A while ago, I did a Q&A session at the RVC in London and one of the most popular questions was: “How do you reset in between emergencies and consults?”
As an emergency vet this is critical, but when I think about it, this is critical for the success as a vet in general. In emergencies, we might triage several crashing patients at the same time, but in general practice this is similar to a fully-booked Saturday morning consult shift, together with unexpected walk-ins.
Control-alt-delete
Over time we develop some way of resetting so we are able to do what we need to do and, more importantly, not carry baggage from the day and each consult into the next ones. This could be some kind of routine, ritual or process. It takes time and practice, but it is essential for mental well-being and being present with each patient and owner.
What would happen if we improved our ability to reset? For me, I saw a noticeable improvement in my performance on shift; I was able to clear my thoughts faster and focus on what was in front of me.
I think of it being similar to going to the gym – you start doing weights and, with time, you get stronger. But, if you get in the right head-space, focus on your form and movement, you get better results faster and with less injury.
Think about it
The more conscious you are of anything you do, the better you perform at it. So, if you were more conscious and deliberate with your resetting process, imagine how that would impact your performance – and imagine the impact on your consults or on your team.
I started thinking about my resetting ritual several months ago. First, I noted it down then started to experiment and try different things. This made me create a ritual that was better, faster and was more effective.
My reset ritual before each consult goes like this:
I adjust my shirt and my name badge to make sure I look professional – if I was a client, I would like my vet to look neat and presentable, and not covered in fluff or worse.
I adjust my stethoscope – it’s like a magical amulet, and I have associated many positive memories with it. When I wear it I feel I’m the best version of myself. It reminds me of the education I have had, what I know and the experience I have.
I feel for my pen while I read over the clients name, the pets name, age and sex – I am ready to introduce myself, to greet the pet and to take notes.
Deep breath in, then out – this brings me back to the present. I clear any thoughts of what I have to do, what happened to the last pet and how much work is piling up.
Open the door, smile, introduce myself and BE PRESENT.
Renewed focus
I do this every time I open the consult room door, it only takes 10 seconds to reset as I have practised this hundreds of times and I know the purpose of each step. Even if my mind is not quite ready, the movements and physical actions help to focus my mind.
My transition ritual has helped me greatly in connecting with clients and gaining their trust, which, in return, helps their pets and makes my experience of my career more enjoyable.
Looking back, applying to vet school was probably one of the most stressful times of my life – and for good reason.
There’s a lot to get your head around; I was juggling A-levels, work experience, open days and, in hindsight, I‘m so thankful for whatever pearls of wisdom regarding the whole the process I managed to glean in the form of various blogs, websites and face-to-face talks with my local vets.
It’s only been two years since I, too, was anxiously waiting my results. So much has happened since then, vet school of course bringing its own set of trials and triumphs, but nevertheless, as the month of exam results looms I can’t help but empathise with those who are now where I was not so very long ago.
I know when I was at that stage I had so many unanswered questions. About student life, the course, the application requirements… So I’d like to try and help any others who might feel the same way by going through a few misconceptions I heard floating around when I was applying to vet school, with a little bit of friendly advice thrown in for good measure.
Common misconceptions
# 1: It’s all about the grades
Now, to all you budding vets out there, I’d love to tell you that grades don’t matter in the slightest, but the vet course is demanding and most vet schools out there expect the standard three As.
That being said, if you fall short just a little it doesn’t have to be the end of the road. The University of Nottingham requires an A in Chemistry and Biology with a B in another chosen subject, and one of my closest friends in my year was admitted to Bristol with two As and a B. What stood her apart and made the university look past her grades is a part of the application process that outranks exam results in so many ways: interviews.
Universities receive so many applications each year, most of which promise academic excellence and prowess. But, when it comes to sorting through these candidates, what really helps you stand out from the crowd is what you‘re like as a person. Not the letters on a piece of paper, or even your personal statement when all’s said and done – just you. This is where you show your passion, your enthusiasm and, most importantly, get to make eye contact with an actual human being instead of filling out a variety of forms.
It’s daunting, I know. I remember the butterflies at my first and, in fact, all my interviews. But the key thing to remember is you’re only nervous because of how much this means to you, and if you let the interviewer see this for themselves it says far more about you than your grades ever could.
