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Liverpool Vet School

Half-way thoughts

Week #1 - settling in

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Clinic life

Clinic life

..is very different! Working hours in the clinics in the UK, are at minimum 0830 - 1700, though my fellow peers will laugh as we all know that this isn't true, often its closer to 0730-1800. I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I also said an hour lunch break is something dreams are made of, instead sometimes lunch is scoffed in the student corridor at the speed which is guaranteed to give you hiccups all the way through surgery or afternoon consults. I feel very passionate about ma

Half-way thoughts

Half-way thoughts

As I had hoped for there have been a number of surprises, but interestingly these have not been as I expected (I guess that's a true surprises then..). Studying here has been a culture shock. Expectations included - fantastic organisation, high expectations and stringent protocols. Protocols regarding antibiotic useage is highly regulated, but in other areas.. lets just say, the priorities are clear! Primarily, I have noticed and enjoyed the lack of strict hierarchy; it has b

Week #1 - settling in

Week #1 - settling in

As usual, preparation for my ERASMUS+ on my behalf was minimal, (despite knowing about this trip for over 2 years) I found myself in a panicked rush to complete the pile of paperwork they required, finish my final EMS and try to enjoy Christmas! The day before leaving began with me desperately vacuum-packing all my warm, woolliest possessions into a suitcase and then spent the night dreaming of losing digits to frost-bite, one by one over the next three months! I always worr

Zim Diaries

Zim Diaries

Friday 15th - Saturday 16th: The start to the trip didn't begin smoothly, and as it transpired my fortunes weren't to change immediately. I was to be leaving immediately after my Zoo EMS, midway through a camel post-mortem the vet with me asks, with a smirk, whether I was planning to shower before heading off to the airport. The answer was no, as I was going to be in quite a rush to catch my train on time. He kindly suggested I left a little bit earlier than planned. Faced w

#VetsForVultures

#VetsForVultures

If any teenager felt misunderstood by their parents whilst they cried over school-crushes and screamed that they had 'no clothes to wear' to the cinema, they have nothing on these guys - they must be the most misunderstood birds in existence, but now it looks like these ecologically essential and actually beautiful animals could head the same way as the Dodo, Tasmanian Tiger, Stellar Sea Cow.. Need I go on? During my trip to Painted Dog Conservation in Zimbabwe with Wildlife

A 'wild dogs' life, part 1

A 'wild dogs' life, part 1

In the beginning.. ..the moons on all the planets in the universe, aligned and with the will of the Gods, I've somehow got myself on a trip with Wildlife Vets International! I'm not gonna go on about how much I wanna be a conservation vet, because I've done that once already (at least!)... but WHOOOOP! In preparation for my upcoming trip as part of the WVI's team to work with Painted Dog Conservation (PDC), I thought I should do some 'swotting-up'. And whilst I was at it, I f

Hitting the slopes!

Hitting the slopes!

We went to Val Thorens! I had never been skiing, but desperate to go, so when my friends suggested a group trip with a great deal - I leapt at it! Kitted-up with help from my friends a group of 12 headed off from Birmingham Airport! Now, finally, I can now attend a winter EMS placement at a vets and join in when they all ask "so, do you ski". The answer to this is still 'NO', but I can probably fumble through a conversation now! The answer to whether I enjoyed it is - YES, ab

The "No-Frills" Guide to India

The "No-Frills" Guide to India

You can currently find this online at the JAVS (Journal of the Association of Veterinary Students) website - click here! "This is a frank and brutally honest recount of our adventures in India. Previous accounts we found to have missed some key words of wisdom, so we therefore feel duty-bound to pass on some tips we wished we’d have known earlier to future travellers! Here is our no-frills how to guide to surviving India……. 1. Be prepared for nothing to go to plan….. Particul

1 down, 5 to go..

1 down, 5 to go..

It'r rotations. After 6/36 weeks of constant assessment during rotations - I am ready for a 3-week break! Even if 2 of those weeks are EMS, it feels like a holiday! To celebrate the end of the first block of rotations - we had a 'festival'.. I drank too much and am writing this severely hung-over, so apologies! Rotations, at Liverpool at least, are divided into 6x 6 week blocks of either Equine, Farm or Small animal. But.. because I'm off to Oslo to do 2 rotation blocks next

Port Lympne

Port Lympne

Half-way through the first rotation block, we had a 2-week EMS 'break' and I headed off to Kent, to Port Lympne and Howletts Wildlife Park! I stayed in the most adorable little 'house', it was basically a summer house at the bottom of a (very rich persons) garden! I spent two weeks in this idyllic house and enjoying time romping around the two zoo's! In case you don't know, both zoo's are supported by the Aspinall Foundation, a conservation charity. I can't really discuss det

VetsNorth 2016 and the India Hype

VetsNorth 2016 and the India Hype

Our entire trip was documented by the kind people of Veterinary Practice magazine, who published our journey in its entirety - from begging for supplies to our return to the UK! To check it out see the 'Article' Section of this website. We had a lot of people to thank by the end of our final year as Stewards at Vets North, they all know who they are, but also Georgie Hollis for donating as much as we could carry in bandage materials and dressings! #India #zoological #VetSchoo

LUVZS Day; Saturday 16th April 2016

LUVZS Day; Saturday 16th April 2016

Dr David Roberts from the University of Kent, provided a new insight into the rising levels of international wildlife trade present on social media, it was fascinating, even if a little daunting to hear the scale of the matter As the 4th largest source of crime globally, behind the likes of human trafficking and arms trade, it is clear that governments should be prioritising law enforcement in this area. This responsibility of vets to ensure we are fully informed of the legal

AWF: Wildlife welfare and conservation talk

AWF: Wildlife welfare and conservation talk

Throughout my childhood I dragged my parents to zoos, made them watch every animal documentary, dreaming of one-day being the vet to save them all. I’m glad to say now that my attitude has matured, along with my years, however that dream has not disappeared, only developed. One Friday evening Steve Unwin and his colleagues, Winny and Siska, came to talk to a group of students, both vet students and non-vet students alike, all fuelled with copious amounts of pizza and ready to

Vets North; A Students Perspective

Vets North; A Students Perspective

As usual, the supposedly relaxing holiday to Marrakech with my other half had been rather fast-paced, consisting of me racing around the souks and other tourist traps. To end this well earnt break we decided to catch a late night flight and slowly drive home from Gatwick the next day. Well that was the plan, until I decided to put a giant spanner in the works and require a lift to Manchester early the next morning - its a good job he is an early bird! Shockingly, we actually

AWF discussion forum 2015

For another year, I was pleased to be able to attend the AWF annual discussion forum and even more grateful that, thanks to the General Election it had been delayed to post exams! An even more broad range of topics were discussed from antibiotic resistance to population management and I look forward to future years as Tiffany (President of the AWF) suggested that more attention would be given to exotics too! On the train, puffy eyed and yawning, that morning both myself and a

Colwyn Bay and Llandudno

One of many trips to Formby Beach

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