We all sometimes wish we could go back in time or redo some situations. Often, when looking back with hindsight and more life experience, we wish we could have done things a little differently, or focused our time and energy in a better way.
I have been reflecting and, while I am incredibly proud of what I have achieved and where my journey has brought me, I have five things I would say to the young Gerardo Poli about to start university. Here is the first:
Signalment
When I was writing my study notes at university in preparation for my exams, I don’t recall writing down a lot about the typical signalment for different diseases. At the time I couldn’t see the relevance, nor importance, of it – especially when so many more pathophysiologies were waiting to be memorised.
Fast forward a few years when I started working, and the first thing I want to know – even before I lay eyes on the patient – is its signalment. It is the one crucial clue that helps me narrow down a long list of differential diagnoses and, from there, help develop a diagnostic plan.
Starter for 10
Signalment can be so telling in some cases that my colleagues and I will often guess what the patient presented for.
For example, a young Labrador retriever that presents with protracted vomiting is most likely going to be an intestinal foreign body, until proven otherwise, while a geriatric cavalier King Charles spaniel with dyspnoea is likely in congestive heart failure, secondary to its genetically predisposed mitral valve disease.
Obviously, just knowing the signalment isn’t everything to reaching a diagnosis, but it gives you a place to start.
With age comes wisdom
The difference between an experienced and inexperienced vet is the former is a lot more familiar with the types of disease and illness a particular demographic of patients is predisposed to, whereas the latter is not.
My advice is to read up on as many clinical cases as you can, and don’t forget to look at the patient’s signalment.
Euthanasia is a big part of our work as veterinarians. Working in an emergency setting, it is something I have to face on every shift.
It doesn’t get any easier no matter how many times I have to do it, but I have fine-tuned my approach over the years so each euthanasia process runs as smoothly as possible, with minimal additional stress to both patient and client.
This month, I will talk about taking care of your client.
Communication is key
Euthanasia is a big part of our work as veterinarians.
The most important aspect of taking care of your client in this difficult time is to make sure you really focus on communicating clearly, effectively and, most importantly, with sincere empathy.
First, I listen to their concerns, and why they have made the difficult decision to euthanise their pet.
Quality of life decisions can be a very grey area, and sometimes what you think may be manageable as a veterinarian can be a huge quality of life concern for a pet owner.
A prime example is osteoarthritis in older dogs. You may assess them as being clinically well except for some difficulty walking, but the client sees their pet every day and notices the struggles they go through.
Euthanasia is a difficult conclusion for them to come to and, in most instances, I will defer to the client when it comes to assessing the quality of life of their pet.
Quality assessment
One way I help clients assess their pet’s quality of life is by asking them about a few aspects of it, including:
Can your pet do the things that make them happy?
Do they spend more days sad, depressed and ill compared to the number of days they are bright, happy and eating?
Is your pet in pain? Is this pain manageable?
Confirmation
Once a client has expressed they want to euthanise their pet, I always try to confirm three things:
That they have actually decided to euthanise their pet. I frame the question like: “So, my understanding from our conversation is that you have made the decision to euthanise Fluffy today?” Sometimes, when you ask this question, the client reveals they have not actually come to that decision yet, which means you will need to backtrack a little and guide them through the decision process again.
Whether they would like to be present for the euthanasia.
How they would like us to handle the after care.
I also always try to manage all documentation and finances before the euthanasia so the clients will be in a position to leave immediately after the procedure, meaning they can begin to grieve rather than have to do paperwork. The only exception to this is when the patient is in a critical condition, meaning euthanasia cannot wait.
Explaining the process
Try not to perform the euthanasia in your consult room or in the main treatment areas – if you have a private room for euthanasias, that is the most ideal. This is important especially if the client comes back in the future with another pet or a new pet. They often find it difficult to walk into your consult room and be reminded of the euthanasia of their beloved pet.