# 2: You will live, sleep and breathe the vet school, you will have time for nothing else
One of the main things I kept hearing, especially on open days, was that the curriculum of vet school was so demanding it would consume my entire student life. I was told many times I would have no time to work, to socialise or live my student life in the same way as the rest of my cohorts.
I know that every uni experience is different and indeed each vet course is different but, in my opinion, it IS possible to have your cake and eat it too.
If you manage to get into vet school you already must have excellent time management skills and so if you’d like to get a small term-time job (I even managed two) or join several societies or explore the nightlife of whatever new city you’re venturing to has to offer, a little time management is all it takes.
I’m not saying you won’t be busier than some of your friends on other courses or that you can slack off – rolling into bed at 4am every morning, but you can have a life outside of vet school if you so wish.
# 3: I need to study all the sciences and have 100 weeks of work experience to be good enough for vet school
Honestly, this one is just plain wrong.
If you’ve got an itch only science can scratch, then by all means enjoy those triple sciences – maybe maths too if you’re that way inclined. But if you’re anything like me and you have a penchant for English, economics, history or something that doesn’t seem entirely “vetty”, unless you’re looking to apply to Cambridge or Glasgow (these do require more “academic” subjects) it is okay not to go down the all-science route.
Vet schools look for well-rounded enthusiastic individuals and if your choice of A-levels are brought up at interview, as they were at mine, it’s much easier to enthuse over a subject you’re genuinely passionate about than one you’re taking for the sake of it. And in regards to work experience, not all of us can be fortunate enough to live within range of three farms, two vet practices, a vet hospital, a cattery, a kennel (etc) or to even have access to, or the funds to travel to, all of them.
As long as you get as much varied work experience to the best of your ability, for example the RVC only asks for a minimum of four weeks, then you won’t be dismissed for not having enough.
We’ve barely had a day of news in the past year that didn’t include Brexit. Yet, do any of us really know what the real consequences will be?
Within the veterinary profession, specific factors are undoubtedly going to be influenced by Brexit, even if we don’t know the extent of these yet. They do, however, include a great deal of legislation on welfare and meat hygiene, but also the future of the UK veterinary workforce.
It has been suggested the proposed coalition of Keele University and Harper Adams for yet another UK vet school may help boost numbers of veterinary professionals in the UK post-Brexit, especially when it is suspected we may be facing a shortfall.
I disagree.
Not a new problem
Is training new vets going to be of detriment to the health and well-being of those in the profession already? IMAGE: GianlucaCiroTancredi/Fotolia.
Sure, post-Brexit, it is likely to get worse – for example, the uncertainty surrounding the whole situation is (anecdotally) already seeing some of our EU vets searching for jobs overseas and leaving. This isn’t just “vet news” either – the BBC (despite the ambiguous statistics quoted) also recognised the effects of Brexit on the veterinary profession in an article this week.
But opening new vet schools isn’t the answer. For example, there is increasing awareness in the veterinary profession of the importance of mental health and a resultant expanding of the resources available for those who are struggling.
We also frequently hear buzzwords such as “compassion fatigue” and “burnout”, which we need to do more about.
My point is: we need to look after our current vets. This would prevent them getting tired and fed up, and ultimately leaving the profession – or, at least, leaving a clinical practice role.
Sold the wrong idea?
The Voices from the Future of the Profession report produced by the BVA/RCVS Vet Futures initiative in 2015 stated 50% of recent graduates thought their working lives did not meet their expectations. This disillusionment, set among a feeling of being undervalued, overworked and lacking a good work-life balance (something I’ve written about at length) leads to vets turning to other careers before they have a great deal of experience – this is what should be addressed.
We need to focus on the well-being of the vets we have instead of luring even more school leavers into a profession they have false preconceptions of.
More new graduates will not solve the problem – and this is coming from one. They will simply dilute the profession and struggle because there are less “experienced vets” to mentor them and help them hone their skills and knowledge. Ultimately, a large proportion of these will become stressed and leave within a couple of years – the vicious cycle is thus complete.
