New vets on the block: Working environment for Paramount graduates of the highest standard

As I look down the hall from the stage, I can see so much veterinary potential before me, whether that’s in the field of farm animals, small animals, equine, research or all the other doors that a veterinary career can open. 

It is paramount now that the working environment that these new graduates enter is of the highest standard to tackle the current recruitment and retention issues facing the Veterinary profession. This is a well-documented issue in today’s media; I do not doubt that you all have read about vet shortages, especially in rural areas. 

Many vets are leaving clinical practice before they are eight years qualified, and this needs to change. Farmers can play a role in ensuring the success of these new graduate vets in practice over the next year.

In my new graduate days in Kerry, I was blessed with meeting the kindest, most patient farmers and it set me up for the next decade of farm practice. It was the cups of tea and the chats by the van that helped to form great working relationships with the farmers. 

Excepting an invite for that cup of tea or even that five minutes of chatting by the van, it helped to find out more about their farming system, the farmer themselves and their families. The vet is very much part of the wider farm team and new graduates need to invest time in knowing their clients and visa versa.

You may have heard of the saying “find your why”; this is what the chats on the farm can do. They help the new graduate to discover the farmer’s “why” – the underlying principles which guide the way they farm. 

It also applies to the farmer as they can learn more about the new graduate’s “why” they chose to study veterinary and “why” they set out to be a large animal vet. It may sound trivial to take time to get to know the new vet, but it can mean the world to be welcomed on a farm.

Confidence is something that builds with experience; a new graduate will have the most knowledge of any vet in practice as it’s all fresh in their memory from exams. Farmers should utilise this knowledge to find out the latest evidence-based medicine. They may not have seen the more unusual cases just yet, but allowing them the time and space to enquire from more experienced vets in the practice will benefit everyone. 

As part of the mentoring process in any practice, discussion of cases is encouraged, I still see unusual cases I need to ask colleagues about to this day. Even this week I got asked a question about a laying hen and I was straight on the phone to a colleague, “Help I have a chicken case”. It is all part of career development, nobody has all the answers to all questions.

New Graduate vets are the most up-to-date with all the latest diagnostics tests available, without evidence, it can be tough to reach a definitive diagnosis. Doing a full clinical exam is vital for all cases and getting a full history from the farmer, unfortunately, the cow can’t tell us herself what is bothering her. They are thought to work up cases to the highest standard in university and it is important to encourage this on the farm.

I realise it can be a big change to have a new graduate vet on the farm for the first time. Patience is so important as they may not find that vein the first time around, or they might make numerous visits to the van for things they have forgotten. My step count as a new graduate was through the roof.

I used to say to vet students who were with me in the van that today is a “good vein day” – always a joyous day. As a farmer, restraining the cow or calf correctly can make all the difference for IV injections; even asking what side they prefer to inject can help. 

Safety on the farm is paramount for everyone; good handling facilities are essential to reduce the risk of injury when examining an animal. I know I was particularly accident-prone when I first qualified; thank God for health insurance!

Out-of-hours is a huge culture shock for most new graduates. They may have done some out-of-hours when seeing practice but were not out on their own and it’s 2 am. Always try to give good directions when you call, especially at night, as eircodes can sometimes bring you to the home house or the “top of the lane”.

Keep the phone on loud as a panic “I’m a little lost” call could be a real possibility. I always remember my first-night call and the adrenaline flowing through my veins as I made my way to the farm, it was reassuring to be greeted by a smile on arrival.

The future of farm animal Veterinary is in all of our hands, as vets we need to supply the mentoring and support that new graduates require and as farmers, simple attributes such as patience and kindness can make a lasting difference in a new graduate’s career. Positive experiences on the farm help new graduates stay in practice and protect the service we provide to farmers night and day.

Best of luck to the class of 2024, Veterinary is a wonderful and fulfilling career, there will be bad days but they are soon followed by brighter ones, enjoy the journey.