Linnaeus GDP; Medical Musings

This week we headed to Wakefield, visiting Paragon Referrals with the Linnaeus Graduate Development Programme.

We were doing Medical Musings which meant seizures, dystocia, dyspnea, pruritis and some endocrinology.
Each lecture was given by the specialists and they were all really good and not just focused on gold-standard referral level which some specialists tend to get carried away with at conferences and things.

The hospital opened two years ago (this week) and the facilities are amazing. Reception is massive with their own separate dog and cat waiting areas...

...and a branded coffee machine!

I actually learnt and retained loads from the lectures and have been using things now I'm back at work this week!

Gratitude

I did a home visit euthanasia earlier in the week, the owner rang to ask where I was working this afternoon and came to our branch practice with a gift and cake.

Euthanasia consults are often the ones that we dread, mainly due to time management in my case, but when Reception are able to book home visits or book them in at the end of the day they can be the most rewarding; it’s the clients lasting impression of us as a practice and likely decides if they will use us for their next pet.

When I used to see practice as a student I got used to injecting off the needle to induce anaesthesia and euthanasia’s but now I prefer to take the animal out the back and place an IV catheter as it makes it much smoother for the owners as we have patent IV access and we don’t often need a nurse restraining the animal. We can then give them a few minutes with their pet before giving the injection and afterwards.

I rarely get sad because while it’s sad for the owner, it’s usually in the animals best interest and we are doing it to stop their suffering; if we took each one home to dwell on we’d never sleep.

This week I euthanised two animals I’ve been seeing for a few months and one dog, who I diagnosed with neoplasia on one of my weekends, was really sad and I nearly shed a tear for him with the owners 💙

Linnaeus GDP; Dentistry and Communications

We were in Swindon this week, visiting Eastcott Vets with the Graduate Development Programme.

Ingrid one of their Residents did our Dental lectures and she's awesome. She is Italian, had a gold chain around her neck with her initials on and was really interesting to listen to. I quite like dentistry anyway but I learned a fair bit ...and answered one of her questions correctly.

The second day we were doing Confidence in the Consulting room with the VDS and it gave me anything but...
We were in groups of 15 new grads, sat around with a scenario and client (played by an actor), we were the vet and basically acted out a consult which they paused every few minutes and over-analysed every word.
I'm not usually a shy person but because there are so few vet schools in the UK, all the other new grads know each other and I'm the only European vet, which is fine 'cos I know a few of them and have made friends with the others by now; but studying abroad I've never done these scenarios before. Some of the UK grads have done these exact consults for exams and things so have textbook answers they can reel out to 'pass' the scenario.

At first when I was called out to speak I was not prepared at all and could feel myself getting stressed and flustered, which because you're being analysed, when you're aware you're flustered it makes it even worse.
I did another one in the afternoon which I felt went a lot better and I took much more from it. I did a couple of things the VDS lady running the session said she was surprised at and worked well (I think?). I've also realised I'm not great at reflecting, other new grads were really good at saying they think things went, how it made them feel etc which I guess is something they do at uni and I need to practice more.

I'm pretty comfortable consulting now and after spending a few days at work after the course I really appreciate some of the things they taught us and I've put them into use in practice but at the time I wanted the ground to swallow me up!

First solo Cesarean Section

Today I completed my first solo Cesarean Section and I am really pleased with how it went!

It is my op's day we we'd nearly finished the op's list when we got a call to say she might be coming down so had been chatting about it and getting things ready, I said I was quite excited and would like to have a go. One of the other vets did the consult, came down to the prep area and said he was going to do the op. I asked if I could do it, it was the perfect opportunity while we were quiet and had lots of people around, and because I won't be having a second vet on call with me anymore... He said No, he fancied doing it, so that was that. I thought.
The nurses jumped in and said I should really do it, perfect opportunity for me to learn etc and had my back. I was really pleased they had my back and believed I could do it!

Simon, the other vet, was around but not scubbed in and talked me through the tricky bit of milking puppies out of the uterus but otherwise the surgery went really well.

She had seven healthy puppies and all went home well at the end of the day :) 

Linnaeus Graduate Development Programme

Today was the first day of our Linnaeus Graduate Development Programme. We had a welcome mixer last night, stayed over in a hotel then headed to Willows Referrals this morning.

I did a couple weeks work experience at Willows years ago before I did any clinical training so didn’t really appreciate the facilities at the time and they’ve had a big extension since.

The GDP day was good, we met the team, spoke about the grad scheme and then did some VDS Training.

The best park of working for Mars Petcare is free chocolate on every table!

We did DISC Profiling which I’ve done with VDS a couple of times before and love - this time we did an online questionnaire and I got the same results ...High I!

Month 3 of New Grad Vet Life

It’s been a while since I updated but I’m into month three of #FirstVetJob and loving it!

I’ve settled well into practice life and really enjoy working with my team. I’ve finally got the hand of our computer system, the way everyone works and how the practice runs.

Work wise I’m happier consulting, have developed a patter and know my limits of when I need to ask for a second vets opinions. Surgically I’m much happier doing flank cat spays but have yet to tackle a bitch spay as we do quite a few laparoscopic spays in my practice so just need to get some booked in for me.

We work on an eight week rota so I did my first two Saturdays then a full weekend working and on call; followed by a week off. I went to Lisbon for the week with my brother and a friend for a well needed rest

Walking through the streets we stumbled upon a shop window with this beauty sat in it

Jen lives in the shop and spends her time in the window modelling the latest fashions

Week 3 of New Grad Vet life

I can’t believe it’s week 3 already but I’m getting into the swing of New Grad vet working life and I’m loving it so far.

Obviously you need the obligatory vet selfie as I type this waiting for our patients to be admitted...

Last Wednesday was my first night on call last and it was luckily quiet (not meant to use the dreaded q word) with only one call for a Pug who ate a wasp!

I have two ops days a week with routine neutering and a few sedate for x-ray/ear flushes so they’ve gone well. 

Consults are what I find challenging in that I’m still getting used to the computer system, pricing things up, remembering new (to me) trade names instead of active substances and working up cases. So far they have all gone well, all the team here are happy to help when I have questions and we’re managing well!

Day One on the job

So, after 12 years of work experience documented on this blog ad 8 years of university, today I finally got to say the words:

“Hi, my names Lewis and I’m one of the vets”

I’m working at a small animal hospital in Tamworth which is pretty close to home. I was pretty nervous as I walked in but everyone was really nice so that quickly disappeared.

The morning was spent shadowing consults and then in the afternoon I started consulting, just a few vaccinations, expressing anal glands and some ear disease.

Everyone in the practice, staff and clients, have been really welcoming and supportive so while I have a lot to learn I think it will be a good environment to get started!

RCVS Registration

Today we travelled down to London to the RCVS to register as Members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons!

Torunn and I were up super early (we're still in Student Mode okay!) and left home at 7am, drove down to a friends flat in Ealing and got the tube to Westminster from there.

Registration was nice, Harriet from our tutor group was also registering and lots of other international students. The RCVS building is soo nice, we handed in our documents, read out an oath and met a few of the staff members.

The first thing we did once we were registered as vets was head to the Natural History Museum!

Then being #veganAF we went to Mildred's in Camden for burgers and did that rank touristy thing of taking photos with our food x


Dr Volden and Dr Wescott MRCVS