Teaching tussles
On a vet school level, irrespective of Brexit, this announcement is too not welcomed. At Glasgow, I have met clinicians that have chopped and changed between vet schools because there aren’t enough experts willing to teach, resulting in a bidding war between the universities.
We now have nine vet schools across the UK and Ireland. The Aberwysth-RVC programme (for which updates on their plans were announced earlier this week) and the Keele-Harper Adams course are only going to add fuel to that fire. Where are we going to suddenly magic up so many more diplomats and EU specialists to teach? Or, for that matter, clinical skills and first opinion teachers?
Couple-of-years-qualified graduates aren’t going to have the same breadth of experience to prepare students for a variety of surgical or clinical scenarios – they are not an adequate substitute.
Reasoning questioned
Is it simply a case of money, as Jordan claims?
The plans for new vet schools is not about saving the profession, nor is it about Brexit. It is down to academic institutions seeking high-achieving school leavers to attract more undergraduates and gain more funding.
It is ludicrous a university can just decide to open a vet school off its own back and threaten the resources of current vet schools, which include teaching staff and the availability of EMS placements, especially since many of the new course models (Nottingham, Surrey and the two proposed courses above) do not have their own teaching hospitals and, instead, use external practices.
It is true the new courses will be monitored and analysed once they have an intake of students to assess whether the graduates will be allowed to practice as veterinary surgeons, but by then, it’s too late.
There needs to be regulation to prevent it getting to that point, for the sake of the profession and the disillusioned school leavers applying en masse to these new courses.
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.
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.
While a documented shortage of graduates does not exist as in previous years, significantly less fuss has been kicked up about the announcement of the new Aberystwyth-in-conjunction-with-RVC vet school, compared with the opening of the Surrey Vet School in 2014.
Surrey vet school: a bolt from the blue?
Is this because we knew Aberystwyth was in the pipeline so are not shocked by the announcement, or has the profession kept quiet because we do need more vets?
The problem is not a lack of graduates, but a lack of “experienced vets” and a shortage of vets staying in the profession after a few years of graduation.
This begs the question: why?
The simple answer is, as shown in last year’s “Voices from the future of the veterinary profession” survey conducted by Vet Futures, the profession, in its current state, does not meet expectations of those entering it.
Essentially, we feel undervalued, underpaid and overworked, and lack a sense of life outside veterinary.
Undervalued
The profession has an image problem, in many respects. It is becoming more commercialised, not just because of corporate takeover, but because clients expect more.
We seem to be moving away from the respected professionals who have dedicated their lives to helping animals and, as such, are praised for performing little short of a miracle in medical and surgical feats, and towards the providers of a service that, if not absolutely perfect and costs next to nothing, will only be complained about and bad-mouthed to other customers and competitors.
Sadly, the economic climate has caused much scaremongering, bringing vets to the absolute disposal of the pet owner for fear of losing clients and, therefore, not being able to balance the books.
I feel very strongly part of the reason our services are so undervalued is the NHS (See Jordan’s July 2014 blog post, “I Blame the NHS“).
The everyday person has no concept of how much medical procedures, diagnostics and therapeutics cost. I’ve done the research – prices for private medical care are found fairly easily, but NHS costs? Nigh impossible.
So how can we blame the public for not having a clue how much a radiograph costs? The public perception of veterinary in this country needs to change and I don’t think it will without transparency on human medical costs in conjunction with our veterinary ones.
Depending on the kind of practice you’re in, or going into, the relative feeling of being overworked will differ. I realise my points won’t apply to every practice in the country and this is sweeping general opinion on the UK profession as a whole. However, I struggle to see how many full-time vets’ hours fall within the legal limit.
The legislation is complex, with loopholes in the Working Time Regulations 1998 (WTR) possibly allowing certain practices to skirt round some of the “rules”, such as the designated 11-hour consecutive rest break in each 24-hour period and the minimum 24-hour rest break in each 7-day period.
On-call work is difficult to classify, but, in essence, the signing of a workforce agreement (probably as part of an employment contract) means the employee is agreeing to to provide out-of-hours cover that impinges on these designated rest breaks.
