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Tag: equine

Final-year students get their kit off for charity calendar

A sneak peek at this year’s charity calendar.

As the end of vet school draws ever nearer, my fellow final-year students have been busy not only completing rotations, but also organising a number of events and keepsakes to act as a well-deserved send-off.

With the final-year dinner, graduation ball, final-year holiday and yearbook, we have been inundated with requests for ideas, contributions and cash.

To add to this, a number of final-year students have taken on the challenge of facing the often-gruelling weather of the north, lurking around the library after nightfall and sidling into the hospital out of hours to continue a long-standing tradition of the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine – the soon-to-be-new-graduates’ naked calendar.

Time-honoured tradition

The calendar has been a Glasgow vet school tradition for many years.

My colleagues have been baring flesh across the Scottish countryside and around the vet campus to contribute to a masterpiece of (for the most part) tasteful animal, vet or countryside-themed photos, to raise money for a number of great causes. The final-year naked calendar has been an annual fund-raiser for many years and the tradition has not died with the class of 2017.

Proceeds from sales of the calendar will be split between The Trusty Paws Clinic and Students for Animals in Need (SAIN), with a small proportion going towards our graduation ball.

It’s fantastic to be able to use the calendar tradition to support the much-loved student charities Glasgow vet school is proud to be home to.

The calendars are being sold at a pre-sale price of £8 until the end of March and will be then be available for £10 each. To order, email Alice at 2019429C@student.gla.ac.uk for bank transfer details and state how many copies are required.

Trusty Paws

The Trusty Paws Clinic was set up in Glasgow to provide free veterinary care to dogs belonging to the homeless. Students from stages of the veterinary course are involved in gaining resources, fund-raising and organisation of the monthly clinics.

The clinics involve fourth year students, supervised by a qualified vet, volunteering to conduct clinical examinations and administer basic treatments such as vaccinations, worming and flea control. I had the pleasure of being involved in a clinic last year, which enabled me to experience how appreciative the owners are.

Resources for the dogs – such as coats, food, collars and toys – are also given out at the clinics, thanks to donations via an Amazon wish list. The charity has now expanded to London, too, where RVC students run the clinics.

For more information, visit the clinic’s website.

Students for Animals in Need

SAIN is a charity set up and run by students at Glasgow vet school, and offers financial aid for animals presented to the university’s Small Animal Hospital and Weipers Centre Equine Hospital that may not otherwise be able to receive the treatment they require.

Students from all year groups contribute to fund-raising and assessment of eligible cases. A number of animals have benefited from the funding available over the years.

More details can be found on the SAIN website.

March 1, 2017
How to grab a grad: job ad tips for veterinary practices

2017 has reared its hopefully not-so-ugly head, and with it comes the realisation my classmates and I are mere months from entering the real world of veterinary medicine.

The sheer number of poorly written recruitment ads has prompted Jordan to create a list of tips for advertising a job to new grad vets.

While tales of classmates getting job offers following placements become more frequent, those of us without much of a plan have, so far, remained blissfully ignorant. But now we fear our lazy flicking through the job adverts at the back of varying veterinary publications will have to become less of an exercise in procrastination and more of a quest for our future.

While my flatmate and I often indulge ourselves in shared exasperation at the lack of mixed or farm jobs, or simply flick through to see if we know the practices and try to work out who must have left, we have noticed a few patterns in poor adverts – and these mild grievances have resulted in this list of top tips for advertising a job to new grads.

(Disclaimer: these tips are not based on any success rates, merely on the opinion of myself and some of my colleagues)

Title

The most annoying thing when skimming job adverts is to read half a page of waffle, only to reach the end and realise it’s the wrong type of work or miles away from the area we’re looking around.

A short, snappy title wants to include type of work (small/farm/mixed vet), location and, perhaps, whether a new graduate is wanted. For example: “New grad position for mixed practice in Leicester.”

The practice name doesn’t really need to be there (we’ll read on to find out); the purpose of the title is to catch the eye of your prospective applicant.

Do you want a new grad?

“Suitable for new graduate” or “new graduates considered” is all we need to know. On the flip side, if you don’t want a new graduate, please say so (for example, “must have two years’ experience”), otherwise we’ll be wasting our time looking into it and wasting your time if we apply.

We also don’t really need further details on this topic. Information like “great support network for new graduate” is too wordy and the support needed will vary between individuals – we’ll only get a true feel for that on interview or trial.

