Category: Career Interview/Q&A
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Aldara Eiras Diaz – Internal Medicine Consulant...
Salary
60k+
Av 40h weekTravel
Only to european congresses but not as part of my role
Values
Compassion and problem solving
Region
Specialist positions are available across multiple locations
Essential Skills
Veterinary degree
12 months rotating internship at an ECVIM approved referral centre
3 years Internal Medicine Residency at an ECVIM approved referral centreContact
Aldara Eiras Diaz
Check out our Career Q & A questions below to take a deep dive into this career path. If you’re interested in this type of career but unsure how to take the next step, click below to learn more about our services designed to support you.
After my graduation in Spain I performed a rotating internship at the Vet School (Santiago de Compostela) and decided that I wanted to pursue specialisation in Internal Medicine
After working alongside my university professors at the Vet School during my rotating internship decided I really enjoyed reading about Internal Medicine and decided I would like to specialise in that field
I decided to move to the UK because there are more opportunities to apply for a residency programme than in Spain. I worked in first opinion practice for 2 years while I was improving my language and clinical skills, and in the meantime I started a Internal Medicine certificate at Liverpool University. I then completed a rotating internship at a private referral hospital, after which I obtained an internal medicine residency in a different private referral hospital. After my residency I started working at Southfields and alongside my clinical work I started to coordinate the rotating internship programme here. I passed my certifying exam and became a diplomate in 2022.
Being able to work on the area of small animal medicine I like the most, with interesting cases every day. I also love to teach and supervise interns and residents and help coordinate the internship programme
We start clinical rounds at 9am and after that we see consults and supervise clinical cases of residents and interns. In the afternoon, we perform the workups and procedures from the hospitalised patients. We do rounds at 5pm in the evenings
A person that is passionate about improving their knowledge and skills in a certain area of veterinary medicine, and that would be committed to give that knowledge back to the veterinary profession by training and teaching of interns, residents and the veterinary community.
I had to get use to the way of working in clinical practice and referral hospitals in the UK, and to keep improving my internal medicine knowledge and language skills.
- Acquire some experience in first opinion (at least 1 year)
- Attend CPD, consider starting a certificate, visit referral hospitals
- Apply for a rotating internship
- Study a lot and visit referral hospitals to get to know specialists working on your are of interest
- Think hard about where you want to pursue your training and why
- Don’t give up applying for internships/residencies if you are committed to this career path
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Kishan Sharma – Rotating Intern at North...
Salary
31-35k - This is a heavily above average salary for an internship. Hours:: 50-84 hours depending on rotation and weekend shifts
Travel
None - on site
Values
Teamwork, Communication, Resilience
Region
Internships can be found in multiple regions, I'm at North Downs Specialist Referrals
Essential Skills
MRCVS
1-2 years in practiceKishan Sharma MRCVS
Check out our Career Q & A questions below to take a deep dive into this career path. If you’re interested in this type of career but unsure how to take the next step, click below to learn more about our services designed to support you.
“Internships are hard but I am loving it! If anyone is thinking about applying for a rotating internship and want some more information then send me a message on LinkedIn or an email. Good luck!!”
I went into a busy first opinion practice which had a high medical and surgical caseload, which also had a wide selection of equipment. I really enjoyed my job and I developed my skills quickly.
Around the 18-24month mark after graduating I started to feel that I wasn’t enjoying general practice as much as I used to. I think I’ve always known I’d want to pursue the referral setting to provide a higher level of care.
Rotating internships generally require a minimum amount of time in general practice (1-2 years) and having good teamworking, communication and time management skills.
I am loving the internship, every day I’m absorbing lots of knowledge from the clinicians. The team at NDSR is very friendly and everyone is happy to help you learn. The main downside of any internship is the long hours that can sometimes come with it!
Generally the interns would arrive at 8am, help the nurses with any admits, patient checks, issues etc. From 9am we will be helping the specific discipline we are assigned to with cases including diagnostic procedures. We help write the referral letters and developing a plan for each case.