Some final year rotations at university I know are well beyond the limits set by the WTR (although the legality is sketchy since we’re not employed while we’re students).
“It’s not a nine-to-five job,” was a comment given with regard to rotation hours. That’s tough love: you’re going to be worked into the ground when you qualify, so you may as well get used to it now. But why? Why can’t veterinary be a nine-to-five job? It certainly is in other countries.
The profession is changing and I really hope this is the kind of change that comes about nationwide. With the increasing popularity of outsourced out-of-hours cover and shift work, why can’t a vet clock off at 5pm, enjoy some exercise, cooking, social activity, whatever and come back to work refreshed the next day ready to put in 110%?
Achieving work-life balance
We have numerous talks at uni about mental health awareness and the importance of work-life balance. But how is it possible to achieve a work-life balance if you’re working from 8am to 8pm and, even on the nights you’re not on call, you essentially only have time to grab something to eat and sleep.
It’s all very well lecturing us on being conscious of having a work-life balance, but what if it is beyond our control, as in so many cases?
I know for a fact, if the profession remains stuck in its ways, I will become just another statistic and leave the UK, if not the profession entirely, within a few years.
Don’t get me wrong, I have loved my rotations so far and the sense of fulfilment when I’m actually getting a handle on things is excellent, but I know I will resent my job if it does not allow for some enjoyment outside of veterinary.
But will it ever change? I think something has to give soon, or the profession will find itself in dire straits before long. How would change come about? If we wait for one practice or chain to provide a great work-life balance and rely on the trend to catch on, I think we’ll be waiting a lifetime. But what if the regulations changed?
I don’t really want to talk about Brexit (I’m sure a little piece of me dies inside every time that word is uttered), but the potential change to employment law (which has mainly been derived from the EU) could allow for changes specific to medical professions to protect us from “burnout”.
Overtime pay should exist in the veterinary world, as it does in any other “normal” job, allowing for those maniacs who want to work 24 hours a day to do so at their leisure (or those who need the extra cash), but not at the detriment to those who don’t wish to. Working out a vet’s base salary as an hourly basis is just depressing. And it shouldn’t be.
I keep hearing phrases such as “the profession is changing” and “it’s an exciting time”. I genuinely hope that is the case and we become the progressive generation we like to think we are, and drag the profession kicking and screaming with us into the modern world of enjoying life outside veterinary and moulding our careers around our lives – not the other way around.
Matthew’s VN career kicked off in 1989 at The Park Veterinary Centre in Watford, a busy mixed and exotics 13-vet practice. It was here he completed his training and here in 1994 where he became senior theatre nurse.
Leaving in 2003, Matthew headed to the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) to pursue his interest in zoo and wildlife nursing, where he remains.
Matthew is a regular lecturer to veterinary nursing and veterinary surgeon undergraduates at the RVC, and lectures on herpetology throughout Europe and America.
Why is he standing?
Matthew says he has “dedicated his life” to being a VN for 25 years, and has observed “many changes” that have taken place during this time.
“Our role and the general understanding of it has improved significantly within my time in the profession and it continues to,” he said. “I am passionate about veterinary nursing and consider myself very lucky to work at ZSL. With my experience and background, I am in a fortunate position to help educate and support the next generation of VNs.”
Matthew said it would be a “great honour” to be elected to council, as will be having the opportunity to represent UK VNs and “contribute to the advancement of our profession”.
“I would relish the opportunity to promote the vital role of the RVN,” he said.
Hustings highlights
In Matthew’s video, he said he feels there needs to be a “greater understanding” of the roles of a modern VN and, while these roles are “misunderstood” by the public, VNs are “too keen to blame this on everybody else”.
“I think a lot of it is our own fault,” he said. “We need to raise our profile and demonstrate professionalism wherever possible, and during my time on council I would really like to push forward on that.”
As a male VN, he would also like to work on diversity within the profession. “I’ve been a VN for more than 25 years now,” he said. “I’ve always really enjoyed it, and haven’t felt at any point that being male has held me back in any way, but again I think this comes down to public perception of what VNs are.”
Summerleaze Veterinary Hospital in Maidenhead was where Samantha gained her NVQ in veterinary nursing in 2009.