Type of vet

Please, please, please say what type of practice you are or what type of vet you want. I know it sounds simple, but the number of adverts that leave me unsure whether they’re for a mixed or small animal role is frustrating. In these instances, I’ll often have to look at the practice logo to work out where to hedge my bets…

Type of vet (additional)

The term “mixed vet” doesn’t tell us a lot and “mainly SA [small animal], some LA [large animal]” doesn’t really tell us a great deal more. A clear (and preferably accurate) estimate of the likely proportions of work will give us the best idea of what to expect – “50% small, 30% farm, 20% equine”, for example.

Out-of-hours rota

Clearly stating the out-of-hours rota in an adequate amount of detail avoids any misunderstandings and helps us know what to expect from the off. For example, “1 in 3 rota” gives us a bit of an idea, but I’ve seen some really good adverts that clearly state something along the lines of: “4.5-day week with 1 in 3 weekends and 1 day off following a worked weekend.”

Things like this can be clarified at interview if not clear in the advert, but it just keeps everyone on the same page from the beginning.

Pay

Pay is not the be all and end all in a first job – and this will depend on whether other benefits are offered – but we’d still like a ballpark figure to be able to assess if what we’re being offered is reasonable.

Other benefits

A lot of practices seem to like to highlight their CPD allowance, which is all very well for those more experienced vets, but new graduates have the Personal Development Programme to occupy them in their first year of practice, so an attractive CPD allowance doesn’t mean much to us.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a new graduate, state whether you have accommodation or a car available – again the details will be discussed at interview, but these can be a priority for some new graduates who are potentially moving to a new area. We may discard an advert that doesn’t state whether they have accommodation, even if it would transpire later they can offer some.

Final thoughts

I’m not drawn to an “all singing, all dancing” colour advert that takes up half a page in particular – the most important things for me are a clear and concise title, and an advert that is short enough to keep my attention, but includes just the right amount of detail.

January 18, 2017
Musings on a month in Morocco

Obviously I’m biased, but I think the University of Glasgow offers the best selective rotation options of the vet schools in the UK. Numerous opportunities exist to go abroad, with a variety of options based on species or type of practice.

Jordan spent a month working with American Fondouk.

The traveller in me was never going to pass up an opportunity to take to the skies, so halfway through my final year (eek) I found myself with five classmates on a plane to Morocco.

Language barrier

American Fondouk is a charity clinic for the working equids of Fes. Every morning the gates open at 8am and a stream of mules, donkeys and horses wander in with various ailments.

My French is minimal and Arabic non-existent, so history taking usually involved the owner pointing at the affected body part and translation with the help of a multilingual staff member. Even so, the histories were usually little more than “he fell over” or “it’s been like this for a week”.

Clinical exams were also not without challenges. For a start, it’s important to note donkey “normals” are different to those of horses (at first, we thought everything was hypothermic), and mules kick – in every direction.

Normal’s not normal

“It’s been like this for a week…”

Treatment of outpatients could vary from ivermectin and a dental to admission and intensive care for critical cases. It was just a case of dealing with whatever walked through that door.

Certain normal parameters for horses are different in Morocco than in the UK and for a while I couldn’t understand why so much fuss existed about PCVs of 40% – it turns out the Moroccan normal range for PCV is much lower than I was used to.

A full hospital with multiple high-maintenance inpatients certainly kept us on our toes for the month. However, after a couple of weeks, we’d gotten used to a lack of sleep, the protocols for treating certain conditions and the general craziness our daily lives had become.

I felt competent with a number of practical skills I’d never tried before I came to the clinic and could diagnose a tetanus case before it was even off the box. Wound care and bandaging were daily requirements – it was astonishing to see how well some seemingly horrific wounds would heal and the animals recover.

Ethical dilemmas

Acting in the interests of the animal without its owner’s permission is not allowed in Morocco.

The hardest thing I found about working at the clinic were the ethics surrounding euthanasia.

To the owners, these animals are often their only source of income – their livelihood – and the economics of replacing a mule are heartbreaking. Emotions run high when a seriously sick mule with a heart rate through the roof, suspected of a surgical colic, desperately in need of the pink juice would leave the owner with nothing.

The other logistical obstacle is the legal status of these animals. In Morocco, these animals are considered property of the owner and as such, permission must be gained before euthanising an animal.