Internships can be brutal at times but someone who has a good sense of humour, resilience, time management, a good attitude and a want to learn would make a good intern!
There are lots of people applying for the same spots so there’s a lot of competition. Showing off your individuality in the interviews is the best advice I can give.
- Spend the first few years developing your skills as a day one vet before considering applying as you need to learn to implement your knowledge in general practice.
- Spend time researching the company you’ll want to apply for and why you’re selecting that specific hospital.
- Don’t be disheartened if you don’t get it! Keep applying as you’ll be getting more experienced as time goes on.
The main thing to realise is that you are going into an internship to learn and you won’t have an extensive knowledge of every single discipline. I was never the cleverest of vets but I’ve felt that going into the internship with an open mind to learn has really helped me. The more you put in, the more you’ll get out!
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Rebecca Smith – Lecturer in Veterinary Professional...
Salary
36-40k (starting salary for full time)
Travel
Some travel between Harper and Keele campus.
Values
support, creativity, personal growth
Region
WFH available, time required at Harper & Keele
Essential Skills
- Veterinary degree
- Teaching experience
- Communication and presentationRebecca Smith
Check out our Career Q & A questions below to take a deep dive into this career path. If you’re interested in this type of career but unsure how to take the next step, click below to learn more about our services designed to support you.
After graduating as a veterinary surgeon I worked full time in small animal clinical practice. Developing and honing my clinical skills in my first job, completing a medicine certificate in my second job and eventually taking on a senior position as the lead veterinary surgeon. This provided maternity cover for the clinical director and gave me insight into this role.
Then the COVID pandemic shook the world and made leading a clinical team that little more challenging. I was part way through my covering role and had started to explore what my career would look like after this. Did I want to be a clinical director? The profession felt like it had reached a crisis point and I realised I really wanted to be part of the solution. I knew I enjoyed mentoring and coaching the new graduate students, but found I was often unable to give it the space I felt it deserved in practice. I had a huge passion for education and spent time volunteering for BSAVA. So I started looking for roles in academia.
I found and applied for a clinical teaching fellow role at The Harper and Keele Veterinary School. Following interview I was offered a position and within the first few weeks I knew I had made the right move. I was part of a team who shared my passion for learning, education and supporting the next generation. The role was part time and I maintained my clinical role for the rest of the working week.Whilst working as a clinical teaching fellow I obtained a teaching qualification and was encouraged to follow my interests, contributing to developing teaching material as well as facilitating delivery.
The curriculum at Harper Keele embraces and champions the importance of professional skills which hugely aligned with my personal values and interests… so when the role of lecturer in veterinary professional development was posted I was bursting with excitement.
Except… I had just gone on maternity leave to have my little boy. After giving myself a talking-to and putting my big girl pants on (quite literally) I applied anyway. The opportunity was too perfect for me to take myself out the race.Veterinary degree
Teaching experience
Teaching qualification (can be done on the job)
The best bit is being part of a great team with a shared vision and common goal.
It is hard work and very busy especially being a new course with a constantly growing and evolving team. I’d say you need to be flexible, adaptable and accepting of change.- Planning and developing teaching material
- Design and development of the curriculum
- Responding to student queries
- Liaising with colleagues to ensure smooth delivery of course components
- Grading/ providing feedback to students.
Someone who is organised, thorough and enjoys teaching or supporting others.
You have so many transferable skills as a vet and can often undersell your skills and experience. Most of the barriers are in your own head. I interviewed for this post at a few weeks post-partum. I found caffeine, extremely big nickers and a very willing nanny helped me overcome that one.
- Get involved in mentoring and supporting junior members of the clinical team, look for opportunities to develop teaching material (owner talks, in house training etc)
- Consider further relevant qualifications
- If you aren’t already then start looking at entry level positions in academia
Go for it!
Stop getting in your own way.Newsletter
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Clare Cripwell – Lecturer in Veterinary Professional...
