Information for Veterinary Students seeing Practice
Seeing practice is an essential part of your undergraduate education yet it is something that can be left very much to chance and good luck. These notes are intended to set the scene in advance of your visit to Bushy and to help you get the most out of your time with us.
We welcome students to see practice with us providing that they are keen and willing to help and observe. Previous experience or expertise with horses is not necessary. However, a disinterested approach to this part of your education leads to frustration and a lack of achievement on both sides. All of the veterinary surgeons at Bushy Equine Clinic have themselves seen practice and so realise the limitations and possibilities of this system.
The clinic is both a first opinion practice and a referral centre. To gain optimal value from your time here you will need to divide your time between accompanying the vets on calls and staying at the clinic to observe and help with inpatients, lameness examinations, etc. It is important that you check the diary for each day and consult with the vet(s) you would like to shadow/assist in good time. They will not wait around while you decide what you want to do and you need to be aware that they may not be coming back to the clinic again and therefore you may not be able to swap and change that day. We do not make a formal break for lunch, so we suggest you bring sandwiches, etc, but there is tea/coffee available.
During your time with us you will be perceived by our clients a members of our practice. Remember that these clients are paying for our services and probably also have a high emotional input when their horses are being examined. Therefore, as well as common courtesies, discretion and tact are also needed.
We also ask that you dress neatly and professionally and appropriate footwear is also essential Sturdy non-slip either shoes or boots are ideal In addition a clean set of overalls will be useful, as will your own stethoscope.
Before coming it is worth spending a few moments to consider exactly what you wish to achieve during your time with us. Do you wish to see general ambulatory equine practice and get an idea of what makes a practice and its clientele tick? Do you wish to improve your awareness of surgical techniques or pre-purchase examinations? The hospitalised horses we have in our care offer an opportunity for examination and observation of the normal and abnormal. They will provide opportunities for you to auscultate chests and abdomens, palpate digital pulses, assess capillary refill times etc. Try to identify the specific strengths and weaknesses in your equine experience and take the opportunity to improve on these during your time with us.
Accommodation should be arranged for your visit to the clinic conducive to attending out of hours emergencies admitted to the clinic both at night and at weekends when there are frequently greater opportunities for involvement and experience with cases. You are expected to make yourself availab1e for involvement with out of hours admissions to the clinic throughout your time with us. An hour spent helping with dressing changes on a weekend may be of far greater practical benefit to you (not to mention your popularity!) than an afternoon watching vaccinations.
experience suggests that the students who gain most during their time with us are those that are prepared to muck in and help in all aspects, be it scrubbing up for a colic operation or c1eaning the instruments with the nurses afterwards. The nurses will be happy to discuss and explain their routine management with you. We expect our veterinary surgeons to muck in and help the nurses and students are no exception to this. If you have any questions or queries before or during your stay with us then don't hesitate to contact our reception staff.