Acting in the interests of the animal without permission is not allowed, so if an owner is not contactable, some unavoidable suffering may occur. This is limited as much as possible through pain relief, despite knowing what ultimately needs to happen in the interests of the animal.

Outside the box

On the whole, we were able to do our best for our patients and provide the optimum care.

I had a great, albeit exhausting, month. Working in a busy environment with somewhat limited resources pushes you to think outside the box and embrace different approaches to problems.

I learned a lot, gained confidence and even managed to discharge a patient in stilted Arabic by the end.

November 17, 2016
Eating disorders and the veterinary profession

The general public associates the word “anorexia” with the eating disorder characterised by refusing to eat to lose weight, which, in human medicine, has the more specific name of “anorexia nervosa”. As vets, we use the word the term “anorexic” in the slightly different sense of being a clinical sign our patients exhibit – defined as “a lack or loss of appetite”.

Is the veterinary profession practising what it preaches when it comes to nutrition?

When referring to vets themselves, however, these definitions blur together a little, but I believe many vets frequently exhibit clinical signs that may or may not be part of an eating disorder.

While there is a lack of hard evidence or figures for eating disorders within the veterinary profession, it is estimated 10% of UK veterinary students suffer from eating disorders (not limited to anorexia nervosa), which is higher than the figure for the general UK population, which sits at 6.4%. (vetlife.org.uk).

Another branch

We are all made very aware of the mental health statistics and suicide risk of vets, and eating disorders are another branch of that tree.

Despite the lack of evidence to back up the theory, based on anecdotes alone, I’m willing to bet eating disorders, or even intermittent “anorexia” (the clinical sign), are more prevalent in qualified vets than the general population.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been on EMS and spent the entire day in the car with the same vet, going from call to call and not seeing them eat once.

I’m probably on the other end of the scale; I tend to get indigestion and heartburn from excess stomach acid production if I don’t eat regularly enough, so I tend to stress about the next time I’m going to eat (which turns into a vicious cycle because those symptoms also develop as a result of that stress). Therefore, I always try to ensure I have a packed lunch so I never get caught out.

On the road

Veterinary professionals on the road can often find themselves picking up fast food, which will be of long-term detriment to their health.

The number of ambulatory equine or farm vets who don’t appear to carry food in their cars is astounding.

They often rely on getting time to stop for food – which, inevitably, results in them not eating for the whole working day or picking up unhealthy fast food or snacks, which isn’t really much better.

When discussing my observations with fellow students, many of them have similar tales, and the problem is not limited to ambulatory practice.

While many vets and nurses in small animal practice will have a slightly more routine structure to their working lives, there’s always the odd mad day, week or month when they just can’t seem to grab a minute to supply their digestive system between consults, surgeries and emergencies.

Despite my own claim of always being prepared to avert such situations, sometimes they’re unavoidable.

I’ve found myself a few select times during rotations when I’ve been so rushed off my feet, trying to get everything done or see clients, that I haven’t eaten lunch until well after 4pm. Then, it’s likely I’ve got to that stage of being “past hungry”, but, as it is at that point I normally get headachey and feel a bit weak, I force something down despite not really wanting it any more.

Can’t or won’t?

Now, there’s a subtle difference between anorexia (a “lack of appetite”) and physically not having a chance to eat despite the grumbling in your stomach and the agonising knowledge there’s a pretty decent lunch waiting in the fridge in the next room – but it’s a fine line.

If a client has been waiting 20 minutes for you already, surely another two won’t hurt while you inhale a sandwich? Are vet staff just too busy to eat sometimes or are they not finding the time themselves? No matter how stressed and busy you are, you should still be able to satisfy the basic human right of being able to eat.

I believe the problem of the profession not eating properly is a combination of possible eating disorders, stress related anorexia and the working environment.

Take responsibility

Finding time to eat is crucial, says Jordan, for the health of both the profession and its patients.

I have previously expressed my opinion of the poor work-life balance within the UK veterinary profession, and ignoring rest breaks that are a legal requirement in almost any other field – while not entirely to blame – certainly doesn’t make it easy for vets to look after themselves.

On the other hand, vets need to take personal responsibility for their own health and find time to eat during the working day – if you don’t look after number one, you won’t be providing optimal care to your patients.