I like to give clients some time to spend alone with their pet to say their goodbyes in private. When I come back into the room, I start by explaining the process of the euthanasia, covering the following things every single time:
Euthanasia is an overdose of an anaesthetic agent
The process is quick – 10 to 20 seconds
It is completely painless
The pet doesn’t close their eyes afterwards
The pet can have a couple deep breaths and muscle tremors
The pet can release their bowels and bladder (especially important to warn of this if the clients want to hold their pet)
Lastly, if their pet came into the hospital in shock and obtunded, where I have fluid resuscitated them, meaning they are now more bright and alert, I warn the clients that despite their pet looking better, the underlying disease remains the same.
Once the euthanasia is performed, I again ask if the client wants to spend a little more time in private with their pet. Finally, when the client leaves, they typically will say “thank you”.
Whatever you do, do not say something like “my pleasure” or “you’re welcome” like you would for a vaccination consult – this is a natural response, but would be a terrible faux pas. I simply say “I’m very sorry for your loss. Take care for now and let us know if we can help in any way”.
Next month, I will talk about taking care of your patient throughout the euthanasia process.
It is a renowned fact among the veterinary profession that the number of brachycephalic breeds in rehoming centres is soaring.
As veterinary nurses it needs to be our role to educate owners-to-be on which breed of dog is the most suitable for their circumstances. This allows owners to make informed decisions when opting to either purchase a puppy or rehome a dog.
Statistics
In September 2017, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home published a press release featuring the story of Piccalilli the French bulldog, which also contained information on how the rehoming centre was experiencing an increase in the number of brachycephalic breeds needing homes. In 2017, it took in 29 French bulldogs for rehoming, whereas in 2014 only 8 were taken in.
The Kennel Club (KC) also published data stating the amount of registrations for French bulldogs has also increased greatly. In 2007, 692 French bulldogs were registered. Whereas, by 2016, 21,470 were registered – that’s 20,778 more French bulldogs in the space of nine years.
All in all, the breed has seen an “astronomical” 2,964% increase in the past 10 years, The KC said.
Why is this happening?
Pugs, French bulldogs and bulldogs – collectively known as “brachycephalic” breeds – are widely deemed as “fashionable” due to the number of celebrities who own and flaunt them on social media platforms.
The influence from celebrities and the media, such as TV adverts, are having a strong impact on the public’s demand and want for these breeds. They are being bred uncontrollably to emphasise the large bulging eyes, tight skin folds and extremely short snouts causing their distinctive “snorting” noise. These features on the pug and French bulldog are all considered as cute by members of the public, and demand is high for them – and where there is demand, there will always be supply.
Unrecognised health issues
The reason why we are seeing the increase of brachycephalic breeds in rehoming centres is due to the health problems owners are unaware of, and the lack of funding to afford the veterinary bills to manage or correct them.
When these dogs are bred irresponsibly (for example, to exaggerate the “flat face” look), they can incur a whole lot of health risks. The most common is brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, which occurs in all brachycephalic breeds to a greater or lesser extent.
Other health problems in these breeds include:
entropion
luxating patella
hip dysplasia
skin disease
uroliths
intervertebral disc disease
Owners are not being made aware substantially of these health risks and the seriousness of them – most of the disorders listed require either surgical correction/repair or life-long medication, which, in turn, costs a fair amount of money.
What can VNs do?
I believe nurse clinics are one of the most important aspects of our job.
In clinics, we are given the opportunity to build up a rapport with clients and, consequently, a trust relationship with them. Often – as opposed to vet consultations – we can spend more time with our clients in a more relaxed setting. These are a great opportunity to educate clients and use tools to demonstrate our knowledge as VNs.
Done incorrectly, the prospect of pre-purchase consultations with nurses could come across to clients as “lecture-like” or monotonous, but they don’t need to be like this. Instead, they could be based on a puppy party structure, but for pre-puppy or dog owners.
Clarification for clients
To begin, prepare a questionnaire for them to fill out in advance, taking details of their home circumstances, then bring together a group of three or four clients to discuss different breeds and their suitability.
