First year students have completed their initial work placements
Vet practices across the North West have opened their doors to the first cohort of University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) students.
A total of 53 practices welcomed 75 BVMS Veterinary Medicine & Surgery undergraduates for two weeks of hands-on work-based learning.
The students were split across small animal, farm animal, equine and mixed practices. Among those hosting UCLan students were Penwortham’s Ribble Vets, Fulwood’s Oakhill Vets, Claughton-on-Brock’s Lanes Farm Vets and North West Equine, near Settle.
Practices further afield also took students on their mandatory intramural rotations, including locations in Ayr and Irvine, on the west coast of Scotland, Carlisle, Barnard Castle, York, Wrexham and Northampton.
Dylan Fowles and Lucy Storey were two students who thrived on their 10 days at The Veterinary Health Centre, in Lytham.
"Getting out into a practical setting within the first five months of starting the degree course is a major plus for me"
— Dylan Fowles, first year BVMS student
Nineteen-year-old Lucy, from Derbyshire, said: “It’s been absolutely amazing to have got hands on with such a large range of animals. We already have fantastic weekly animal handling sessions at University, but to get the chance to work with tortoises, chameleons and bearded dragons, in addition to cats and dogs, has been wonderful.”
UCLan is the only vet degree programme in the UK where students undertake placements from the first year of their studies.
Dylan, 19, from Swansea, commented: “Getting out into a practical setting within the first five months of starting the degree course is a major plus for me.
“I’ve learned so much from watching how the vets interact with the different patients and their owners. It’s really helped me improve my communication skills, not only with the owners and the patients but with the vets, veterinary nurses, receptionists, finance team and practice manager.”
Siuna Reid, Director and Vet at The Veterinary Health Centre, said: “When we heard about UCLan starting a Vet School just down the road in Preston, then we couldn’t wait to get involved.
"When we heard about UCLan starting a Vet School just down the road in Preston, then we couldn’t wait to get involved"
— Siuna Reid, Director and Vet at The Veterinary Health Centre
“Becoming one of the recognised educational training partners is fantastic for us. We’re a highly respected vet surgery, with decades of experience in the industry and therefore we are proud to be passing on that expertise by helping the next generation of vets through clinical placements.”
Dr Heather Bacon OBE, Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine, added: “Workplace-based learning is an incredibly valuable aspect of veterinary education.
“UCLan’s veterinary programme is unique in offering students the experience of being embedded within supportive veterinary training practices from year one of the course. This allows students to develop long-term relationships with their practice team over the five years of the course, and also means that vets and nurses working as Clinical Tutors in the practice are able to directly influence and support veterinary graduates of the future of veterinary education over a longer period of time.”
If you are involved in a North West based practice and would like to discuss offering future student placements, contact Cecilia Nettleton, UCLan’s Veterinary Placements Lead, via email.
