Senior Clinical Training Scholar in Veterinary Clinical Pathology (Ref: SCH/16/05)
FURTHER PARTICULARS
ROLE DESCRIPTION
Department/ Address: School of Veterinary Sciences, Langford, North Somerset, BS40 5DU
Academic Faculty/ Support Services Division: Health Sciences
Grade: Senior Clinical Training
Scholar
Hours of Work: Full time
Starting stipend £17,740 per annum
(tax-free):
Work Pattern: Studentship
Contract Type: Fixed term (3 years)
Main Purpose:
The aim of this scholarship is to train a veterinary surgeon to become familiar and competent with the principles,
techniques and practice of clinical pathology. Our aspiration is that following completion of the scholarship the
individual will contribute to the development of veterinary clinical pathology in either an academic and/or
commercial post.
The position is tenable for three years, subject to satisfactory annual review of progress, and the position will start
on the 11th July 2016.
The training will be designed to meet the requirements as approved by the European College of Veterinary
Clinical Pathology. Scholars will also study for a University of Bristol Masters in Veterinary Clinical Science.
Responsibilities and Tasks:
Training Programme: There will be a programme involving rotation through the University’s diagnostic
laboratories where the scholar will be trained in clinical haematology, clinical chemistry (including urinalysis),
immunology, clinical microbiology (including molecular diagnostic techniques) and cytology. Training in
laboratory management and quality assurance will also take place during this rotation. The diagnostic
laboratories are staffed by highly competent technicians who are committed to teaching. There is ample
diagnostic material from hospitalised cases and the external commercial diagnostic service.
Proposed Training Programme
The scholar will spend his/her time in the appropriate laboratory and will be trained in the basic clinical and
laboratory techniques. A series of “assignments” and tutorials will be used to help cover theoretical
aspects of the different topics aiming at developing a sound understanding of basic pathogenic mechanisms.
The list of topics to be covered is appended. During the second and third year, the scholar will become familiar
with more advanced clinical pathology techniques including radioimmunoassays, immunocytochemistry, specialist
ELISAs, and PCR. In addition to the specific supervisors, who will cover some of these techniques, other
staff members within the School of Veterinary Science will contribute in the specific areas of special expertise.
The aim will be for the scholar to become familiar with the principles of the techniques rather than practically
competent. During the course of the scholarship, time will be spent at other UK commercial/academic
laboratories. The aim will be for the scholar to receive additional training (e.g. laboratory
management, quality assurance, endocrinology, cytology/haematology, interpretation of laboratory results) i
n a high quality, commercial diagnostic laboratory under the supervision of qualified veterinary clinical
pathologists.
Diagnostic and clinical duties: An important element in the training will be the daily involvement in the
diagnostic service work in Clinical Pathology. This includes the examination of haematological and cytological
submissions, the validation and interpretation of laboratory results generated from the diagnostic laboratories
and provision of advice to veterinary surgeons. Supervision will take place during the first two years of the
programme, with more independence in the third year. The scholar will also participate in the series of formal
internal medicine and pathology “rounds” and clinical case discussions which take place several times a week.
Attendance at the School’s research seminars will be also encouraged.
Teaching: The scholar will be involved in the clinical pathology teaching rotation for final year veterinary
students which includes case study discussions and small group practical tuition in a purpose equipped
dedicated student “practice” laboratory. The objective of this rotation is to emphasize the links between
internal medicine and clinical pathology, and the scholar will be working closely with other members of
staff who are involved in the teaching of clinical pathology. There is scope for the scholar to develop teaching
material for this rotation such as clinical case studies that may be adapted for computer aided learning. The
scholar will assist in the assessment of the students at the end of the teaching period. During the last two years
of the programme, the scholar will also be involved in the teaching of other postgraduate students, veterinary
surgeons and veterinary nurses through seminars and participation in CPD/CE meetings.
Research: During the second and third year the scholar will be expected to present clinical research
abstracts to at least two major scientific/professional conferences (e.g. BSAVA, ESVIM, ESVCP). The
emphasis during the third year will be on the completion of the clinical project. The subject for the project
will depend on the scholar’s particular interests and discipline selected, but will be integrated with the current
research interests of the staff at the School of Veterinary Science. By the end of the programme, the scholar
should be able to publish two first-author papers.
Examinations/Qualifications: At the end of the third year, the scholar would be expected to sit the
examinations for the Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists in Veterinary Clinical Pathology (FRCPath)
and/or the Diploma of the European College of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (DipECVCP).