As much as skipping one meal might seem like a short-term solution to helping a patient that little bit sooner, it will be at the detriment of your clinical ability in the long term.

Evidently, this is not a clear cut problem and, as such, there’s no fix-all solution.

However, I think vocalising these issues is a good starting point if we wish to become a more healthy, sustainable profession in the future.

November 2, 2016
How to anaesthetise a reindeer

I’ve written before about omnicompetency, but the word is mostly used in the sense of vets being able to work in mixed practice and tackle the veterinary care of horses, dogs, cats and farm animals in the same day – certainly, the first thing to come to mind would not be a reindeer.

However, on my recent equine placement, the staff were met with quite the challenge when a reindeer was referred in.

“Reindeer aren’t something you’d expect to see every day in practice,” says Jordan.

With a history of acute coughing/regurgitation, the reindeer in question had a suspected food impaction in the cranial oesophagus. Conscious radiographs and an ultrasound scan (he was a very well-behaved reindeer) confirmed suspicions of foodstuff, but it didn’t seem to be in the oesophagus.

Collaborative anaesthesia

The equine team – with help from one of the farm vets and some phone calls to other colleagues and practices that had dealt with reindeer before – came up with an anaesthetic protocol and proceeded to surgery.

The reindeer was induced with ketamine and xylazine before a gastroscope was used to try to visualise the larynx and trachea.

There appeared to be a diverticulum or outpouching from the oesophagus at the level of the larynx, which is where the food impaction had settled.

This discovery triggered a discussion as to whether our findings could be normal in some reindeer – similar to the Zenker’s diverticulum in people – since its appearance suggested a congenital, rather than acquired, defect.

A gastroscope was used to aid placement of an endotracheal tube and the reindeer was, subsequently, maintained under anaesthesia with isoflurane. He was positioned carefully in consideration of the rumen and ventilated throughout the procedure, which was to incise into the pouch using a lateral approach and remove the impacted food material.

Back to his reindeer games

He recovered well from the anaesthesia and was happily bounding around a paddock before long, eating some specially imported moss provided by his owner.

Reindeer aren’t something you’d expect to see every day in practice, but it was a great example of how veterinary knowledge can be adapted and applied to new situations, with the added benefit of working together with others with varying levels of experience to come up with a solution.

June 30, 2016
Standing surgery

On my latest EMS placement at an equine hospital, I’ve seen a number of surgeries – some done under general anaesthesia (GA) and others under standing sedation.

After getting over the fact a horse can stand half asleep while having its face drilled into and not really seem to care, I started wondering about the pros and cons of both approaches.

“Sinus surgery to remove a bony mass – that is me in the pink scrubs holding the head,” says Jordan.

Generally, standing sedation is accompanied by less haemorrhage and, therefore, increased visibility – in sinus surgery, for example. It also eliminates many risks associated with general anaesthesia. However, asepsis may be harder to maintain (for example, if the horse moves and the surgical site comes into contact with something that isn’t sterile, such as the stocks).

Lower costs

For the client, procedures conducted under standing sedation would be much cheaper than the costs incurred from general anaesthesia.

During general anaesthesia, atelectasis contributes to the risks from an intraoperative point of view, as well as myositis and cardiac concerns (of which the risk can be considerably reduced by the use of acepromazine in the premedication protocol).

A risk of injury also exists during recovery and knockdown, such as worsening incomplete fractures or other self-inflicted wounds, which can, to some degree, be prevented by carefully assisted knockdown and paying careful attention during recovery with the use of ropes.

Achieving optimal sedation for standing surgery can, in some cases, be difficult. For example, the horse must be adequately sedated, but not so much it is swaying; this can be an issue for intricate surgeries, but may be more of a problem for diagnostic imaging (such as MRI or bone scintigraphy).

In these cases, I have seen morphine used – opposed to the usual sedative culprits, such as detomidine, butorphanol and xylazine – and it seems to achieve sedation without so much swaying.

Choosing correct method

The choice of standing sedation versus GA depends on the type of surgery required, but a number of procedures can be done using either method.

Last week, I saw tie-back surgeries (prosthetic laryngoplasties to correct laryngeal hemiplegia) done both ways, which made for an interesting comparison. The standing tie-back was considerably quicker, taking into account the time for knockdown and recovery, as well as surgical time.

