Phase 1 - Changes to format of Level 4 exams from September 2024

AMTRA/Harper Adams exams are at Higher Education Level 4 for Base, Veterinary Nurse, Avian and Companion. The Equine and Farm exams are at level 5 - there are no changes to the level 5 exams during 2024.

• Base, Veterinary Nurse, Avian and Companion written exams will be multiple-choice only, with no short or longer answer questions.
• The pass mark will increase to 60%.
• The Base exam will require a candidate to gain a pass mark in both the Legislation and the Body Systems parts of the exam, and the Veterinary Nurse exam will require passes in both the Legislation and Companion Animal sections. Anyone not gaining the pass mark in both sections will fail overall, and a re-sit will be for the entire paper, not just the section in question.
• Anyone passing the new format Base or Veterinary Nurse paper will not be required to pass an AMTRA viva
• There is one final opportunity for people needing to re-sit to take the old format exam that they will have already experienced - this opportunity will be limited to people doing re-sits (who may, however, sit the new format if they wish, on any of the standard exam dates). This final opportunity is shown in the exam dates on our website - it's week commencing 28 October. (Anyone passing the old format Base or Veterinary Nurse paper on this final attempt will still be required to pass the AMTRA viva.)
• There are no changes to the Equine or Farm papers in 2024.
• The exams during 2024 will continue to be based on the previous versions of the SQP Code of Practice and Veterinary Medicines Regulations. AMTRA strongly encourages candidates sitting exams in 2024 to look at the new texts, either before or immediately after qualification, to be aware of the changes introduced. All qualified RAMAs/SQPs are required to follow the new Code of Practice now.

Phase 2 - Changes to the syllabus, training manual, and content of exams

A periodic update of the AMTRA training manual is now complete and has now been published (with a date of July 2024 or later on the cover). This updated content and presentation, the result of much discussion with a wide range of partners, keeps the content fresh and relevant to the RAMA/SQP role. New exams from January 2025 will be based on this updated training manual and thus syllabus.

• All the written exams (Base, Veterinary Nurse, Avian, Companion, Equine and Farm) will change to reflect the updated training manual.
• The first exams based on the new training manual will be the first exams of 2025, in January.
• There will be one final opportunity in April 2025 to sit exams based on the legacy training manual. This will be open to anyone (not just re-sits) but will obviously suit those who have studied from the legacy training manual.
• Newly enrolling students (and those enrolling for additional modules) are now required to select whether they wish to have the legacy or the new version sent to them, based on when they chose to do their exams.
• Candidates already enrolled, who have the legacy training manual, will be able to request a copy of the updated training manual if they are taking their written exams in 2025. The first such notification was sent out to all students during the first full week of August.
• Anyone not taking advantage of the final opportunity to sit the exams based on the legacy content (or sitting such an exam but not passing) will have to sit exams based on the new training manual content.
• The AMTRA Compendium will not be available for use in these new exams - they will be written in a way that takes account of this, and includes access to a number of data sheets/SPCs within the online exam system. (See more details under the "Written exams" section.)
• The new content is not more difficult, but is updated, and will require fresh study.