Andrea started working at Langford Vets as a locum in the Farm Animal Practice. She then became a resident (sponsored by Langford Trust) before becoming permanently employed by Langford Vets seven years ago. Andrea is now Lead Clinician at the Farm Animal Practice and we caught up with Andrea to find out what her role really involves and how she works with Bristol Veterinary School students on a regular basis.
What does a typical week look like as Lead Clinician?
Usually the job is a good mix of clinical work (including both commercial work on dairy/ beef suckler/ sheep farms as well as working with smallholders and farm pet owners) and practice management and leadership type work. I tend to try to get a half day a week blocked out in the diary to sit at my desk but a phone call or emergency usually gets in the way of that so the work all just has to fit in when it can.
What is your favourite part of your job?
The variety of the role and not knowing quite what each day will bring, as well as seeing the seasons change as I roam around North Somerset in my car!
Do you have a favourite story from working on the farm?
There are always good stories from life as a farm vet – they can be happy, sad, stressful or just plain ridiculous! Some highlights include my first successful cow caesarean section (and every one thereafter), the first miraculous recovery of a hypocalcemic cow getting up after administration of calcium, sedated pigs rolling down a hill, losing wellies in mud (mostly funny when it’s not you) and cups of tea in the kitchen after a cold visit to a farm!
Does your job involve working with students from Bristol Veterinary School?
Yes, as a practice we support the final year vet student rotations. All students in final year will, at some point, spend a week seeing practice with us as well as two weeks seeing farm practice at one of our external rotation providers. We usually have five or six students seeing practice with us in the Farm Animal Practice on any given week, so the vets will usually have at least two students shadowing and helping them with their clinical cases on a day.
What do you enjoy about working with the students?
I enjoy fuelling their interest in farm animal practice and trying to impart some of my enthusiasm onto them!