Both tie-backs were followed by a laser hobday procedure (ventriculoectomy), meaning both procedures were conducted under the same sedation in the standing horse, whereas the tie-back performed after GA had to be followed later the same day, after the horse had recovered sufficiently to undergo standing sedation for the laser.

The second tie-back was a repeat of a previously failed procedure, hence GA was chosen to allow removal of the first prosthesis.

The standing technique is still being tweaked, but, despite reports of postoperative infection in more cases than ideal, the easier access to the laryngeal cartilages while standing – and the avoidance of further risks associated with GA – contribute to continued work to perfect this method.

Some surgeries, however, can still only be done properly via GA. Colic surgery, for example, requires significant abdominal access and, often, examination of the gastrointestinal tract. It is also highly recommended septic joint surgery and lavage is conducted under GA to ensure optimal sterility on closure of the joint.

Conclusion

Having now seen both types of surgery in the horse, it’s astonishing how quick standing surgery can be, and how much goes into the preparation and recovery for GA – even for the shortest of procedures. In one surgery, division of the aryepiglottic fold, causing epiglottic entrapment, took a matter of minutes – if you didn’t count the couple of hours total taken for premedication, knockdown and recovery from GA.

The choice very much depends on the procedure, and is assessed for each case. I do, however, think the advantages to standing surgery are significant and look forward to seeing more standing techniques developed in the future.

June 13, 2016
Omnicompetence – maybe not so foolish?

The first of April brought with it the usual abundance of amusing online articles, tweets and blogs, only claiming credibility until midday – and the veterinary community was no exception.

Sun Life’s “courtesy pet” joke didn’t have vet student Jordan fooled for a minute.

Some April Fools were obvious hoaxes – such as Sun Life’s courtesy pet scheme, offering owners a replacement pet in place of their beloved while away at the vets – while others were a little harder to interpret, such as BEVA’s announcement of a privately funded equine vet degree – or maybe that’s because I was still half asleep and it was the first one I’d seen before realising the date.

Food for thought

Although it was cleared up at midday that BEVA president Mark Bowen was not due to become dean of the first UK equine-only vet school and that the nine traditional degrees would remain the only ones available, it did provoke some thought about whether it would be such a bad idea after all.

While plans for a traditional five-year omnicompetence approach, followed by a further three years of equine-only study, seemed a little far-fetched (fourth year has nearly finished me off – I certainly don’t think I’d hack eight years at vet school), many veterinary schools around the world use a condensed version of this model.

For example, Utrecht University in the Netherlands follows the format of a three-year bachelor’s degree for all species, followed by a three-year master’s degree aimed solely at one species/area (with the exception of 20 weeks). The University of Leige in Belgium compromises in that the fifth year is spent rotating through clinics for all species and half of the final (sixth) year is spent in one area in particular, with a choice of small animal, farm or equine.

Omnicompetence or specialisation?

The question of omnicompetence or specialisation is highly debatable and seems to go around in circles in the UK. Earlier career specialisation would be favoured by some who know, undoubtedly, they never want to see a cat, dog or rabbit again after vet school – likewise for those who shudder at the thought of an emergency caesarean and an angry farmer.

Early specialisation as an equine vet could mean you’ll never find yourself taking a blood sample from a lion. Image courtesy Shamwari Conservation Experience.

But what about those like me, who, after a considerable amount of vet school already under his or her belt and a variety of EMS placements (good and bad), when posed with the question “what sort of practice do you want to go into?” still can’t come up with anything more eloquent than: “Umm… mixed?”

The advantage of omnicompetence is that, in theory, graduates should leave vet school equipped with the knowledge and skills to address most cases in general practice in any field/species, deal with emergencies and know who or where to refer a patient to if the case is beyond his or her abilities.

Early specialisation could change this to the extent an equine or farm graduate asked “can you just look at my dog” may end up looking a bit silly.

Everything changes

Circumstances also change and accidents do happen. A vet may end up sustaining an injury while working with horses or livestock that could prevent him or her from doing so in the future, so a species-specific degree could force him or her to leave clinical practice altogether.

Similarly to the “new vet schools” debate, it is feared introducing species-specific degrees may reduce job availability for graduates who have taken the traditional educational pathway, making the equine sector, in particular, even more “elitist”. Ultimately, this could potentially drive the profession away from the concept of mixed practice altogether.

Master of one?