Informational leaflets can be designed for prospective owners, explaining how to choose a healthily bred puppy and what to ask breeders; and fact sheets could include details of breed health pre-dispositions, how much food and exercise certain breeds require, as well as information on training and puppy classes. A “pre-parent pack” could be put together containing this information.
If we can educate owners on health problems – not just brachycephalic breeds – it could deter clients from purchasing breeds inappropriate for them or their lifestyles, and provide accurate information on how to purchase responsibly. This could contribute to breaking the “supply and demand” cycle of irresponsibly bred dogs.
It is estimated only 8% of people succeed in achieving or keeping their new year’s resolution (so the odds are against you), but if you feel this is your year to make a difference, why not incorporate your four-legged friend into that lifestyle change?
Fat cats and dumpy dogs
A lot of resolutions will be along the lines of trying to lose weight or get fitter, and while the human population has a weight problem, obesity is also rife in the UK pet population.
Headlines and statistics are forever telling us our pets are overweight, and my parents are sick of me enforcing a diet every time I go home to find my cats a little rounder than a few months previously. However, it wasn’t until I spent a few days consulting in first opinion small animal practice, as part of one of our final year rotations, that the problem really hit me.
I’m used to seeing overweight pets in the consult room while on placement with other vets and I’ve witnessed the weight loss conversation more times than I can count. But on one particular morning, when I had similar conversations myself with four out of five clients, I saw the future of my veterinary career flash before me: overweight dog after overweight dog coming through the door.
Cruel is the new kind
Despite sounding like a broken record, I can only hope my words did not fall on deaf ears. So many owners didn’t even realise their animals were overweight – “that’s just his shape”. And yet others are fully aware, but just can’t ignore their pets’ begging.
Why not substitute pet treats with a healthy alternative such as carrots, Jordan suggests.
Unfortunately, sometimes you have to be “cruel to be kind” and ignore those big round eyes that are trying to melt your heart – your dog will be better off long term being denied those extra treats, but having a healthier lifestyle.
If you think your pet may be on the larger side of normal, vets will often run free weight clinics with the veterinary nurses to allow accurate monitoring and adjustment to diet and exercise.
Everyday changes
General advice would be to cut down on meal sizes and cut out treats, or at least substitute them with a healthy alternative such as carrots. Exercise should be determined on an individual basis, dependent on any existing health conditions (such as joint problems), breed and lifestyle.
There may be a medical reason for retaining weight, so if the aforementioned doesn’t seem to be working, seek veterinary advice.
This new year, even if you can’t keep your own resolution, why not make one for your pet and help them achieve the lifestyle they deserve? Or if you’re trying to lose weight or gain fitness yourself, why don’t you and your pet do it together?
As part of one of our small animal rotations, I spent a couple of days with the ophthalmology service at the University of Glasgow Small Animal Hospital.
Recognising common eye conditions and being able to localise lesions was uncharted territory for Jordan before her time with the ophthalmology service. Image: thenineworld / fotolia.
Not exactly the most clued-up on eyes, I was going in almost blind. I had an idea of common eye conditions and how to manage them, but recognising them and being able to localise a lesion in an eye was uncharted territory.
After a mind-boggling tutorial in which we tried to drag physics from the depths of our brains (A-levels were five years ago), consults began – and with them, ocular examination after examination after examination.
By the end of day one, despite my brain feeling fairly frazzled, I felt I could locate roughly where in the eye a problem was and begin to deduce differentials, or at least know which chapter of the book to look in.
We discussed the differences between referral and first opinion practice. One of the main reasons eye conditions are misdiagnosed or missed is simply lack of time in the consult room.
For example, if you have a five-minute consult and want to do a Schirmer’s tear test, half the time is already taken.
Several components exist to a thorough ocular examination, with some better than others at identifying certain conditions or highlighting certain anatomical regions of the eye.
One important thing I took away was you can still achieve a good examination with limited equipment – in our case, we found a broken otoscope the ideal instrument for distant direct ophthalmoscopy.
