Nurturing the next generation of vets

Our practice understands that a ready supply of vets experienced in pig medicine and production is essential for the successful future of pig farming.

We recognise that this is a fundamental requirement, which is why we engage with the next generation of pig vets and technicians at many levels.

There are many vets currently servicing the pig industry who have worked with us in the past, either as a veterinary student or in direct employment, with some moving to senior positions in other practices or elsewhere in the industry.

Passing on skills and experience to newer vets is not something that can be taught in a textbook, as pig medicine and production evolve very rapidly – for this reason, the literature available is usually behind the curve!

The cornerstone of our own development programme is our regular vet liaison meetings. Everyone in practice, from our vets to our senior directors and newest starters, will meet for the best part of a day, every six to eight weeks, to discuss clinical cases, new products and innovations and pressing political matters.

We offer CPD training well outside the contractual norms to further develop the expertise of our team, and encourage them to write articles for publications such as ‘Pig World’.

Thanks to the generous support of pharmaceutical companies, we are able to send team members to European meetings and UK events to learn about the latest industry developments. Our representatives will then often report back to the rest of the team about their findings.

New graduates also spend a lot of time shadowing our more experienced vets, and our senior directors are always keen to assist with any problematic cases our junior team members encounter, as well as their own cases!