nodes. Advanced practical sessions also cover ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirates and biopsies, ocular ultrasound, thyroid and parathyroid ultrasound, neck ultrasound, salivary glands, larynx and trachea, lymph nodes of the head, and selected musculoskeletal ultrasound applications such as tendon scanning. The teaching format combines structured lectures, live demonstrations, case-based discussions, small-group practical sessions, guided image interpretation, and continuous instructor feedback. A major emphasis is placed on clinically relevant decision-making rather than isolated image recognition. Participants are taught to use a logical, repeatable approach to image interpretation, integrate radiographic and ultrasonographic findings with the clinical picture, recognise limitations of each imaging modality, and produce structured diagnostic imaging reports applicable to first-opinion and referral clinical settings. The program is designed as a longitudinal mentorship rather than a short standalone course. Between modules, participants are encouraged to consolidate learning through case review, image interpretation exercises, reflective assignments, and ongoing mentor-guided feedback. The final module includes revision, case discussions, a theoretical examination, and a practical examination. Participants who complete the program and successfully pass the final assessments are awarded the SkillVet Certificate in Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasonography. The overall goal is to provide veterinarians with the knowledge, technical scanning ability, and clinical reasoning skills required to approach diagnostic imaging cases with greater confidence, consistency, and professional accuracy.