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'Communication is the key'
Heidi Janicke
If Heidi is elected, she hopes to bring her thoughts to the Council on how issues affecting the veterinary profession should be addressed.
RCVS candidate says communication lies at the heart of all disagreements

Stress and mental health issues are a major cause of concern for the veterinary profession, but Dr Heidi Janicke, a candidate in the RCVS Council elections, believes that this can be improved through better communication.

"The college needs to disseminate information on how to identify mental health issues and how and where to seek help should it be necessary.

"I think the college should also encourage universities to consider the resilience of their candidates - and not just academic achievement - during their recruitment process, to ensure new graduates have the best chance of succeeding in their chosen career."

Heidi, an assistant professor in clinical and professional skills at Nottingham Vet School, also thinks that more information should be made available, both at undergraduate level, and in the working veterinary population, about alternative careers that welcome veterinary graduates - aside from the traditional general practitioner or specialist.  

"There are so many areas a graduate can excel in that, although not necessarily without issues that lead to mental health problems, are of a different sort and may suit certain individuals better."

If Heidi is elected, she hopes to bring her thoughts to the Council on how issues affecting the veterinary profession should be addressed.   In particular, she is interested in education, both at undergraduate and CPD level.  "Knowledge, both medical and professional, is progressing at an ever increasing speed,' she says. "We need to ensure that our profession stays up to date."

The College came under fire for some of its decision last year and, as with stress and mental health, Heidi believes that this can be avoided in future through better communication. "In my opinion, communication, or lack of, nearly always lies at the heart of any issues and disagreements."

"I think the college needs to be disseminating information in a manner that reaches the majority of its members and takes their opinions into account with any decisions that are made. I see it as my job to be the mouthpiece of those opinions."

For our full interview with Heidi, visit www.vetcommunity.com. Login in or sign up for a free account to read more on the elections and discuss.

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.