Becoming BVA Young Vet of the Year and beyond

BVA Young Vet of the Year Award

Looking back, November 2023 was a whirlwind of experiences, with one of the most surreal but amazing moments being when I was announced as the 2023 BVA Young Vet of the Year Award winner.

I went to the BVA Gala Dinner flattered to have been nominated for the award and even more grateful that a panel had picked a poultry vet as one of the final three. Commercial poultry vets are relatively few and far between, and we historically haven’t tended to feature in the veterinary discourse outside of the poultry industry. Between this and the amazing work summarised in the shortlist for the other finalists, I figured my aim for the evening was to have a good night out as a reward in itself for a busy few years.

The initial shock of having won evolved into feeling both delighted to have been chosen, but also a little overwhelmed. In the midst of our busy and challenging personal and professional lives, we don’t often get an opportunity to pause and reflect on our achievements. This award provided the perfect moment to do just that. It was a positive reminder to look back on everything done so far, learn from it, and look ahead to the what the future could hold.

This is among the many reasons why nominating someone you think deserves recognition is well worth it. For me, just knowing someone has taken the time to nominate is a reward in and of itself, and during more challenging times it is a tangible reminder that someone values and respects the service you deliver. 

Post-award

I mentioned above that November was a whirlwind. Just prior to winning the BVA Young Vet of the Year Award, I’d been announced the recipient of the Egg and Poultry Industry Conference Young Poultry Person of the Year, becoming just the second veterinarian to have been recognised in this way! Following these events, I travelled to India to troubleshoot a range of poultry problems both familiar and new. Then I flew to Germany to spend time with my residency colleagues at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo) and to present at conferences in Hannover and Leipzig.

2024 has also brought some new work opportunities. I’ve stepped into a new role within the practice as Clinical Director and I’m also facilitating the brand new RVC-Crowshall commercial poultry/gamebird rotation as deputy rotation lead. This was finalised at the end of 2023 and is now underway, with our first student cohorts who arrived in May 2024. I also look forward to starting a PGCertVetEd later this year to help ensure the student educational outcomes are the best they can be.

Advice to early career vets

Don’t be put off from complex cases, taking responsibility for situations, and trying to work out your own approaches. Also don't rule yourself out from making suggestions in practice just because you are in the earlier stages of your career. But at the same time, be comfortable with not knowing all the answers and don’t shy away from seeking experienced advice or from stepping back and recognising that the first few years are still relatively early days – it's still meant to be a learning curve. Developing from experiences and finding the right pace of work are fundamental to longer-term enjoyment of time in the veterinary profession. And try to invest the same commitment into your personal interests as you do your professional ones.