More like our medical counterparts, we could lose our “Jack of all trades” status and end up being highly specialised instead, which does, of course, have its advantages, but leaves those of us who want a bit of variety and flexibility in the dark.

For me, omnicompetence is definitely the right starting point for a veterinary degree, but I know others have very different opinions. I did, however, enjoy the brief social media debate before a communal sigh of relief.

My personal favourite April Fool this year, however, was the University of Glasgow’s announcement the university tower would be reopening as a public helter-skelter (see video below) – and I’m still disappointed it isn’t true.

April 20, 2016
RCVS council election manifesto: Christopher ‘Kit’ Sturgess
CHRISTOPHER ‘KIT’ STURGESS

MA, VetMB, PhD, CertVR, CertVC, DSAM, MRCVS

39 New Forest Drive, Brockenhurst, Hampshire SO42 7QT.

T 01590 623033

M 07974 017303

E kit@vetfreedom.com

PROPOSERS: Rob Lowe, Gerry Polton

I qualified from the University of Cambridge in 1986 and spent six years in first-opinion practice, moving from mixed through equine to 100 per cent small animals. During this time, I gained my certificate in radiology.

My desire to “know more” brought me back to university where I spent the next 10 years at the University of Bristol and the RVC gaining my PhD, certificate in cardiology and diploma in small animal medicine.

Following a brief period in industry, I worked in private referral practice for seven years. During this time, I set up a small animal referral centre that rapidly expanded year on year to meet the demand for the service we provided from general practitioners.

Since 2012, I have been 60 per cent clinical work, allowing more time to spend with my young family and pursue my other interests within the veterinary profession, particularly education and support for general practitioners through the RCVS council, the BSAVA, supporting candidates for the newer modular certificate, responding to case enquiries and providing CPD.

I am an RCVS recognised specialist in small animal medicine and an advanced practitioner in veterinary cardiology. I have lectured worldwide to the complete spectrum of the veterinary profession, as well as writing peer-reviewed articles and textbooks.

Manifesto

Working with the RCVS council and staff over the past three years, I have encountered a dedicated, fascinating and rewarding group of people with a vast range of different skills, experience and knowledge.

On council, my main focus has been on education, particularly developing and launching the advanced practitioner status. This has been very successful and will prove a major force in bringing clarity to further professional qualifications. Beyond this, the Vet Futures and the Mind Matters Initiative are exciting projects and I am keen to continue to be involved. With my broad background and experience of most areas of the profession, I feel I can bring a valuable perspective to these discussions.

Since qualifying 30 years ago, the profession has changed hugely and this rate of change is increasing as new technologies and ways of communicating become available in a 24/7 world. The RCVS has adopted a forward-looking, proactive strategy I would like to support and help develop, ensuring there remains focus on a number of key elements that are core to the profession:
- Communicating our skills as veterinary surgeons and scientists to the general public and government.
- Maintaining robust, lifelong learning through achievable further professional qualifications and outcome-based CPD.
- Promoting the health and welfare of the veterinary profession as a whole, so it remains vigorous and vibrant and continues to attract great people to work in it.
- Ensuring governance of the RCVS continues to develop so it is transparent, accessible, relevant and responsive to our current, rapidly changing world.
My CV clearly shows I have broad experience of the profession and have retained strong links with general practice. Allied to this, I understand the needs of veterinary education, research and business as well as the importance of good governance and forward planning.
March 24, 2016
RCVS council election manifesto: Stephen May

STEPHEN MAY

MA, VetMB, PhD, DVR, DEO, DipECVS, FHEA, FRCVS

Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA.

T 01707 666270

M 07768 288711

E smay@rvc.ac.uk

PROPOSERS: Sue Dyson, Andrew Harrison

I graduated from the University of Cambridge in 1980. After spending time as large animal house surgeon (intern) at the University of Liverpool and in general practice, I undertook further training in equine surgery and diagnostic imaging, at Liverpool, subsequently gaining diplomas in veterinary radiology and equine orthopaedics. I then studied for a PhD at the RVC, followed by a return to Liverpool as lecturer in equine orthopaedics.

I was recruited to the RVC in 1993 to rebuild the equine clinical services and promote equine research, subsequently becoming head of the farm animal and equine clinical department, the college’s vice-principal for teaching and deputy principal. In these roles, I was challenged to expand the college’s educational vision from a school for veterinary surgeons to one for the whole veterinary team, at first degree, postgraduate degree and CPD levels.