Salary
41-45k (36-42 approx. depending on entry level (salary scales and spinepoints available on Keele website))
Travel
minimal unless wishing to do more i.e. training opportunities, conferences etc
Values
Autonomy, Progression in a field you are passionate about, the value of great collaboration and team work and its ability to make real change
Region
partial work from home - time on campuses required
Essential Skills
BVSc MRCVS
Educational experienceContact
Watch Clare Here
Watch back this panel with the Harper Keele Vet School Team – discussing the brand new role of the clinical preceptor in higher education
Clare Cripwell
Check out our Career Q & A questions below to take a deep dive into this career path. If you’re interested in this type of career but unsure how to take the next step, click below to learn more about our services designed to support you.
Initially worked in small animal clinical veterinary practice 2011-2019 including locum work more latterly. Enjoyed more autonomy associated with locum placements, alongside visiting different practices and seeing different team dynamics, approaches.
2019 move into post as lecturer and course manager in Higher Education – including on BSc(Hons) veterinary nursing BSc equine science & BSc animal science programmes. Enjoyed transition, new challenges and exploring educational sector. Rewarding seeing, and helping students to learn, develop, achieve. Enjoyed input to creation and development of new BSc(Hons) Veterinary nursing programme and being able to get involved in development of new content, module creation, assessment design. Also allowed achievement of PGCert(LTHE) and Fellowship of the Higher Education Authority, alongside qualifications in workplace assessment.Step to progress into an exciting and evolving role focusing on education specifically of veterinary students. Initially clinical teaching fellow position at HKVS with progression into position as Lecturer in Veterinary Professional studies. Also recently taken on role of ‘Clinical Teaching Fellow Team Lead’ for the Keele campus
BVSc MRCVS
PGCert(LTHE) FHEA
Experience as previous Lecturer and Course Manager in Higher Education- Love the opportunity to be involved in curriculum planning and design
- Making a difference, collaborating on (sometimes big) ideas and seeing them come to fruition
- Love working as part of a forward thinking, supportive and collaborative team
- Love the opportunity to make a real difference to the education of future veterinary professionals
- Downsides – high marking workload, sometimes pinch points with multiple demands on time – often nature of Higher Education work and academic year design
Collaborative meetings relating to curriculum development, refinement and planning. Creating module content including lecture material, tutorial sessions and guided online learning sessions. Liaising with guest speakers and external organisations and stakeholders to arrange learning activities and engagement opportunities. Academic mentor meetings with students to check progress, respond to queries and/or signpost support.
Someone who loves to be involved in change, especially around the Veterinary curriculum, and likes being organised. Someone who enjoys both autonomy and working as part of a team.
Initially when transitioning into a lecturing role the fear of lecturing to large cohorts and ‘not knowing all the answers’. Overcame this by trying it, then becoming more familiar – did feel unnatural at first! Also by realising that its okay (and actually human) sometimes not to know, and a good opportunity to delegate research tasks and/or admit you are human.
Some previous teaching experience – already achieved
Valuable to have PGCert(LTHE) FHEA although support to work towards if neededExplore the field. Reach out and try it!Explore the field – try it out and have a go.
Guest lecturing is often a really great way to ‘dip your toe’ into the water and see if you enjoy it – Reach out!Newsletter
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Cecilia Tat – Intern at the World...
Salary
< £15k, It is an unpaid internship, and will need to be funded by oneself.
Travel
Train/underground to commute to the office for work, can work from home when necessary.
Values
Independent learning, Communication & Teamwork
Region
UK/Japan
Essential Skills
Background in, or working towards an animal-related qualification, ideally veterinary medicine;or in disease-related qualification
Contact
Cecilia Tat
Check out our Career Q & A questions below to take a deep dive into this career path. If you’re interested in this type of career but unsure how to take the next step, click below to learn more about our services designed to support you.
