Starting my veterinary career:
Jade Bessenay
Jade is from New Caledonia in the South Pacific. She studied at the University of Nottingham and graduated in July 2022. She is currently working as a mixed vet in north Wales and her particular interests lie in surgery and emergency care.
Tell us a little about your career journey to date?
After completing a six-year course, I graduated from the University of Nottingham in July 2022. Wanting to explore the various aspects of the profession, I shared most of my extramural studies (EMS) between a lovely mixed practice in North Yorkshire and a small animal practice in my home country, New Caledonia, both of which I believe were key in gaining invaluable experience.
Since September 2022, I have been working in a busy independent rural mixed practice in North Wales, where I have grown a lot professionally.
How did you go about finding the right practice for you?
When looking for a job, I first signed up to Vet Times Jobs People Match. I had heard about this programme from an advert on social media. In the middle of busy rotations and exam revisions, this was, for me, an easy, almost passive, way to look for a job as it tailors practices that coincide with your personal aspirations.
I also considered the practices where I had done placements, and went to as many career events as possible. These included career days organised by the university, but also open days such as the XL Vets day one event, which were useful networking experiences.
I limited the number of practices I was considering to five or six and interviewed in all of them.
Spending a few days in each practice was a key aspect of choosing a job to meet the team and explore the facilities, as well as the area. This helped me understand the expected work environment, work ethics, standard levels and the potential for gaining experience.
How much of a factor was location and finances in the choices that you made?
With my family living overseas, location was not the main factor when choosing my first job. I was quite happy to discover new places in the UK through work and applied to practices in diverse locations ranging from the north coast of Scotland, and the Isle of Man to the midlands and Wales.
For most UK citizens, proximity to family may be an important factor, especially as a new graduate when some days you might come home and feel like you have been hit by a bus. It is crucial not to underestimate the importance of support from friends and family when you start a job.
Having someone to talk to and let your thoughts out is capital to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
In terms of finances, most new graduates start around ÂŁ32,000 to ÂŁ34,000 per annum as a standard salary. That is why, for me, it was important to consider what additional benefits were offered.
As I do not own a car, a practice vehicle was an important factor in my choice. Other financial benefits to discuss include assistance with accommodation, CPD allowances, bonuses and expected salary progression within your first two years.
Image: AI (Adobe Firefly)
What are some of the things you wished you had known before your first job?
Although mental health was mentioned a lot to us at university, I wish I had not underestimated the importance of allowing time to switch off work.
I found myself being so excited and wanting to learn everything so fast that I did not really take time to stop and rest properly. This means you can easily become overwhelmed and irritable and are more prone to making mistakes.
It is easy to underestimate the mental and emotional pressure involved when working in the veterinary profession. Allowing yourself to have hobbies and activities you enjoy outside of work will make you an even better and more passionate professional.
How has your job met your expectations, and what opportunities has it presented?
As mentioned previously, “getting the vibe” of a practice during your visit or interview is crucial and will help you shape your expectations. Look at the facilities, talk to clients and team members and look at the diary.
This is important so you can understand what a typical day in the practice looks like. Look at what the current new graduates are doing during the day. Are they in theatre, or on visits or are they only doing vaccinations and nail clips?
For example, on my interview day at the practice I am currently working in, the new graduate at the time was performing an enucleation on a dog by herself, with a senior vet present in the building in case she needed any assistance. This to me, was a green flag. In this sense, I can say that the job has definitely met my expectations in terms of progression and gain of experience.
It has exceeded my expectations in terms of building a great working relationship with all the other members of the team. In terms of opportunities, I have been able to obtain my official veterinarian qualification for TB testing in cattle in the first few months of starting my job.
This has allowed me to develop a better relationship with farm clients and has definitely helped improve my confidence in farm practice. I have had a lot of freedom in CPD choices. I have been able to achieve the goals I had set myself in my first year thanks to a lot of freedom in the practice.
What have been some of the challenges you’ve faced, and how have you overcome them?
As a new graduate, it can be emotionally draining when a client does not understand you are acting and making decisions based on your perception of their animals’ welfare.
I have had a lot of support from the senior vets in the practice who took over from difficult conversations. Reception staff are also doing an amazing job at managing client expectations before they attend their consultations.
On days when I have been sole charge, I could always rely on a very supportive nursing team who I have learned so much from. This outlines the importance of choosing and cultivating a work environment where support is present and communication is open.
In moments when I was doubting my abilities and felt incapable of doing something, such as correcting a large uterine prolapse in a ewe, for example, I could rely on our clinical director to believe in me when I did not believe in myself.
Instead of doing it for me, she asked our head nurse to assist me and simply having her there for support helped a lot. We then reflected on that case together and what I could do differently next time to make the situation easier.
These examples of challenges I have faced in my first year practice were overcome with open communication, self-reflection and relying on supportive team members.
What hopes or plans do you have for the future?
A veterinary degree spoils us with choice. It offers us the luxury of mobility and flexibility. However, the incredible people we meet along the way often make it difficult to take the plunge and explore new aspects of a veterinary career.
Change is difficult. We get attached to clients and patients we see regularly. Above all, we get attached to our team mates, who share our moments of joy and hardship, who offer us emotional and professional support day in, day out and who make us laugh even in the worst situations.
I wish to pursue a career in mixed practice, which I have learned to love, I aspire to further develop my surgical skills as well as take on more responsibilities in a veterinary team.
What would be some of the best advice you could give to students or those about to graduate about their first job?
Firstly, be proactive – as a new graduate, to get the best experience, you must be proactive.
Your new team mates have been working at this fast pace for years, and they are not waiting for you. You need to show your adaptability and that you are able to keep up with the pace. It will take time, but try your best and you will get support as long as you show that you are trying your hardest.
Unfortunately, if you sit back and do not show passion and motivation, you will miss out on precious opportunities and experiences.
Then, try new things. This is your chance to boost your experience rapidly. Do not be afraid to try new things.
Realistically, in your first year, most things will be new, so make the most of them. Your team is more likely to give you support if you show that you are trying, so take the chance.
If there is a consultation that you are interested in seeing but worry you might not know enough, say it. Ask for advice and then give it a go. You can always pop out of a consult room and ask for more support.
If there is a surgery you are keen on trying, then mention it to your team mates. They would rather see that you are “too keen” rather than interpret your lack of proactivity as laziness. You need to take responsibility for your own learning and progression.
Finally, enjoy – we have certainly one of the best jobs in the world. This is a passion-driven profession. Not many people wake up in the morning and are excited about what weird and wonderful case their job will bring in that day. So, my advice is, even in difficult times, remember you chose this job out of passion and enjoy every day of it.