Guide Dogs patient
So it came to one of the final patients on our final day – a bubbly golden retriever about to begin formal training to become a guide dog. By this point, we thought we could accurately identify basic conditions, but didn’t want to believe what we found on his lenses. When asked for the diagnosis, I hesitantly answered “cataracts” for two reasons:
The cataracts themselves looked different to others we’d seen – they had a triangular shape with a clear area in the centre, making them not entirely opaque.
This young dog’s career as a guide dog would come to an abrupt end with this diagnosis.
However, a breed predilection exists for hereditary cataracts in retrievers and the Guide Dogs staff member who was accompanying the puppy walker – the person who fosters a puppy before they enter formal training – was not shocked by the news, having experienced the condition several times previously.
While the dog still had fairly good vision at the minute, it would have to be withdrawn from training.
Several options exist for guide dogs withdrawn for health or behavioural reasons – they can be put into another work sector, such as the police or other assistance dog programmes like buddies for disabled children. Otherwise, they are rehomed as pets – hopefully our golden friend will find a new family shortly.
Having looked into the Guide Dogs scheme a bit more, it’s astonishing how much work and money goes into the training and upkeep of a guide dog.
They are a fantastic aid to people with impaired or no vision and, while it was disheartening to see a dog that wouldn’t tick the health boxes for continued training, I could appreciate the vet’s role in the process.
Eyes may always be a tricky area of veterinary medicine, but I don’t think I’ll miss a triangular cataract from now on.
Fertility work makes up a large proportion of cattle veterinary work in the UK and, after spending a month on the farm rotation at university, I can appreciate the importance of getting it right – and how hard it can be.
Experienced large animal vets make it look easy – they scan the uterus and ovaries, and decide what drug to give to aid getting the cow in calf, all in a minute or two.
In the meantime, I’m still fumbling about trying to palpate what, I think, may be the uterus or ovaries while the cow squeezes and gradually cuts off the circulation in my arm until I can barely feel my fingers.
Meanwhile, the vet has zipped through several cows already.
When things go wrong
What happens if you misdiagnose a pregnant cow as negative and administer prostaglandin, or give a cow steroids without realising she’s in calf?
On one fertility visit this week, we discussed when things go wrong. For example, what if:
you misdiagnose a pregnant cow as negative and administer prostaglandin (PGF2α)?
a vet gives a cow steroids for any number of reasons without realising she’s in calf?
The outcomes of both of these scenarios are almost inevitably abortion, which can have a number of repercussions on the farm – and, potentially, the vet.
Negligence or misconduct?
Many new graduates are terrified of being called up for “fitness to practice” for making a mistake such as those aforementioned. However, during a Veterinary Defence Society (VDS) workshop at the SPVS Lancaster weekend earlier this year, it was emphasised a difference exists between negligence and misconduct in the eyes of the RCVS.
What I took away from this session was, in simple terms, negligence involves making a mistake – such as missing a diagnosis, giving the wrong treatment accidentally, eliciting side effects from something due to missing something in the case history – whereas misconduct is actively doing something you know you shouldn’t – such as trying to cover up a mistake, lying or misleading a client.
Mistakenly giving PGF2α to a pregnant cow would be classed as negligence and, on the whole, the VDS would have your back; the farmer may receive some compensation for his losses, but the incident wouldn’t tarnish your career. In the same situation, misconduct would be denying you had administered any treatment.
In short, you won’t get struck off for easily made, one-off mistakes, but you may if you lie about them.
In the news
Our conversation about accidentally aborting cows led us to discuss the case of Honey Rose, the optometrist convicted of gross negligence manslaughter. News reports vary, but, from what I can gather, she failed to diagnose papilloedema (swollen optic discs) in an eight-year-old boy, which would have been an indication of the hydrocephalus he died of five months later.
It is reported she claimed to have been unable to examine his eyes properly because he had photophobia – a claim considered false by the judge. However, she had also failed to look at retinal photos taken by a colleague, on which the papilloedema was evident.
