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Tag: Royal Veterinary College

  • RCVS council election manifesto: Lucie Goodwin

    RCVS council election manifesto: Lucie Goodwin

    LUCIE GOODWIN

    Lucie Goodwin.

    BVetMed, DipACVIM, MRCVS

    Axiom Veterinary Laboratories, The Manor House, Brunel Road, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 4PB.

    T 01626 355655

    M 07834 784385

    E lucie.mrcvs@gmail.com

    PROPOSERS: Katherine Hall, Hayley Mitchell

    I graduated from the RVC in 2004 and spent the following two years working in a busy small animal hospital in Bristol. Having been firmly bitten by the medicine bug, I returned to the RVC in 2006 to undertake an internship and, subsequently, a residency in small animal medicine.

    Following completion of my residency, I returned to the west country to work for the University of Bristol and Langford Veterinary Services as a teaching fellow and internal medicine clinician. I worked at Langford for a very enjoyable two-and-a-half years, before taking a short career break to help to establish the charity Brighter Bristol.

    Since qualifying, I have also had experience of working in the veterinary charity sector and private referral hospitals, both in the UK and US. In my current position as an internal medicine consultant for Axiom Veterinary Laboratories, I am able to combine my enjoyment of veterinary internal medicine with a role that allows me to offer support to practitioners with their cases.

    Outside of work, I love to travel and enjoy being creative. I also continue to volunteer for a number of charities in the Bristol area.

    Manifesto

    Like all vets, I have worked hard to become a member of the RCVS and am incredibly proud to be so. With ongoing challenges facing us, these really are exciting times for our profession and, as members, we should be engaged with our college to help create and shape our preferred future.

    Having worked in a variety of clinical and academic settings, it is of no doubt to me a happy, healthy vet makes a good vet. As a role that has significant emotional and physical demands, it is no wonder a recent survey of BVA members reported reducing stress was the single highest priority for many. I believe there needs to be a culture change within the profession to support mental health and well-being, and the launch of the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative must be applauded as there is much work to be done to provide support to our members.

    Veterinary education needs to meet the demands of the modern profession and it is essential the college reflects and promotes all aspects of veterinary work. It is alarming half of the vets surveyed who graduated within the last eight years reported their careers had not matched their expectations (reference: Vet Futures). Action must be taken to ensure we meet their aspirations and do not lose the skills of these highly qualified individuals.

    I am passionate about the advancement of knowledge within veterinary science, particularly making use of evidence-based medicine and clinical governance. With a number of groups promoting these in practice, there is great potential for input from all areas of the profession.

    If elected, I promise to contribute an enthusiastic and progressive voice to council and I would consider it a privilege to serve the veterinary community in this way.

  • RCVS council election manifesto: Amanda Boag

    RCVS council election manifesto: Amanda Boag

    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.

  • Barking up the right tree – with Trusty Paws

    Barking up the right tree – with Trusty Paws

    Originally a charity set up by veterinary students for the homeless hounds of Glasgow in October 2014, Trusty Paws has become incredibly successful and has received a huge amount of public support.

    The Trusty Paws Clinic logo

    This success has allowed the charity to run monthly clinics at the Simon Community Scotland drop-in centre, providing free health checks, vaccinations, microchipping, and flea and worming treatment for the pets of the homeless.

    Essential supplies, such as food, coats and harnesses for the dogs, are also given out at these clinics for those in need.

    Branching out

    The success of the Glasgow clinics has led to a branch of the charity opening in London, with the first clinic taking place in November 2015.

    Run by fourth year RVC students, the clinics take place at the West London Day Centre in Marylebone, which also provides other services for the homeless.

    The expansion of the charity is excellent news for the pets of the homeless, for whom we can continue to provide the veterinary care they deserve.

    In at the deep end

    The Glasgow clinics are organised by the student committee, but health checks are conducted by other fourth year student volunteers. Last week I had the chance to get involved and, under the supervision of a volunteer vet, conducted my first full consultation that didn’t involve actors in a communication skills class.

    My patient, Bruno, wasn’t particularly well. The owner said he was not himself (he certainly looked depressed), had lost a significant amount of weight since his last visit and had a slow heart rate, in addition to some evident skin issues.

    The vet suspected Cushing’s disease, so we referred him to the local Pets’n’Vets branch that undertakes any secondary veterinary care Trusty Paws patients require. They have conducted blood tests, paid for by the charity, and have confirmed the diagnosis.

    Offering support

    While a little daunting to be thrown straight into a full consultation, I thoroughly enjoyed helping out at the clinic and would certainly encourage other students (whether in Glasgow or London) to do so in the future.

    The clients are extremely appreciative and evidently love their pets dearly, so it’s easy to see the benefits of such a charity to everyone involved.

    • If you can’t get directly involved, but wish to offer financial support, donations can be made via PayPal.
    • Alternatively, the charity has two Amazon wishlists (one for Glasgow, one for London), enabling supporters to purchase specific products that each clinic requires.

  • My first job – hopes and expectations

    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.

    Zara ChowdhuryNAME: 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.”

    Zara ChowdhuryNAME: 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.”

    Zara ChowdhuryNAME: 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.”

    Zara ChowdhuryNAME: 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.”