Read Cecilia’s blog article on the BVA- Joining the one health army
Explore the WOAH website
Explore the One Health EJP website
The Academy of Medical Sciences – INSPIRE Program
During my veterinary studies, I was engrossed with One Health after my fourth year module on One Health and Epidemiology, and more so due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The concept of “One Health” recently became more prominent in the public eye as a result, which affected every aspect of our lives. Following this, I was involved in a research project about ‘SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in wildlife in the UK’ in the CORVIN project with the OHEJP (One Health European joint programme) in the summer after fourth year going into my final year of vet school. For my final year rotations, I elected for the ‘One Health’ elective which opened up an opportunity to attend a One Health Summer school in Uganda prior to my graduation.Throughout my final two years of vet school, I had emailed to apply for the internship, and been in contact with the World Organisation for Animal Health’s office in Japan. And after a lot of correspondence, I started my internship after graduating as a veterinary surgeon with the World Organisation for Animal Health, Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific.Currently, the best bit is enhancing my knowledge by ten-fold as to how international organisations work, what work they do and how they execute it. WOAH Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific typically communicates with a lot of individuals from countries in the region in arranging technical and capacity-building support. Being a part of these activities is fulfilling as it will further benefit more people in these countries. Another great point about being an intern here is to be able to have an opportunity to develop skills in other fields other than just in a certain field (i.e. One Health). For example, I am also picking up skills in communications as well as knowledge of international relations.
There are not many downsides at the moment! I would say sitting in an office is a little bit of a downside but the desks can move up and become a standing desk so that isn’t too much of an issue!Throughout the week I am tasked by my mentor and other colleagues, if they require assistance, in assisting their projects/missions in different countries. I mainly have to help logistically if they are arranging an in-person or online activity/mission, help proofread official documents, and write articles/reports if necessary on their activities to be posted on the site. Occasionally there may be a conference to attend as a representative of WOAH, and in this case, I was able to attend one in Fukuoka which was kindly funded by the INSPIRE award.Someone who is really interested in One Health and how it is operationalised, in international work, and in political/global relations.Trying to get the visa, as well as sorting out funding to come here. I was gratefully funded by the Turing scheme as well as the INSPIRE award.1. Get engrossed with One Health related activities (at university for example!)2. Read up on One Health related issues/ literature3. Be interested in the region you’ll be working in!Newsletter
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Amber Fielden – Sales Executive for Meetings...
Salary
£31-35k (starting salary for someone inexperienced)
Travel
Have to travel for every meeting once I have booked them. I am reimbursed for any travel.
Values
Independence
Region
UK
Essential Skills
Previous customer facing role, Confidence & Time management skills
Amber Fielden
Check out our Career Q & A questions below to take a deep dive into this career path. If you’re interested in this type of career but unsure how to take the next step, click below to learn more about our services designed to support you.
I worked as a nursing assistant when I was 15 after school until I went to university to do my veterinary nursing degree. I absolutely fell in love with the veterinary profession and applied to university to do veterinary nursing.After 8 years of being qualified, I decided I needed a new career, with a better salary and less stress. I applied for multiple jobs however I decided to do work experience at the hotel I work at, just to learn more about the events profession. A few months later, a job came up and I applied and got offered an interview as I was proactive in doing the work experience.I had limited sales experience and no experience in coordinating events and meetings. There are some degrees and courses you can do to have a better chance of entering the profession but I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity.I am now a sales executive for meetings and events at a hotel in Farnborough. This role is very sociable and I get to meet lots of people, as well as attend networking events and entertain new and current clients. I reach out to a lot of companies via email every day as well as event planning agencies. I arrange meetings to then introduce myself and the hotel, showcasing what we have to offer here.Someone confident, charismatic and loves meeting new people.Yes. I had no experience in this profession but using proactiveness and initiative landed me this role.1. Work experience at a few places to get a feel for the profession2. Look at the different roles within this profession as there are so many I’d never even heard of3. Be confident – you can learn on the job to a certain degreeI knew that if I left the veterinary profession, I would really have to work hard to make it work. I have a mortgage and my own animals to look after, so I couldn’t fail – which was the reason I did the work experience first.Newsletter
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Alice Judge – Co-founder of Pet Impact
Salary
< £15k - We still haven't taken any money from the business yet! But this is to be expected when starting out
Travel
Mostly working from home and occasionally at warehouse
Values
Creativity, Leadership & Resilience
Region
UK
Essential Skills
Growth mindset, Problem solving, Some business experience/knowledge is useful but you can teach yourself
Contact
Alice Judge
Check out our Career Q & A questions below to take a deep dive into this career path. If you’re interested in this type of career but unsure how to take the next step, click below to learn more about our services designed to support you.
