Learning the Ropes: Chantal's EMS Placement Experience with Pet People Vets
Third year veterinary student Chantal Younis talks about her inspiring experiences during her EMS placement at Pet People Vets.
“I am a third year vet student at the University of Surrey. Over the course of our clinical study years, vet students are required to see practice, and I was recently fortunate enough to undertake a really enjoyable and informative placement with Pet People Vets, an independent practice in East Sheen.
The practice has brilliant and immaculately maintained facilities as well as cutting edge equipment, which I really enjoyed the opportunity to use. However, the thing that really made the placement for me was the staff. Right from the beginning, I was welcomed and made to feel part of the team, which helped me to feel relaxed and able to get fully involved and ask lots of questions (and I did ask LOTS, of questions).
All of the vets and the awesome nursing team took time to explain everything to me really thoroughly and coach me through the things I was working on. I got to work in pretty much every aspect of the practice including consults, lab work, anaesthetic monitoring, imaging, dentals, surgeries and client notes. I was talked through hands-on practical skills in detail, with the clinical thinking discussed with me at each step, giving me a thorough insight into how and why particular decisions were made. I was able to witness (and hopefully be part of) a team that demonstrated a real love for pets and a huge amount of compassion in every aspect of their work.
Visiting after my first semester of clinical teaching was brilliant timing and meant I was able to see an entire case from start to finish in an area we had just covered at university. Urinary system – a case of bladder stones, from the initial consult, to running diagnostics including urinary lab work and ultrasound (so different to doing it on a model!). I then got to scrub in for the surgery! This really brought the whole case to life for me.
I was particularly moved and impressed to witness how an animal could arrive distressed and unwell and so quickly become relaxed and increasingly well. I saw this with one adorable kitten who arrived at the practice after being abandoned, under nourished, and neglected with a broken pelvis. With the care and love he received he quickly came out of his shell and became an entirely different character. ‘Spicy’ the kitten became increasingly less spicy, and more sweet, and I was delighted that he got his own happily-ever-after with one of the practice staff.
My time with People for Pets turned out to be so much more than I could have hoped for and I can’t wait to go back in the next holiday break, to see the team and also get experience with some of the exciting new kit such as the new endoscope and CT scanner.
Unofrtunately, my partner has told me I am not allowed to bring any animals home – no matter how spicy or sweet.”