Progress Review:
The scholar will meet every six months with the principal supervisors to report on the progress of his/her
training, to discuss potential problems and receive advice from them in order to solve these problems.
Masters:
A recent introduction to the Senior Clinical Training Scholarship is the incorporation of a taught Masters in
Veterinary Science qualification that the scholar will work towards during their three year training programme. The
Masters will enable scholars to achieve a universally recognised Masters qualification in addition to being able to
complete credentials to enable the candidate to take the European diploma qualifications. The taught Masters will
include specific training in project design, statistics, clinical teaching, paper writing, journal critique and will also
equip the scholar with universally useful attributes.
Stipend
The scholarship attracts a tax-free stipend of £17,740 per annum
Relationships and Contacts:
Supervisors: Academic –Professor Sorrel Langley-Hobbs, Small Animal Orthopaedic Surgery
Clinical – Professor Richard Hammond, Chief Executive, LVS
Veterinary Clinical Pathology lead and primary supervisor – Dr Kostas Papsouliotis
Line Manager to,
where appropriate: N/A
Internal Contacts:
Academic, academic related and support staff; undergraduate and postgraduate students
External Contacts:
Veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and diagnostic laboratory technicians
PERSON SPECIFICATION
The skills, abilities, experience and knowledge outlined below provide a summary of what is required to carry out
this job effectively. They also form the selection criteria on which the decision on who to appoint will be made.
Please ensure that you show how you meet the criteria outlined below in your application.
Relevant Experience, Skills and Knowledge
Essential
Desirable
At least two years experience in clinical practice
Some skills in diagnostic microscopy
Computer literacy
Relevant Qualifications
Essential
Desirable
Veterinary Surgeon qualified to practice in the UK
(MRCVS)
Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Essential
Desirable
Good team player
Good interpersonal skills
Ability to be flexible in approach to work
Patience and calmness
Strong work ethic
Excellent written and spoken English. If English is not
your first language you will need to fulfill Profile A of
the University of Bristol’s English Language
requirements for Post-graduate study.
Additional Criteria
Essential
Desirable
Organisation Chart:
Head of the School of Veterinary Sciences
Prof Sorrel Langley-Hobbs – Head of Residency Committee
Richard Hammond, Chief Executive, LVS
Dr Kostas Papasouliotis, Veterinary Clinical Pathology lead
Veterinary Clinical Pathologists
Scholar (this post)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The University and City of Bristol
The University of Bristol (www.bristol.ac.uk) is an international powerhouse of learning, discovery and enterprise.
Its vision is of a university whose excellence is acknowledged locally, nationally and globally.
The University was rated by the Times Good University Guide 2009 as one of the top ten universities in the UK
and in 2008 it was ranked within the top 35 in the world by The Times Higher Education/QS World University
Rankings. The Sunday Times (September 2008) described the University of Bristol as ‘one of the jewels of British
higher education’ and ‘at the cutting edge academically’. The University is a member of the Worldwide
Universities Network, a grouping of 18 research-led institutions of international standing, and of the Russell Group
of universities, an association of 20 major research-intensive universities of the UK.
The University of Bristol is dedicated to academic achievement across a broad range of disciplines. It is made up
of more than 30 departments or schools, organised in six faculties: Arts; Engineering; Medical and Veterinary
Sciences; Medicine and Dentistry; Science; and Social Sciences and Law. It has approximately 12,000
undergraduate and 5,000 postgraduate students from around 100 countries. The Quality Assurance Agency for
Higher Education, which carried out an institutional audit of the University in 2004, awarded Bristol the highest
rating available for its management of education and the academic standards of its awards. It has 31 Fellows of
the Royal Society and nine of the British Academy – a remarkable achievement for a relatively compact university.
Bristol is a research-intensive university, supporting both individual scholarship and interdisciplinary or thematic
research of the highest quality.
A key element of the University’s vision is to ensure that its research and education contribute to regional and
national society and the economy. The University works hard to build effective links with the community and its
industries, through high-quality research collaboration and productive knowledge exchange, the creation and
support of new companies and enterprises, and the licensing of intellectual property.
Engaging the public is a vital part of university life and an area in which staff and students are actively involved. It
is part of the University’s core business and is integral to research and teaching that is grounded in societal need
and that promotes lifelong learning. It is also vital to widening participation and fair access; and for students
involved in volunteering, engagement is an aspect of the distinctive ‘Bristol experience’.
Public engagement at the University of Bristol includes all the ways in which University staff and students interact
with members of the public, encompassing talks, debates, festivals, performances, widening participation,
research with, and driven by, communities, volunteering, lifelong learning, action research and engaged learning.