Check out the Pet Impact website, Instagram, Facebook and Facebook group.
After graduation I started work as a first opinion vet in mixed practice. Initially I really struggled due to the lack of support and thought I wouldn’t last a year! However things improved when I changed jobs. My partner and I started Pet Impact as an Amazon business in 2019 alongside our full time vet jobs. We’ve only really started pushing the business at the end of 2021, when we reduced our vet hours to 3 days a week.It is really Gavin (my partner) who is business minded and it was him who had the drive to create his own business. I’ve always been hugely passionate about sustainability and I’ve wanted to make a bigger impact for a long time but I wasn’t sure how. I also wasn’t sure whether vet work was going to satisfy me in the long run, due to this desire.
When my family bought their first dog, Gavin and I became more aware of the environmental impact of pets, leading us to develop our first product – reusable puppy pads a.k.a. ‘inco’ pads and the rest is history!You don’t really need any qualifications or experience to become a founder of a company but some things certainly help! Of course, you need an idea, or rather, a problem that needs solving. On a practical level, you do need money! Fortunately we had some of our own as well as family donations! A bonus to starting up an Amazon business is you don’t need as much money, but a downside is slower growth. Gavin did read a lot about Amazon and business in general while starting out.
On a personal level, you have to be very passionate, driven, disciplined and resilient! Because running a business is basically overcoming one challenge/problem after the other. You need to be able and willing to overcome failures and setbacks and not let them de-motivate you.The best bit is being able to pursue something I’m passionate about and interested in, and feel I’m making a genuine difference in the world. I know the environmental impact of pets is a very small piece of an enormous problem but at least I feel like I’m doing something instead of nothing. The next best bit is being my own boss and the sense of ownership and control over my own time and work. I have freedom to take the business where I want it to go and make it my own. It also gives me a creative outlet.
One downside is the amount of work – it’s a lot of early mornings, late nights, weekends, etc. I also feel business (and being self-employed) is not as secure as vet work. Things like new competition can arise or economic recessions that can impact it. This gives me a sense of anxiety sometimes, especially because I’m so invested in it.To be honest, capital is the biggest one. We were incredibly fortunate to have help from our families and a little money from our jobs. If we didn’t we would have looked for investors.This is difficult as every day is different! But we usually start by planning our day and prioritising tasks. We still spend some time strategizing and coming up with new ideas. Roughly half the day may be dedicated to the day to day running of the business e.g. answering emails, packing orders, social media. The other half may be dedicated to growing/improving aspects of the business, e.g. optimising website, creating ads, product/market research, creating content, reaching out to retailers and so on. All of this is from home and occasionally we go to the warehouse to receive/send out shipments.A driven, resilient and creative individual who has self-confidence and self-belief. Needs to be a good communicator and leader.1. Define the idea or problem you want to solve and who you want to serve.2. Speak to people and do your research around the topic/problem.3. Define your goals and make a plan to achieve them.Don’t let your lack of knowledge stop you – you can learn by doing! Don’t be afraid of failing repeatedly and don’t compare yourself to others or let success stories distort your expectations (i.e. it doesn’t happen overnight!).
Make sure you want it enough, be clear on your goals and why you’re doing it. If you can find a business partner who matches your passion and commitment – that will help you enormously or join communities of entrepreneurs online.Conservation Veterinarian
Conservation Veterinarian
Conservation Veterinarian
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Jennifer Lawrence – Conservation Vet
Salary
This varies depending on where you are working. Working for an NGO, zoo, government or private company will dictate salary - Working in conservation is not lucrative in terms of salary expectations
Travel
It depends on the projects and interventions required. Can range from a few days to a couple of weeks.
