This blog is to tell you why you should consider attending the VPHA/AGV Autumn conference on 4 November – but registration closes on 19 October so be quick!
A bit about me and why I think the conference is worthwhile
I continue to be amazed by the variety of fascinating and diverse roles you can take on using a veterinary degree and also what a difference the veterinary profession as a whole makes to wider society.
I left clinical practice for government work after 8 years and joined the (then) State Veterinary Service (SVS) – now known as the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). In SVS I carried out field work as a Veterinary Officer, managed staff and stakeholders as a Divisional Veterinary Manager and was introduced to disease control on a national basis during classical swine fever and foot and mouth disease in 2001. As a result, I developed a passion for epidemiology and completed a MSc in veterinary epidemiology. This further training enabled me to develop and lead the Field Epidemiology team and finally embed epidemiology skills and training as a vital part of APHA’s veterinary team work.
I found that my veterinary training also supported a career change when I moved from delivery of animal health and welfare policy in APHA to enabling scientific research from the Home Office. I am now involved in regulating the use of animals used in science which involves me working with scientists and helping them apply the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) in making their discoveries.
In addition to my day job, I am a member of the British Veterinary Associations policy committee, Chair of the BVA Surveillance Working Group and President of the Association of Government Veterinarians. Through these, I recognise what a difference the veterinary profession as a whole makes to wider society, whatever particular role each of us is playing at any one time.
The variety and speed of change these days is both challenging and stimulating and we are all busy, so sometimes we need a chance to pause, look up and see the bigger picture and think how we can use it or contribute to it.
The conference
As an example of this, download the conference programme organised by the Association of Government Veterinarians and the Veterinary Public Health Association.
The programme is about innovation and how it may impact on or be used by, the veterinary profession. Speakers and attendees include the BVA President, the past President of the RCVS together with all the UK CVOs.
How can new technologies improve surveillance and biosecurity, animal welfare and animal health? What about helping control disease outbreaks and improving animal productivity?
The innovation extends to the social programme with a CVO's team bowling event among other things.
We have a number of copies of the publication "Recognising abuse in animals and humans - COMPREHENSIVE GUIDANCE FOR THE VETERINARY TEAM" from AWF as prize awards for the bowling contest, alongside three books of the latest animal welfare and ethics book for different day activities.
The BVA and the RCVS have provided materials for the Team Vet and Mind Matters campaigns so please join us to demonstrate how we all contribute to the wider Veterinary Profession.
Come and meet old friends and make new ones and think again about the next step in your career.
Programme and link for registration: https://www.agv.org.uk/agv-conferences/