Going by the RCVS’ rules, missing the diagnosis or not looking at the retinal photos would be negligent. However, denying she’d been able to carry out a thorough examination, despite written records suggesting otherwise, would be misconduct.
Rose was found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter and was handed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, and a 24-month supervision order, and was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
In your defence
As vets, we have the VDS to help us in these situations – and, while it would be truly awful to make a mistake resulting in an animal’s death, we would not be at risk of imprisonment.
Doctors and dentists also have defence societies that will fight their corner, but optometrists? To my knowledge, an equivalent does not exist – and this was the first case of an optometrist convicted of manslaughter in the UK, which added to the complexity of the legal battle.
The death of a little boy is devastating, but, as medical professionals know, death is a risk with many procedures, no matter how small the risk may be. It’s frightening to think jail could be a consequence for those in the medical profession.
So, while I gradually lost the sensation in my right arm as I tried to reach an ovary of the 10th cow in a row, I mulled this over and realised I was extremely thankful for the safety net the VDS provides and would not take working with animals for granted.
After all, if I’d decided to be a doctor instead, I could be rummaging around in another human’s back end rather than a cow’s!
For further details of the Veterinary Defence Society and its services, visit www.thevds.co.uk
I started as a food animal intern at Iowa State University, having graduated from Glasgow (1987). After two children, my first full-time position was in a traditional mixed two-person practice in Ayrshire.
For the next 25 years, I helped develop the practice to become a 100 per cent small animal, forward-thinking, customer-focused, five-vet business. I became the new graduate mentor for the practice and developed a special interest in small animal dentistry.
In 2004 became an A1 Assessor for nurse training (now clinical coach), and later RCVS practical OSCE examiner for VN exams.
Outside of work, I have my family to keep me grounded, several dogs, cats and sheep. I enjoy running, swimming, cooking, reading and have started writing children’s books. My husband and I have also run a 1,500-acre beef/sheep hill farm.
In 2012, I set up our local “parkrun”, being event director until 2014, and enjoyed being a volunteer at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014.
I am a past president of Ayrshire Veterinary Association and represented Ayrshire on BVA council, also serving on its members’ services group committee. I am a BVA and BSAVA member and have voted in nearly every RCVS election since I graduated.
Manifesto
The veterinary profession continues to evolve as it has always done over its long history. I feel this is a really exciting time to be involved in the RCVS, with the Vet Futures project going into its next stage of actioning the recommendations made. Change is only frightening if it is unknown and with this we have some degree of control.
I am pleased with the new updated practice standards scheme, which feels more like a useful tool to general practice rather than a regulatory “award”. It is also more client friendly and I hope more practices make use of the system to promote themselves, thus improving minimum standards.
My experience with mentoring school, veterinary and nurse students (our future) over the years has allowed me to open their eyes to all the career options they have, as well as the reality about the hard work, stress, student debt and mental health issues they will encounter to some degree. But I also feel vets should be supported throughout their careers, not just as new graduates, and this should be looked at.
The RCVS council needs to be made up of 24 diverse veterinary surgeons as it strives to represent the broad range of services vets provide. I have the experience to help with this. It also needs a good age and gender mix.
We have a wonderful profession we are all passionate about, and I am as proud today of being part of it as I was when I graduated.
I humbly seek your vote. I am an enthusiastic person with a half-full approach to life and almost 30 years’ general practice experience. I now have the time to fully commit to this important role.
Doogle’s plight found its way into the hallowed pages of The Hinckley Times.
One of our cats – Doogle, a home-loving feline who rarely sets foot outside the garden – recently got himself caught under my mum’s car, only to drop out when she’d driven along a few streets and run, startled, across the fields toward the next village.
Posters, local press coverage and Facebook shares resulted in a few potential leads on his whereabouts (we’d localised him to 2-3 miles from home) but, as a cat that doesn’t normally roam far, we never thought he’d find his own way back. The only comforting factor was the knowledge he was microchipped – should someone find him and take him to a rescue centre or vet, he’d be returned to us.