Values
Adaptability, Resilience & Creativity
Region
South Africa
Essential Skills
Veterinary skills & Experience of the behaviour of the animals you're working with most of the time
Contact
Watch Jennifer Here
Watch back the inspiring career Q&A with Jenny!
Jennifer Lawrence
Check out our Career Q & A questions below to take a deep dive into this career path. If you’re interested in this type of career but unsure how to take the next step, click below to learn more about our services designed to support you.
See what Jennifer has been up to on Instagram.
I started out as a small animal veterinarian and found that this was not the career for me. Small animal practice has however been an easy career to fall back on when I needed extra financial support. I have not completely moved away from this and do a bit of locuming when not doing conservation work.Some of my earliest memories as a little girl are of the bush and the big outdoors. This grew into a passion which took some time to grow and I only recently started nurturing it fully. I had moved through several different careers in veterinary including smallies, equines and industry. None of these really felt as though they fit. As I have journeyed through life and become more in tune with what I want the highest future possibility to be, I understood that my purpose and my career needed to align. And this is when I realised that conservation is where I want to go.Transitioning in to conservation, especially as an older vet is not easy. Knowing this and accepting the challenge is the biggest way forward. Continuously knocking on doors of possible opportunity and growing my network was key to get me where I am today. Enrolling in a masters in conservation medicine has also helped me along the way.One of the best parts of doing conservation work is knowing that I am a part of something that is so much bigger than me. The knowledge that I am serving a greater purpose is what keeps me passionately committed. Working in a complex environment with many different disciplines is also something that I find exciting. No one day is the same and being open to adaptability and initiative is essential. One of the down sides is that work is not consistent and there can be many times when income is restricted. This is when I fall back on small animal locum work.No day is the same doing conservation work. Many of the interventions and management captures require prior planning. Even with this, you need to be adaptable and ready to change plans at the last minute. Emergency capture and treatment also vary depending on the species you’re working with. At times you may have to be on standby until the animal you are wanting to work with is located. Sometimes there are many hours of travel and waiting between captures. A different level of patience is required for this kind of work. And while many days are spent in the field, in beautiful places, there are days spent in the office doing administrative work as well.I think one of the keys to unlocking a career in conservation is having a deep passion and commitment to a higher purpose. A sense of adventure is paramount and acceptance that there may be many days spent away from home. To be able to really understand the ways of conservation, you need to be open to the complexity and challenges that come with it. A level of resilience is required especially given the detrimental state of our natural world. Active hope is required to meet this and a knowledge that you are doing your best.1. Start creating a network of people and organisations that interest you and get your CV to them2. Volunteer your time in areas of conservation that interest you3. Connect with other vets who are in conservation and be willing to learn from themIf you have the passion and commitment to take up the challenge you will find your way into this journey. Be willing to continuously knock on doors and network as much as possible. Be open to volunteering in aspects of conservation that interest you. Find a good mentor or two to guide you. There will be times when you may find you hit walls trying to find your way into conservation, but see those times as lessons and find out what the walls are telling you. There is so much to learn while on the journey. Most of all enjoy the experiences you have while finding your way. Some of them will be more special and meaningful.Newsletter
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Sandra Milburn – Vet, Personal Trainer, Nutrition...
Salary
£21 - 25k starting salary - there are countless avenues you can take in this industry; face to face, online, hybrid.
Travel
In this role - none, because I choose online work only.
Region
UK
Essential Skills
Level 2 and 3 Personal training qualification. Other 'specialisations' can be obtained after (e.g. nutrition coaching, rehab etc).
Values
Creativity, Compassion, Authenticity.
Sandra Milburn
Check out our Career Q & A questions below to take a deep dive into this career path. If you’re interested in this type of career but unsure how to take the next step, click below to learn more about our services designed to support you.
