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Tag: MRCVS

RCVS council election manifesto: Melissa Donald

MELISSA DONALD

BVMS, MRCVS

Otters View,
Purclewan Mill, Dalrymple, East Ayrshire KA6 6AN.

T 01292 560083

M 07921 384852

E melissadonald88@gmail.com

PROPOSERS: Alison Lambert, Freda Scott-Park

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.

March 24, 2016
RCVS council election manifesto: Amanda Boag

AMANDA BOAG

MA, VetMB, DipECVECC, DipACVECC, DipACVIM, FHEA, MRCVS

Mid Jawcraig Farm, Falkirk FK1 3AL.

T 01324 851381

M 07790 030068

E amanda.boag@vets-now.com

PROPOSERS: Daniel Brockman, Julian Wells

After postgraduate clinical training in the UK and the US, I spent my early career working in academia as a lecturer in emergency and critical care (ECC) at the RVC.

Since 2008, I have been clinical director of Vets Now where, along with time on the clinic floor, I am responsible for the clinical and professional standards across 53 sites, as well as being fully involved with the structure and running of a veterinary business.

I am founding president of the European College of ECC and am proud to have played an important role in the development of ECC as a career path and specialism in the UK. I have lectured widely throughout the UK and internationally, and hope any of you I have met have found me to be both practical and pragmatic about the realities of clinical veterinary practice.

I am involved with a number of veterinary organisations, including being a trustee of the British College of Veterinary Specialists, providing clinical support for Pet Blood Bank and chairing the recently formed Major Employers Group.

I have been an elected member of RCVS council since 2012 and have served on several committees, including the education committee and the operational board, having been treasurer since 2014.

Manifesto

The veterinary profession is one I am very proud to be a part of. In the 18 years I have been qualified, there have been many changes to our profession – some driven by us, others where we reflect changes in society. As an RCVS council member, I will continue to work hard to ensure our profession increasingly shapes its future and projects a confident role in the society it serves.

Since I was elected four years ago, the RCVS has undergone many changes. If re-elected, over the next four years, I will work to ensure the positive developments in governance and communication continue. The RCVS must also continue to build strong and constructive relationships with other veterinary organisations.

I was privileged to have been involved with the Vet Futures report and believe it articulates clearly the challenges, but also the opportunities, facing us over the coming years. We must now translate that into practical actions and be open to workable, innovative, solutions in areas such as omnicompetence, protection of work-life balance, telemedicine and regulation of professionals in an increasingly commercial world. As a college that regulates, the RCVS is a unique organisation and it is essential it plays its part, working alongside the other major veterinary organisations, in ensuring our profession remains vibrant and independent into the future.

With my diverse background in both the academic and commercial worlds, the perspective that comes with working closely with hundreds of different first-opinion practices, and my experience across several organisations, including the RCVS, I believe I am well placed to continue to play an important and active role on RCVS council. Moreover I care deeply about our profession and will continue to bring a modern and common sense approach to protecting its future.

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
Finding the words
I’m a bit of a grammar Nazi, so getting involved in editing has been a lot of fun.

I enjoy writing about my experiences, but I also enjoy reading about others. I’m also a bit (or a lot) of a grammar Nazi, so getting involved in editing over the past couple of years at university has been a lot of fun.

I started by subediting the University of Glasgow’s student newspaper and proofreading emails/letters for fellow students on the organising committee for a charity event, before taking on the role of editor for the student vet magazine (JAVS), which goes out to all UK veterinary schools.

This is something I love doing, but it does have its downsides – and it sometimes feels like trying to draw blood from a stone. The past few editions of JAVS have seen a serious deficiency of contributors, but each one has been saved by my persistent chasing of articles, rallying people I know have an interesting story to tell, and reassuring those who’ve been asked to write but lack confidence in their ability.

Now this begs the question: why do veterinary students not want to write?
- Are they too busy and see it as pointless extra work that won’t be recognised or count towards their degree?
- Are they worried about not producing an item good enough to publish?
- Do they lack confidence in their linguistic abilities?
While the vet degree is insanely busy and students will count every precious moment of free time they have, there are considerable advantages to having a piece of writing published – be that in print or on the internet.

Getting your name out there

“Writing for a student publication is a great start in order to get into the swing of things without strict word counts or other constraints.”

It’s surprising how far an article or blog post can reach. People with seemingly nothing to do with the veterinary profession or, alternatively, those higher up in the profession may see them.

Social media provides a particularly excellent platform for getting your work out there – many of the student written articles published on the AVS (Association of Veterinary Students) Facebook page have received “likes” or comments from BVA and RCVS presidents.

For those looking to publish in the future, whether through research or journalism, writing for a student publication is a great start in order to get into the swing of things without strict word counts or other constraints.

Even if you have no interest in writing as part of your career, having your name on an article can have other advantages. Who knows, maybe in a few years your future employer may have been intrigued by something you’d had published – which could make the difference between being asked to interview or not.

Spread the word

Sharing ideas with other students allows writers the opportunity to pass on information that could benefit other parties as well. For example, if someone undertakes EMS with a charity he or she feels is a particularly worthwhile cause and needs extra help, writing an article to raise awareness could give the organisation a huge boost. It will also make fellow students aware so they could go and have the same great experience as others before them.

Even sharing hints and tips for other things vet related might help other students avoid common mistakes or guide them more smoothly through the maze of the veterinary degree.

Don’t be scared

“Don’t be scared. Bite the bullet. Put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and just go for it,” says Jordan.

It has been suggested many veterinary students don’t want to write because they don’t think they have anything interesting to say, or worry their finished piece won’t be good enough for publication – and I appreciate writing doesn’t come naturally to everyone, but that’s where I come in.

I can’t magic up the entire content for a whole magazine, but if students give me some ideas to work with – regardless of how scrambled they may be – they can be edited into fully formed articles.

It may be that self confidence is the issue, but don’t worry, everyone has to start somewhere. Your first attempt wont necessarily be the next Harry Potter phenomenon, but I guarantee that most veterinary students do have interesting experiences or ideas to talk about – so don’t be scared. Bite the bullet. Put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and just go for it.

Getting published can open a lot of doors you didn’t even know were there, so I would encourage every veterinary student to try to get their names out there. After all, the veterinary world is smaller than you think, and you never know who might be reading.
October 30, 2015