New Graduate Program Lead

The contrast of my first two experiences in practice, as a newly graduated vet, was undoubtedly the catalyst for inspiring me to want to improve the graduate experience for others.  I left my first job in mixed practice after only 2 months before moving to a wonderful CVS practice, where I stayed for the next five years and thrived, quickly progressing to sole charge.

When I was around 2 years qualified, there was company wide advert asking for helpers at the first-ever residential week for new graduates. It sounded like fun, so I went for it! From here I met loads of new people from all areas of the business, I helped with every aspect from acting, to facilitating, to clearing away kit.

From there, more opportunities came to get involved with new graduate training - speaking at their careers day about being a young GP vet, helping at wet lab CPD days and coaching at regional tutor groups. All whilst being a full-time vet in practice, with a supportive boss who kindly let me take these opportunities.

Without realising, this was building a CV full of 'extracurricular' activities - I wasn't sure where it would lead, but I was sure it would come in handy one day.

Then, in 2024, this role was advertised internally, so I thought I'd go for it!

I thought being young and in GP practice might be a disadvantage, but I think they were my biggest unique selling points.

MRCVS

GP practice experience.

A passion for improving the new graduate experience.

Completing the vet GDP advisor training helped.

Experience already helping with parts of the new graduate programme where opportunities were available - CVS is great for making these opportunities available for all - particularly for those in practice.

Every day is different.

But a day from home might look like running an online CPD day or processing all the feedback from one course and deciding how we are going to improve it for next year, by collaborating with course leaders. There's also fair amount of responding to graduate email enquiries and creating good working relationships with external stakeholders and universities.

A day away will often look like a lot of driving, followed by setting up equipment for a course, helping with the teaching of the course and at residentials working right through until late evening for different fun activities.

Enthusiastic, high energy, personable character, who thrives on variety.

It's a real privilege to be part of the first 2 years of all these new vets lives, and to hopefully be making a difference.

I love public speaking, meeting new people and socialising so that's helpful, as there's a lot of that!

Luckily I thrive with no routine - every week is different.

Although there is a fair amount of working from home, there is a lot of travelling, and in the summer there are multiple whole weeks away from home for the residential weeks. I'm regularly away 1-2 nights a week the rest of the year.

With this job, there isn't the same instant reward you get with practice life when you fix a case or help an animal. The projects and courses I work on now are months in the making and as soon as one big event is here, you are already planning the next one.

The thing I miss most from clinical practice is surgery, but luckily at my company it's very easy to do internal locum shifts, so I now do these when I can, to keep my hand in, which is great!

Go for it! Being a vet GDP advisor is great experience for supporting new graduates.

Look for opportunities within your company or externally (e.g. colleges or universities) to get involved in education a small way to start. Helping with teaching/facilitating or speaking at a careers day etc.

Even if something doesn't seem 100% your thing, say YES, and you never know who you will meet on that day and where that will then lead you.

I'm a big believer in the power of networking and one door opening another.