Page 69 - Eclipse - RVC Alumni Magazine - Autumn 2020

SUPPORTING THE RVC
and perform neutering surgeries with minimal supervision. At first this was a daunting thought but at the placement I was able to put into practice my taught knowledge from lectures and rotations, along with other EMS experiences, to successfully and confidently perform spays and castrations in cats and dogs.
“My objectives prior to completing this placement were to become a more competent surgeon prior to graduation, be able to confidently deal with
clinical emergencies and to develop my understanding of the approach to shelter and charity veterinary medicine. I am happy to say that I fulfilled all these objectives and I will value the transferrable skills learnt during this EMS in my future veterinary career.”
Kriti Saxena
EMS+ New England, USA
“My placement with the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) New England Veterinary Services team was an amazing learning opportunity. I
gained first-hand knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of a federal public health veterinarian. It made me realise how much of the work that goes into disease control and prevention comes down to biosecurity and regulation enforcement.
“I gained valuable insight into what it was like working in the United States and in the federal government. It gave me a lot to think about in terms of my next steps and how I want to carve a role for myself in the profession and the larger concept of One Health.”
Chloe Davison
Summer Research Studentship – RVC Mitochondrial Cell Biology and Pharmacology Research Group “When applying for the studentship, I was hoping to find more clarity on what career path I would like to take in the future, be
it further study, a career in research or something completely different. Having completed the studentship, I realised I had gained much more than that. Alongside the various lab skills I have learnt, I have found out about the realities of working within a research team, including skill sharing and team meetings. It was a very stimulating environment to be in, where I was surrounded by people from a variety of backgrounds, with a lot of advice to share; to do with both lab work and work management in general. I was welcomed and then integrated to feel like a valuable member of the team and was able to put into practice techniques I had been taught the theory of in earlier years of my degree.
“Following this summer project, I went
on to complete my final year dissertation with the same research group, continuing to extend the project and techniques I learnt over the summer.
“My hard work on this project resulted in me winning the Royal Society of Biology Top Project award over all accredited BSc degrees at the RVC. I don’t think
I would have been able to achieve this amazing result without having had the experience of working with the research group last summer.”
Supporting Student Clubs
and Societies
Extra-curricular activities are a vital part of student life, providing students with opportunities to stay fit, meet new friends and generally escape from academia for a while. The RVC Alumni Fund provides a fantastic opportunity for students to grow, enhance and equip their clubs and
societies by matching the funds they raise through fundraising activities, from cake sales and competitions, to performances and challenges. Here are some of the groups supported over the last year:
RVC Boat Club
RVC Interprofessional Club RVC Hockey Club
RVC Surgical Society
RVC Equestrian Team
For more information about supporting the RVC Alumni Fund please call us on 01707 666237 or email alumni@rvc.ac.uk
Vet Nursing, BVetMed and Bioscience graduates of 2020...
How well did the RVC prepare you for your first year in work?
As a graduate of the RVC, your feedback makes a real difference to improving students’ experiences at the College. By telling us how well the RVC prepared you for your first year of work, the College is able to make improvements to teaching and support for future students.
In addition, the RVC is required to gather feedback from both our graduates and their employers in order to meet the requirements of our accrediting bodies, such as RCVS and RSOB.
Look out for your email invitation to complete the RVC Graduate Survey during May 2021!
Please do respond to the RVC Graduate Survey – your feedback is really important. Plus, all respondents are entered into a prize draw to win a £100 Amazon voucher!
In order to make sure you receive this
(and also other interesting news and information from the RVC), please ensure you keep your contact details and preferences up to date by using the RVC4Life portal (www.rvc.ac.uk/alumni) or emailing us at alumni@rvc.ac.uk
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