Public engagement shares some of the same goals and principles as engagement with the business community;
for example, in the need to be two-way, and not assume a top-down approach, and is part of a continuum with
knowledge exchange.
The University is committed to operating in a sustainable manner, working constantly to reduce carbon emissions
and improve the sustainability of the physical estate. Its ambitious capital programme plans to invest in the most
cost-effective way in new buildings and facilities over the next few years to support research, teaching and
learning.
The University of Bristol is a stimulating and supportive environment for all students and staff, distinguished by a
commitment to high standards, respect for the individual and a strong sense of collegiality. It is also is an integral
part of a beautiful, historic city that has been selected as European City of the Year 2008, Provincial City of the
Year 2008 and Britain’s most sustainable city 2008. It has been officially designated a ‘Centre of Culture’ and a
‘Science City’ by the Government. It is also the only UK city to be shortlisted for the European Green Capital
Award 2010, and is England’s first ‘Cycling City’.
With a population of over 400,000, Bristol is the largest city in the South West and the region’s leading centre for
business, culture and education. It has a long tradition of trade and engineering, and is also home to many of the
newer financial services and creative and media industries. The historic docks in the city centre, now a thriving
focus for leisure and the arts, retain many echoes of Bristol’s maritime history. Theatre, music, the fine arts and
cinema are all well represented, and the neighbouring city of Bath also offers a wide range of cultural activities.
Bristol is well provided with open space and parkland and is within easy reach of attractive coast and countryside,
including the Cotswolds and several National Parks. The city has an international airport and offers good rail and
motorway links.
This post is based at the Langford campus, 14 miles south of the city. More information about the city of Bristol is
available at http://visitbristol.co.uk and www.bristol.gov.uk.
The Faculty of Health Sciences
The Faculty of Health Sciences is a newly established faculty in the University, the other five being Arts,
Biomedical sciences, Engineering, Science and Social sciences and law. The Faculty of Health Sciences
comprises four academic schools: Veterinary Sciences, Clinical sciences, Oral and dental sciences and Social
and community medicine.
The Faculty of Health Sciences came into existence on 1st August 2015, bringing together the Departments of
Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science. The new Faculty is designed to provide an effective and efficient
means for teaching medical sciences to a wide range of undergraduates. These include three professional
programmes, Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science (Bristol is the only UK university to offer all three), and
challenging BSc honours programmes, all taught in the context of a high quality research environment.
The School of Veterinary Sciences
The School of Veterinary Sciences is located on a rural campus at Langford, 14 miles south of Bristol. The
Langford Estate, together with its farm (Wyndhurst), occupies 255 acres. The area is in the heart of the Mendip
hills but with access to theatres, restaurants and cultural attractions in Bristol, Bath and Wells. The environs offer
outdoor activities such as walking, mountain-biking, rock-climbing, caving, riding and sailing. There is a broad
range of housing and good schools within easy driving distance of the site.
The Head of School is currently Professor Joanna Price. The School’s aims and objectives are to be a ‘Leading
European Veterinary School with an internationally recognised input in research, teaching and clinical work’.
The School is organised into three research groups, together with a central support unit (finance, personnel,
student services). The current academic groups are:
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Comparative Clinical Research
Animal Welfare & Behaviour
Infection and Immunity.
This post is based in the Comparative Clinical Research
The School essentially undertakes three enterprises:
Veterinary Clinical Work
Academic veterinary clinicians work a specified percentage of their time doing clinical work and clinical teaching
within Langford Veterinary Services (see separate section).
Teaching
Undergraduate Teaching
The School has a major commitment to undergraduate teaching.
BVSc programme
The Department contributes the majority of the teaching on the veterinary undergraduate course. We aim to
provide a broad scientific education and training in clinical skills and to inculcate a learning ethic in our students
that will remain throughout their working lives. The major features of the course design include a significant
reduction in didactic teaching; an introduction of group-based learning termed directed-self-education, teaching in
clinical subjects integrated from 3rd Year, a primarily lecture-free final year and the introduction of electives. The
current annual intake of veterinary undergraduates is 150. Students spend the first 3 years at Bristol, with one
day/week spent at Langford, and the final two years at Langford.
BSc in Veterinary Nursing and Bioveterinary Science
From Sept 2009, the Department has offered a 4-year degree programme in Veterinary Nursing and Bioveterinary
Science. The annual intake is 24 and students will study simultaneously for their professional VN qualification.
The course therefore includes periods of work placements.