I spent 10 years in clinical small animal practice, before starting my diversification path. My first non-veterinary role was at a charity called Canine Partners where I was in charge of setting up an in-house breeding program as well as sourcing suitable puppies for the training program. A few years later, I started a non-clinical veterinary role with Cats Protection as the Education vet and stayed for 5 years. This was a very varied role and I learned countless skills, in editing, software use, script writing, copy writing, training material development, podcasting and more.
As a result of the Covid restrictions, my priorities changed and I followed my other passion (health and fitness), left CP and completely my online training as a personal trainer and nutrition coach with NASM.
I have been suffering with a persistent pain condition since 2016. This meant that I was unable to do any sports (even yoga was too painful) and meant I had to take a few years out from my favourites – running and triathlon. I realised quickly, how important physical health is for mental health (and vice versa). This was again highlighted during Covid and as I am now approaching ‘middle age’ myself, I am keen to play an active role in future-proofing my own health and wellbeing and want to help others, too.
I completed my Level 2 and 3 qualification online. This included attending online live lectures, submitting tasks and projects as well as submitting filmed sessions showing me coaching a ‘client’ (for once, my husband had to do as I said ;)) I love online learning and really enjoyed the anatomy and physiology side of things.
“Doubt kills more dreams that failure ever will”
I was able to fit all the studying around my work, so for me there were no barriers.
Being self-employed can be a two-edged sword. Not knowing where the next pay-check is coming from can be daunting, but as I have other income (properties) as well, this does take the pressure off a bit. I really enjoy being able to design my own working week. No day and no week are ever the same. I intentionally only do online work, as I want to be location independent. The downside of this is that I don’t see all that many people, so need to make a conscious effort to seek human interaction, especially on days when I don’t have client calls.
Despite every day being different, there are similarities. I am a morning person, so get up early, meditate and usually fit in some training. Other activities that are part of my days: answering client messages, posting on social media, creating new client resources, client calls, coaching sessions, reviewing processes and procedures, household chores, lunch, programming, research, further studying (there is always more to learn) and/ or catching up with my business mentor or other team members (I do consultancy work for another coach).
Someone who is interested in health and fitness, enjoys coaching and helping others and someone who wants to have a more flexible lifestyle (portfolio career).
Coming from the veterinary background, we are resourceful, excellent at learning and adapting as well as communicating and interacting with people. Motivational interviewing is a great tool and one that I wish I had learned about sooner. Imposter syndrome still does raise its head, but like anything in life – growth happens outside the comfort zone. So if this is something you want to explore – go for it. Always happy to chat if you have any questions.
1. Find a reputable course that suits your learning style (online vs face to face) to get qualified.
2. Consider working in a gym (private/ commercial) to gain experience, especially if planning on going into face to face coaching.
3. Get a mentor/ ask for help, it is the quickest way to make progress and learn.
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Meet Our Team
Ebony is a veterinarian, vetmed educator, speaker and mentor. She focuses on unlocking people’s potential and building confidence in others through her advisory positions, consultant to a number of congresses, and as an entrepreneur.
She is fascinated with harnessing technology to support animal health education in developing countries and collaborates with tech charities. She is also co-founder of VetYou – helping to support professionals in their financial future. Ebony is also a visiting lecturer at Surrey University and publishes work in the field of gut health on whole horse health. Ebony is the recipient of the inaugural RCVS Inspiration Award and the University of Liverpool Alumni Award.
Melanie is a veterinarian, entrepreneur, speaker, educator, and mum. Melanie loves working with teams to create change, find new ways to think through problems, and collaborate.
She holds a DVM from the Ontario Veterinary College, and MBA in Sustainable Commerce from the University of Guelph, and a Project Management Professional designation.
Melanie has held roles in many fields of vet med including sport horse medicine, consulting, laboratory, surveillance, not-for-profit/ NGO, and charity sectors. She founded the DVM Project, the North American branch of VSGD, and formally joined the VSGD team in September 2022. Melanie’s MBA research focused on veterinary career paths.