Shortly afterwards, she began working at North Downs Specialist Referrals (NDSR), where she achieved her Graduate Diploma in Professional and Clinical Veterinary Nursing from the RVC. After four years at NDSR, Samantha had a brief spell at Moor Cottage Veterinary Hospital in Bracknell before taking the medicine nurse team leader role at Chester Gates Referral Hospital. After a year she moved back to Kent and took up the wards supervisor job at NDSR. She also teaches the Diploma in Veterinary Nursing at Hadlow College.
Why is she standing?
“Exciting” and “dynamic” are the two words Samantha uses to describe the veterinary nursing profession right now, with VNs being seen “more and more as professionals in [their] own right”. “I hope this is only going to get better,” she said.
Samantha also says she would bring “enthusiasm and dedication” to the council, as well as her passion of educating student nurses.
“I always strive to improve my knowledge and nursing skills and have the drive and determination to help mould the profession moving forward,” she said. “I have been privileged to work with a number of amazing nurses and I would like the profession to get the recognition it deserves. I believe it is moving in the right direction with lots of exciting changes on the way, but I cannot imagine a better time to get involved with the profession’s future.”
Another challenge she’s ready for, says Samantha, is the role of RVNs within practice.
“As the qualification and further qualifications increase in skill level, it would be rewarding to see this acknowledged with further delegation to RVNs,” she said.
Hustings highlights
Samantha said she is standing for VN council because, “like a lot of people”, she was not sure “what the council did” and “wanted to play a more active role in the decision-making process of the profession I feel passionately and strongly about”.
As a teacher, it was all about education in Samantha’s video.
“I think our pre-registration education possibly needs reviewing,” she said. “Training placements are scarce and quite hard to find, and this is something we need to work on with employers and course providers to improve for nurses who want to train in the future. On post-registration education… I think RVNs really need to see the value of CPD and I think it should be something that should be undertaken and enjoyed and something we should be able to use in the future.”
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.
I graduated from the University of Liverpool in 1988 and completed a PhD at the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen. I continued my research interests and pathology training at the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, becoming a senior lecturer in veterinary pathology.
Pursuing an interest in human health research, I moved to the pharmaceutical industry in 2001 to work as a pathologist in the safety assessment of new medicines and managing a large technical team. While in industry, I maintained strong academic links, with particular interests in transferring technical skills between industry and academia, and encouraging vets to explore alternative career options.
In recognition of these interests, I was awarded an Medical Research Council (MRC) skills gap grant, moving back to the RVC in 2009 and on to my current role as pathologist at MRC Harwell in 2012. I am an RCVS recognised specialist in veterinary pathology and hold visiting chairs at RVC and the University of Surrey.
I have experience of serving on and chairing professional committees. I was part of the stakeholder group for the Vet Futures project and chair the Royal College of Pathologists’ specialty advisory committee for veterinary pathology.
Manifesto
The profession is undergoing modernisation and facing challenges that require new ideas to resolve. Key to development and innovation in any profession is the cultivation of diversity. Diversity includes the individuals within the profession, working practices and career pathways.
Increasing diversity means, firstly, looking at our student intake, working with schools and aiming to attract a better balance of applicants that reflect our society today and will make resilient vets.
A veterinary education provides a great starting point for a variety of potential career pathways. The Vet Futures project has shown the RCVS and the BVA recognise different career options are important for individuals and the professions. We need to build on this project to ensure graduates are prepared for different roles, practice and non-practice career paths are equally valued, career paths are signposted and people are supported throughout development in their chosen career.
Mental health is another pressing issue for our profession and ensuring a satisfying career choice, with manageable levels of stress, are essentials for good mental health. We need to develop career pathways within the profession that offer progression and working practices that accept a good work-life balance is essential, not just desirable. We need to find ways to support vets through their early years and as they develop greater responsibilities later in their career.
Diversity in the profession means having a range of resilient veterinary graduates able proactively to engage with a range of different career options and to adapt to changes in the external environment. Having worked in the university, research institutes and pharmaceutical industry as a lecturer, mentor, careers advisor, researcher and manager, I believe I have a range of skills and experience to contribute to the debate in these crucial areas.
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.