BSc in Animal Behaviour & Welfare Science
This programme is now in its fourth year and is receiving enhanced interest from non-veterinary students and
intercalating veterinary students.
Graduate Training
Currently within the Department approximately 25 students are working towards higher degrees by research. All
students registering for a Higher Degree in the Faculty of Medicine become members of the Graduate School of
Biological and Medical Sciences.
Graduate Clinical Training
The Department can offer approved clinical training programmes in a number of disciplines:
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Small animal surgery (orthopaedics and soft tissue surgery)
Internal medicine
Small animal neurology
Anaesthesia
Imaging
Equine Surgery, Medicine and also Sports Medicine and rehabilitation
Behaviour & Welfare
Cattle Health & Production
Pathology
Clinical pathology
Dermatology
There are some 29 clinical training scholars in the School, undergoing clinical training to Diploma level.
Continuing Education
Langford Veterinary Services runs a busy CPD programme offering a range of courses and day conferences
designed for the veterinary surgeons and nurses.
Research
The Research Excellence Framework 2014 has ranked Bristol among the UK’s top research universities. Our
research is shown to have top quality and major impact on society and the economy, according to this
assessment of research at every UK university. REF2014 will decide how around £2 billion in research funding
will be allocated each year from 2015-16.
Thirty-six per cent of the University’s research received the top 4* rating, defined by HEFCE as ‘world leading’.
This is six per cent above the sector average and twice the level the University achieved in the Research
Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2008, placing Bristol 10th in the Russell Group.
The School’s research policy is to:
 focus resources on our most effective programmes
 provide support for the well-founded laboratory
 create research initiatives through pump priming grants
 support graduate students.
A research theme that encapsulates the portfolio of our companion animal research has been defined as part of
our emerging research strategy.
Comparative Clinical Research Group
Members of the Group are concerned with research through clinical service activity with small animals and
horses. The Division currently consists of all clinical academic staff, 29 residents/senior clinical training scholars
and 12 interns/junior clinical training scholars.
The Group’s research activities cover a wide range of clinical specialities including; gastroenterology,
orthopaedics, dermatology, feline medicine and anaesthesia and involve collaborative projects with scientists from
other Groups and Departments within and outside the School and University.
Langford Veterinary Services
All clinical services are provided by a separate business, Langford Veterinary Services (LVS). A small number of
clinicians are employed directly by LVS but the majority are employed directly by the University of Bristol and
contracted to work for LVS for a percentage of their time. The vast majority of clinical support staff are LVS
employees.
The clinics at Langford provide practical training for veterinary science and veterinary nursing undergraduates.
Currently, the services consist of three first opinion practices (farm, small animal and equine), two major referral
centres (equine and small animal), and a laboratory diagnostic service. The annual income is in excess of £8
million and more than 7,000 cases are handled by the 160 veterinary clinicians, nursing and clerical staff.
The market in which the University is operating has changed radically, largely due to competition from the private
sector, and action has therefore been taken to ensure that Langford remains sustainable as a centre for
veterinary clinical teaching and research. Change has occurred by the establishment of a dynamic veterinary
business, Langford Veterinary Services (LVS). It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the University, but has the
freedom to re-invest its income and promote the business. LVS began operation on 1st March 2009 the Chief
Executive Officer since 2015 is Professor Richard Hammond. It provides specialist veterinary investigations for all
domesticated species as well as providing cases for University staff to teach BVSc students and VNBS students
in their clinical years. The School and the company are interdependent and the relationship is defined in a Service
Level Agreement.
LVS is developing a competitive advantage by expanding and reshaping the current business, improving
customer care, increasing efficiency, providing state-of-the-art facilities, developing additional specialist care and
improving the environment for students, staff and clients. Non-academic clinical staff are employed by LVS to
deliver excellence in clinical service.
The teaching caseload will be ensured and an attractive environment will be generated to recruit and retain high
calibre staff and students. Academic clinical staff employed by the University will be required to undertake a
percentage of their time doing clinical work and clinical teaching within LVS.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Please send a completed application form, together with a letter of intent, a transcript of your exam grades,
evidence of any papers in preparations/pending publication and two confidential references sent separately,
ideally two confidential references sent separately, but by the closing date, to:
The Head of School’s Office, School of Veterinary Sciences, Langford House, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU, or via
e-mail to: cvs-hod-office@bristol.ac.uk
Please ensure that you quote the reference number SCH/16/05
Closing date for applications: 10am 7th March 2016
SELECTION PROCESS
It is expected that interviews will be held as soon as possible after the closing date and it is anticipated that these
will be in the week commencing 21st March 2016.