Meet the finalists: David Charles

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I qualified from the University of Bristol in 2019, having studied veterinary medicine as a mature student. After six months in mixed practice, I joined a large farm animal practice in Derbyshire. There, I completed my Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice, re-launched our flock health club, and developed strong relationships with the team and our farm clients. After pitching the idea to my practice and our parent company, I was also able to establish Midlands Advanced Breeding Services.  

In late 2022, following significant injuries from a car accident, I had to leave full-time clinical work and started doing consultancy work for a number of companies before joining Nimrod Veterinary Products. Recently, I took on a role at NoBACZ Healthcare, where I combine technical and commercial skills to launch innovative animal health products in the UK and internationally. I have just become an advanced practitioner in sheep health and production and I still get onto farms as often as possible, either socially to see former clients, when doing on-farm training, or consultancy. 

How does it feel to be a Young Vet of the Year finalist? 

Being a Young Vet of The Year finalist is a huge honour and very humbling. It’s been a thoroughly exciting but highly varied first five and a half years since qualifying, with my career already taking a few twists and turns – but I’ve always loved working in a profession that can help people, their animals, and (working in the livestock sector) their livelihoods too.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career so far, and how did you overcome it? 

My biggest challenge has been having to adapt and find a way forward after sustaining significant injuries in a car accident (after being hit by a drunk driver), which caused me to take a step away from clinical farm practice. I had to re-evaluate my options, consider the transferable skills I’d gained, and determine where my next career step could go. I’d always felt like I’d been on a particular path, but being injured just a few weeks before I was due to open a new branch for the practice I worked for was a stark reminder that all of us in the profession are more than ‘just a vet’. I am so grateful that I had a great support network both at home with my now fiancée and my friends, as well as all the people within and outside of the profession who reached out to offer an ear or some advice.  

What has been your proudest achievement to date? 

In 2022, I ran a group-wide clinical audit to understand better what our group were doing for ewes with dystocia (lambings and caesarean section) and to understand outcomes to better inform clients pre-procedure – something where the evidence base was lacking. I presented the results of the audit and our Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine (EBVM) recommendations at both the IVC Farm Conference and the Sheep Veterinary Society Conference to allow the lessons learned and advice we formulated to benefit the wider profession. Among other things, Category-C antibiotic use was markedly reduced in the subsequent lambing season. I was also humbled to receive an RCVS Knowledge QI Award for this work, and we were able to get it published in a veterinary journal. Recently, I have been able to teach an EBVM approach to ovine caesareans to vet students, which is the pinnacle of being able to pay it forward – something that’s important to me after the opportunities qualified vets gave me when I was a student. 

What advice would you give aspiring vets or those just starting their careers? 

Being a vet is hard at times and comes with unique challenges, but usually, the good days outweigh the challenging or the bad. To quote the phrase adopted by many in the profession, be kind. I would also add, where possible, pay it forwards. Whether that’s taking a more formal role to mentor a younger colleague, being on the end of the phone to offer advice to a friend or colleague, or even just giving a bit of time or advice to an EMS. It will be remembered, and it will have more impact than you think. Also, embrace the varied and many opportunities that having a vet degree can offer – it’s all transferable and (almost always) highly enjoyable! 

BVA Young Vet of the Year Award is kindly supported by Zoetis.