TIM Ng is thriving in his first practice role at Ashfield House Vets in Nottingham, thanks to the VetPartners Small Animal Graduate Programme.
Leaving university and starting their first role in practice can be a daunting experience for young vets which is why we’ve created graduate programmes across the species – small animal, equine, farm, and mixed practice – to help the transition from being a student to life in practice.
The programmes are designed to give young vets the best possible start to their career and build upon the knowledge and skills learnt at university.
Here, Tim shares his experience on the VetPartners Small Animal Graduate Programme…
What have you enjoyed most about the VetPartners Small Animal Graduate Programme?
The programme massively appealed to me mainly because of the way it is structured as well as the support that I’d get if I joined a practice alongside the programme. I really liked the idea of having a series of CPD sessions throughout my first two years in practice so I could also learn from other veterinary professionals outside of my practice and brush up on the knowledge I’d learnt at university as well as learning new skills.
I was also keen to join a practice that would have a good support network in place while I find my feet after graduating with it being my first job as a vet. The graduate support in place at Ashfield House Vets really appealed to me and the practice sounded like a great place to start my career.
I completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Veterinary Education through an internship after my undergraduate degree, which was a really rewarding experience to gain an insight within academia. However, but I still had areas in my clinical skills that I wanted to develop, and I thought the programme would be the perfect opportunity to do so.
How much support do you receive on the VetPartners Small Animal Graduate Programme?
I got a lot of support throughout the programme from my mentor, VetPartners and the other vets at my practice and they’ve all been really supportive of me since day one. When I joined Ashfield House Vets, it was my first time working in clinical practice, so I was a bit nervous to start my role and I’m very grateful I was able to kick off my career at a practice where there is such a strong support system in place for graduates.
I was also allocated a graduate development advisor, Charlotte Harris, who is a vet at my practice. She became my mentor and helped track my progression as well as helping me with any advice or for a chat whenever I needed it. The other vets in my practice also frequently checked in with me to ensure I was happy with what I was doing. There was also a support system in place directly from the careers team at VetPartners via email or a phone call if I ever had any issues with anything.
The huge amount of support available to me has definitely boosted my confidence and has made me feel less alone whilst I’m navigating my first job as a vet.
What was the learning experience like?
There were in-person CPD sessions which occurred every four-eight weeks with the same group of around 20 graduates. The sessions covered topics such as emergency medicine, canine and female medicine and even a trip to Thailand for a two-week neutering clinic. The trip was with the World Veterinary Service and involved neutering stray dogs to help prevent the spread of rabies in the country. It was a fantastic experience which improved my soft tissue handling and spaying skills and made them feel less nerve wracking to do in my everyday practice role.
I found the sessions really beneficial as they built on the foundations of what I was taught in vet school but were applied to day-to-day practice scenarios which I found very useful. The sessions on emergency medicine I found particularly useful as they improved my knowledge on managing unstable patients and conducting appropriate workups which I was less confident in.
Meeting other graduates at the sessions was also great as we all shared our different experiences in practice and gave each other advice on things we would do differently. I find it beneficial talking to people who are in the same situation as you.
How are you finding life as a vet after graduating?
I’m enjoying it! I would say the graduate scheme helped prepare me for life in practice by developing my skills, especially with the practical and clinical considerations that come within general practice.
I’m also fortunate to work with such a diverse and talented team of vets at Ashfield House Vets. Most of the vets have their own personal clinical interests such as ophthalmology, soft tissue surgery, dermatology or internal medicine, so there is always someone who is very knowledgeable about a certain area if I ever need to ask for advice. They are such a great team to work with and I find there’s always someone to go to for reassurance. For example, when I came across having to diagnose melting ulcers for the first time, I felt quite out of my comfort zone, however I had support from a more senior colleague to stabilise the case.
Would you recommend the VetPartners Small Animal Graduate Programme to others?
Yes certainly! It’s been such a beneficial learning experience and has really helped improve and solidify the knowledge I had from being a student. I definitely think I now feel much more confident when it comes to dealing with practical and clinical considerations within general practice and am looking forward to developing my career further. The programme is such a great way to boost your confidence as a newly qualified vet and work on your skills and knowledge in a supportive environment.
Tim graduated from the University of Nottingham in July 2021 where he studied Veterinary Medicine and then stayed for another year to complete an internship in academia where he gained a Postgraduate Certificate in Veterinary Education (PGCert [VetEd]) and a Fellowship to Advance HE the HEA (FHEA) in June 2022. Tim then joined Ashfield House Vets in June 2023 and began the VetPartners Graduate Programme in September 2023. He is currently in his second and final year of the small animal graduate programme.
Are you interested in taking part in one of the VetPartners Graduate Programmes in 2024?
Details of the all of our graduate programmes and how to register can be found here: https://vetpartners.co.uk/veterinary-jobs/graduate-veterinary-jobs/17045/
Or, if you fancy an informal chat about the programmes, email careers@vetpartners.co.uk who will be more than happy to hear from you.
Article written by Rachel Neill, VetPartners PR & Communications Executive. rachel.neill@vetpartners.co.uk