My broader contributions include being chairman of the Higher Education Academy Panel involved in the award of National Teaching Fellowships. I am currently senior vice-president of the European Board of Veterinary Specialisation and a past president of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons. I have chaired the RCVS education committee, its CertAVP sub-committee and legislation working group, and served on the disciplinary and standards committees.

Manifesto

My passion is the education of future veterinary surgeons and their well-being. I have felt privileged to serve as chairman of the education committee, contributing to development of the RCVS requirements for veterinary degree programmes and the CertAVP, and as chairman of the working group that created the new royal charter. However, our work is never complete.

If re-elected, I am keen to champion “the scholarship of primary care” and turn the focus on education aimed at developing expertise in primary care practice, the initial destination for most UK graduates. Our understanding of the fundamentals of clinical reasoning has progressed, but the distinction between hospital-based and primary care reasoning processes needs to be made, so all can be reassured excellence is not measured by the automatic use of a panel of diagnostic tests. It is important the “expert generalist” is fully recognised in the revised criteria for the RCVS Fellowship.

The new charter has provided powers to properly recognise the whole veterinary team. Vet Futures has highlighted the public need alongside our responsibility for animal welfare. Therefore, we must work together to ensure any delegation within the Veterinary Surgeons Act is matched to the skill set of those supporting veterinary services. This will be a task for RCVS council, whatever shape it may take.

I have considerable experience of committee chairmanship in the public and private sectors, as well as governance reviews in two other organisations. Therefore, I feel I have the skills and experience necessary to help move the profession forward in these challenging times.

As someone who has loved the different roles I have played during my veterinary career, I look forward to making my continued contributions to safeguarding the public, our profession and the animals to whom we have collectively dedicated our lives.

March 24, 2016
RCVS council election manifesto: Christopher Barker

CHRISTOPHER BARKER

BVSc, MLitt, CertVR, MRCVS

Ashlea Veterinary Centre, Unit 2b, Port Road Business Park, Carlisle CA2 7AF.

T 01228 549177

M 07703 753758

E ctbarker@supanet.com

PROPOSERS: Anne French, Iain Richards

Since qualifying from Bristol in 1980, I have worked in a wide range of first-opinion practices (mixed, pure equine and pure small animal) and, for seven years, was involved in the tuition of final year veterinary students while working for the former Glasgow University Practice in Lanark. I achieved the CertVR from practice in 1991 and obtained an MLitt for archaeological research in 1989.

Since 1994, I have run a small animal practice in Carlisle with my wife Kirsty, which has grown to employ five veterinary surgeons and four RVNs, and accepts student VNs from three different colleges. The practice achieved the Investors in People Award on three occasions. I take primary responsibility for cardiology, imaging and orthopaedic work.

Beyond work, my interests include skiing, cycling and DIY, keeping my English setter fully exercised and watching cricket.

Before offering myself for election to the RCVS, I spent two years on SPVS Council; I was elected to RCVS Council for the first time in 2012.

Manifesto

I have been fortunate to be a member of the standards committee throughout my first term on council. Currently its vice-chairman, I have sought to ensure demands made of practitioners are both reasonable and deliverable.

I was part of the post-Chikosi 24/7 review, which, we hope, has more clearly defined the responsibilities of both owners and veterinary surgeons. Another review may prove unavoidable as consumer choice leads to the fragmentation of veterinary service provision, with resultant confusion as to who exactly carries responsibility for the emergency care of those animals “registered” with more than one supplier.

A recent survey, part of the Vet Futures initiative, has revealed worrying levels of disillusionment among younger members of the profession. Further analysis will, I hope, help us to understand the reasons for this. While dedicated emergency services have improved work-life balance for many, as 10-hour days become common have we simply changed the nature of work-related stress? I find it sad fewer graduates now express an interest in running their own practice; while it is undoubtedly challenging to run your own business, you can at least take control of your professional life. If this trend continues then the number of genuinely independent practices will inexorably decline.

Next year should see the conclusion of the current review of RCVS governance, a review likely to lead to a significant shrinkage in the size of council. Elected members will remain in the majority, but their numbers will be reduced. It will be important council retains members with relevant and recent experience of first-opinion practice. In this regard, I believe I can continue to make a worthwhile contribution and would ask for your support in this election.

March 24, 2016