Cats vs. dogs
As cats tend to stray (or get lost), the advantage of microchipping them is clear, but it isn’t a legal requirement. It will, however, become law in England and Scotland for dogs to be microchipped from 6 April 2016. This change in the law means that all dogs must be chipped by 8 weeks of age and the appropriate details registered to the chip must be up to date.
Unfortunately, while we did have Doogle microchipped, we realised we hadn’t registered our contact details with the microchip company, despite him being 18 months old and having been chipped as a kitten.
This is something many dog owners will have to consider in line with the new law: if an owner does not keep the dog’s information up to date on a relevant database, or the dog is unchipped, a notice may be served giving 21 days in which to rectify the situation. If they still fail to comply, a fine of up to £500 can be issued or the dog may be seized and microchipped.
Raising awareness
Doogle managed to make his way home without the aid of microchip technology, but not all pets are so lucky.
Ignorance is no excuse, so we must make clients aware of the new regulations, and in some cases, the exemptions:
Working dogs that have their tails docked in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act 2006 are allowed an extended time limit of 12 weeks before they must be chipped (this applies to England and Wales only – tail docking is entirely banned in Scotland).
Implantation can also be delayed if a vet believes it could adversely affect a dog’s health. In these cases, the vet must certify this is the case and state the expiry of the exemption, by which time a chip must be inserted.
The introduction of the law will help trace inherited defects, tackle puppy farming and promote responsible dog ownership, not to mention the peace of mind that chipping gives owners should their pets be lost or stolen.
Much to our disbelief, Doogle managed to find his own way home two weeks after he first went missing, so we never relied on his microchip for him to be returned, but we can now appreciate the relief of knowing it’s there (with the correct details registered) if he ever disappears again.
One of the many non-academic challenges of becoming a vet is learning to cope with things not going to plan – to expect, or at least accept, the unexpected.
“We had planned to arrive in Agra to see the Taj Mahal on the one day a week it was closed…”
It may seem cliché to say travelling opens your eyes to different ways of life and changes you as a person, but the truth is it does prepare you for when the s*** hits the fan.
My friend and I had arrived in India with some trepidation; both of us had had busy summers and so very little time to consider what lay ahead.
We spent two days seeing some sights and travelling to our final destination, which was a feat in itself. India is just absolute mayhem.
Going to Goa
We had already circled Mumbai with a taxi driver who had no idea where he was going, returned to the hostel in the nick of time to grab our luggage for an onwards flight, only to be dropped off at the wrong airport and realise we had got our flight time wrong (though, thankfully, in our favour), before settling into our apartment in Goa, ready to start our EMS placement.
Having struggled to get in touch with the hosting charity, it finally arranged for a driver to pick us up on our first day. Therefore, on arrival at the shelter the final thing we expected was to be sat down by the board members of the charity, questioned and told they had no placement for us; we were subject to some miscommunication, goodbye.
Change of plans
Startled, with panic rising, we were shipped off to another charity 30km away to see whether they could offer us an alternative (which, after hours of discussion, they couldn’t).
After two days of frantic emailing and frustrating phone calls (with both parties struggling to understand accents) we found a saviour and abruptly departed Goa to fly to Delhi to squeeze in a few more sights before starting over.
This was also not without its challenges – we ended up directing two rickshaw drivers using maps on a phone, as they had both agreed to take us but, in reality, had no idea where our destinations were.
We battled the infamous Indian sleeper trains and had planned to arrive in Agra to see the Taj Mahal on the one day a week it was closed (again, calling for a swift diversion of plans). We had also been scammed on flights and made a total hash of accommodation bookings, having had to make so many last minute changes.
EMS saviours
“We battled the infamous Indian sleeper trains…”
Almost at the end of our tethers, we finally arrived in Jaipur to start our quickly organised placement at the charity Help In Suffering, which had completely saved our skins in terms of finding a suitable EMS placement that would count towards our degrees.
When it seemed like nothing else could possibly go wrong, something inevitably did. Nevertheless, we pulled each other through and overcame several unexpected challenges, despite being very close to just getting on the next plane home.
