Rewatch a special Career Q&A to celebrate World Patient Safety Day!

This is the first in a three-part series showcasing the diverse talents and career paths within the Veterinary Defence Society (VDS). Our goal is to highlight the dedicated professionals who have “stay-versified” their careers, moving from clinical practice into unique roles that support the veterinary profession in impactful ways.

In this session, we are excited to feature Emma Cathcart, Russell Roan, and Catherine Oxtoby as they share their journeys from clinical practice to leadership roles in patient safety. Emma is a veterinary surgeon and educator specializing in patient safety and human factors. Russell, with a background in veterinary practice and the pharmaceutical industry, now serves as VetSafe Manager. Catherine, with experience in equine and small animal practice and a PhD in Patient Safety, leads the development of safety systems and research as VDS’s Head of Underwriting and Pricing.

These sessions are kindly supported by VetSafe

Thank you for such a helpful chat and the ability to connect with others interested in this field” VSGD delegate 

We were thrilled to see such an engaged and knowledgeable audience from around the world! As promised, here are the key takeaways, resources, and next steps: 

• Connections matter – Reach out, make conversations, and discover new opportunities. Let’s connect on LinkedIn – Ebony, Emma, Russell, Catherine.  
• Be proactive – Identify gaps and position yourself to fill them. Don’t always wait for the job to appear. 
• Embrace continuous learning – Stay curious and open-minded in your career. 
• Start small with patient safety – Manageable changes can make a big impact. Try simple language changes that foster curiosity.  
• Use VetSafe –  Register to track incidents and implement solutions. 

Key advice from Catherine Oxtoby on career development and flexing your patient safety advocacy: “The real test is persuading people to change behavior...you'll develop crucial skills like leadership and communication that will stay with you for life.”