Saddling Up Success: Equine Vet Alexandra’s Story

Veterinary medicine wasn't initially part of Alexandra’s plan, but after exploring a few different career options, she decided to pursue vet school, ultimately completing a formative internship at Fyrnwy Equine Hospital. Now working as an equine vet at Avondale Vets in Scotland, Alexandra’s dedication and hard work paid off when she was honoured as Equine Young Vet of the Year at the IVC Evidensia Equine Congress.

Alexandra shares her insights and advice for aspiring vets, highlighting the rewarding and dynamic nature of equine practice.

I never planned on being a vet from a young age like so many of my colleagues, but I did spend my childhood around horses, and I have had a horse by my side for as long as I can remember. For me, it was a natural progression to work in equine once I graduated. I did a course at Glasgow University which opened the door to the variety of different roles that involved working with animals.

Studying at the vet campus for a few of the classes gave me an insight into what was involved, and I don’t think my interest in veterinary would have been ignited if it wasn’t for those experiences. After graduating from Glasgow University, I worked in several different fields, including PR, sponsorship, marketing, and PA work for the BBC. However, I could never find the level of job satisfaction I sought.

It was then that I decided to start pursuing the work experience that was necessary for the application to vet school, thinking that the surgeries, blood, and environment would cut my career short and send me back to the drawing board. However, the opposite turned out to be true, and it inspired me so much that I applied to RVC, where I obtained a place on the Accelerated Be Vet Med  course.

I think working in different fields has allowed me to gain valuable skills that I was able to use in my early career as a vet.

I completed the internship at Fyrnwy Equine Hospital, which was a great starting point for me. The internship is rotating, and I was able to experience everything that a career in equine has to offer. The opportunity of seeing such a wide range of cases both on the road and in a hospital environment allows you to fully understand the extent of each case from beginning to end.

Attending the first call, deciding on a management plan, carrying out the anaesthesia or scrubbing into the surgery, and then finally helping with the aftercare. As a young vet, it gave me the toolset I required to succeed in the world of equine.

Having recently joined a new practice and then being nominated by my team and to go on and be selected as the overall winner was a huge surprise and a great honour, particularly at this stage in my career.

In many ways, it is a vindication that my decision to go back to university and become a vet was the right one and that all the hard work and effort that all new graduates put in is not going unnoticed. This recognition will help me continue to take on new challenges and learning opportunities in the hope that I can advance not only my career but the quality of care that I can give each horse and client.

Equine practice can be very rewarding and varied, once you get used to working in all weather! Each day is so varied - from working in a hospital to being on the road as an ambulatory vet or working in a hybrid environment. My choice to partake in an equine internship helped me build confidence, working with a large team of vets and very experienced nurses, and repeating many of the skills required on a day-to-day basis.

Often it was stressful at times, taking on full responsibility but also rewarding to see cases through from start to finish and to work alongside a supportive team. My internship has empowered me to approach any case with confidence and apply both the theory and…