Although we had some extra hurdles, I think travelling in India at all is a total minefield for anyone, but you just have to accept the disorder and embrace the madness.
It may have started out (and continued for a fair while) as a total nightmare, but I definitely think we will both be better prepared for mishaps and abrupt, last minute changes in future veterinary practice – after all, we have this to reminisce over and think “it could be worse – at least we’re not stranded in India.”
They are key to the future of the profession, but what are the next generation of veterinary surgeons looking for from their first job?
To find out, The Veterinary Business Journal headed up to SPVS’ “Your First Job” graduate seminar in Lancaster.
FACTFILE
NAME: Zara Chowdhury
AGE: 22
COLLEGE: RVC
FIRST SALARY EXPECTATION: £25,000 a year
MY FIRST JOB: “I want to move into mixed practice where I will get the experience I want, but also the day-one support I need.
“There are lots of fears of course, and that is natural. Apart from the various clinical concerns, I am not looking forward to the financial side of things, pricing things up wrong and things like that.
“We have not done any business extramural studies. We have had a few business lectures, but it is something I would have liked more of – particularly earlier on in my course, so it would be good to get some kind of induction in the business side of things.”
WORK/LIFE BALANCE: “This is important to me, but I know I have to be flexible to get on.”
WHAT DID YOU GET FROM THIS EVENT? “It has helped a lot to see the various options laid out in such an accessible way.”
FACTFILE
NAME: Fiona Laurie
AGE: 21
COLLEGE: University of Glasgow
FIRST SALARY EXPECTATION: £20,000 a year
MY FIRST JOB: “I grew up on a farm, so I have always wanted to move into mixed practice.
“Hopefully that job will provide broad experience on the clinical side, but it will be very important to me to see that I will be supported in the right way.
“Coming from a farming background, I have grown up knowing the importance of getting it right from a business perspective, but I would like to be shown the protocols and the pricing structures and have the computer systems all explained to me properly.”
WORK/LIFE BALANCE: “If the rota was really bad I would look elsewhere, as having balance is important to this generation, but we are all coming into this job with our eyes open and I am not scared of hard work.”
WHAT DID YOU GET FROM THIS EVENT? “Free wine and a lot of ideas about the diversity of career options open to those getting a veterinary degree.”
FACTFILE
NAME: Alexander Kilgore
AGE: 27
COLLEGE: RVC
FIRST SALARY EXPECTATION: US$60,000 to US$70,000 (£35,000 to £41,000) a year
MY FIRST JOB: “I want to move straight into first opinion, small animal practice back in the United States, where the money is better.
“Ideally, in a supportive environment with a mentor to help me grow and develop as a vet and as a business professional.
“For me, there isn’t enough emphasis on the business management side of things, but I think there is more that students could do to make themselves more business-savvy.”
WORK/LIFE BALANCE: “This is a big deal, I have no problem doing out-of-hours, but I certainly don’t want to be working on a crappy rota for crappy pay.”
WHAT DID YOU GET FROM THIS EVENT? “It has shown me there are plenty of other career options in this field – particularly in industry and the military.”
FACTFILE
NAME: Alice Griffiths
AGE: 25
COLLEGE: University of Cambridge
FIRST SALARY EXPECTATION: £25,000 a year
MY FIRST JOB: “Will be working with small animals for a boss sympathetic to the fact I still have a lot of learning to do. I want some responsibility, but at the same time I will want guidance when needed.
“We have had a few talks about the financial side at university, so I feel I know what will be expected in that direction, but some sort of written guidelines on the business side of things would be great.”
WORK/LIFE BALANCE: “The more hours asked of me, the more important it would be for me to get some flexibility in those hours – I still need to have a life.”
WHAT DID YOU GET FROM THIS EVENT? “It’s a great chance to meet my peers from other universities and to pick up some really good ideas from the speakers here. I am just surprised by how few people decided to come.”
The process is quick – 10 to 20 seconds