Outside of vet med, Melanie loves riding horses, hiking and cross country skiing, writing, and beekeeping.
Adrian is a professional coach, speaker, writer, entrepreneur, business owner and veterinarian with nearly 25 years’ experience in the veterinary profession. He has been coaching and training teams for over 15 years. He has coached over 100 people to successful career changes.
He brings significant commercial and marketing expertise to any project, with 10 years of management experience at Hill’s Pet Nutrition and Colgate Palmolive.
Recognised as a thought leader in the veterinary industry, he has been invited to speak at numerous international seminars, events, Universities and company programmes. Adrian is also a Director at Vets, Stay, Go, Diversify.
Sophia is a veterinary surgeon and former British Army officer. She qualified as a vet in 2007 from the University of Cambridge. She has has worked as an equine and small animal clinician in the private and charity sectors, as well as serving as a Veterinary Officer with the army, including deployments to Afghanistan, Jordan, and Germany.
Sophia’s professional interests relate to the (many!) potential benefits of technology, data science, and behavioural economics to animal healthcare.
Sophia lives on a farm in the Welsh borders with her husband, two sons, and wayward Border Terrier.Share your experience from your time in practice to roles and responsibilities that you have had
What type of team player are you? If people were to describe you in three words what would they be (great exercise to do with friends and peers)These are things that must be in place in order for you to consider a role. Location or working hours are common features here.
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Remi is a stay-versifier who works as a Registered Veterinary Nurse and Vet Student. When she isn’t studying, she works behind the scenes at VSGD to help support the community pages and Secret Support emails.
Remi has a passion for interprofessionalism in clinical practice and likes to help young students realise that anyone can pursue a career as a veterinary professional.
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Liz Barton – Head Of Communications at...
Salary
£46-50K
Travel
Minimal - opportunity to do more through different roles, but I avoid this with young family.
Region
UK
Essential Skills
Good written English and communication.
Values
Creativity, independence, self-motivation.
Liz Barton
Check out our Career Q & A questions below to take a deep dive into this career path. If you’re interested in this type of career but unsure how to take the next step, click below to learn more about our services designed to support you.
3 years mixed practice in Cumbria; fabulous first job using the breadth of my degree. LOVED IT, but was lonely. Moved down south for an internship, then week on – week off night vet to look after ailing family in my weeks off. Since then regular GP SA vet; mainly ECC and shelter medicine.
I knew I didn’t want to be a vet full time once having a family. I get bored and tired, and like variety and flexibility. I didn’t decide to become anything – I explored lots of options and at one point was going to become a clothing designer! But the wellbeing issues took precedence and I started website design, content creation, networking and support groups. Lots of opportunities came about as a result and I just said YES to everything until I figured out what fitted.
I self-taught web and social media skills through local Meetups and networking. Ask for a lot of advice and you’ll be pleasantly surprised how much help you get. The biggest barrier was my own self-doubt, but this has ebbed away through peer support, and trial and error.
Flexibility and variety – I can work when and how I want. However, I have so many roles I can become easily distracted and inefficient. Also, working a lot from home means I’m never away from work. It can be hard to set aside proper family time and make a genuine separation between work and home life.
Wake up, check email and social media (I’m admin for 17 pages and 4 groups!). Get kids up, dressed and off to school (biggest achievement of the day). Work 9.30-3pm computer based, usually with a half hour dog walk or run in the middle of the day. Collect kids and ignore work until after dinner. Play, cook, read, do homework etc. then once the kids are in bed I’ll work for another hour or so (if I can engage the brain!)
Someone with good organisational skills, self-motivated, picks up new tricks easily and happy to learn on the job.
Trust in your innate ability and skills; our vet degree is a great preparation for so many careers so have a play and explore what’s out there and what fits your skill set and personality. Most jobs are all about people; what they want or need, what drives them, their trust and loyalty, their personality and drivers. Cultivate EQ and learn to really listen. Then it’s onwards and upwards from there.
Find our more about the organisations Liz works with
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