JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE:
VETERINARY SURGEON (INTERN)
REPORTING TO:
THE PARTNERS
FIXED CONTRACT:
ONE YEAR
Overview
Our aim within the practice is to treat our patients as though they were our own animals, and to treat our clients in the way we
would wish to be dealt with ourselves.
This philosophy should be carried through at all levels, in terms of our demeanour, appearance, professionalism and
communication (between vets, clients, external providers such as laboratories and staff). We all have a part to play in
ensuring the smooth running of the various aspects of the practice.
Willows is one of the UK’s leading small animal referral centres with state-of-the-art diagnostic and surgical facilities and
renowned specialist staff who are working at the cutting edge of veterinary medicine and surgery. An internship at Willows
provides a stepping stone for committed, hard-working individuals to further their career through small animal residency and
other postgraduate programs both in the UK and overseas. Interns are expected to work to the highest of clinical standards
as the philosophy of Willows is “commitment to excellence” in everything we do, including patient care, client care, service to
referring veterinary surgeons, care of each other and care of the environment. Support and training will be provided to ensure
these standards of clinical excellence are attained.
The internship program
Our internship training program has three key components: (1) working alongside specialists and residents in Willows
Referral Service, (2) primary case responsibility in Willows Emergency Service, (3) caring for in-patients of Willows
Veterinary Centre & Referral Service clinicians out-of-hours. In addition, interns will have the opportunity to be involved in a
research project leading to publication of a paper in a peer reviewed journal. They will have access to a comprehensive
library and on-line journals.
Interns will rotate through various Willows Referral Service (WRS) disciplines including internal medicine, orthopaedics, soft
tissue surgery, ophthalmology, neurology, oncology, imaging and anaesthesia. Training will involve attending consultations
and assisting with investigations, surgical procedures and in-patient care. There will be daily case-related tuition from
specialists and residents in addition to more structured CPD.
Interns will be involved with a wide variety of small animal cases. They will become competent in history taking and
performing a clinical examination, such as ocular and neurological, under specialist supervision. Interns will have training in
investigations including digital radiography, ultrasonography, MR, CT, endoscopy (GI, airway, arthroscopy, laparoscopy) and
electro-diagnostics. They will gain experience of orthopaedic, soft tissue and neurological procedures. Interns will develop
knowledge of managing complex medical and medical oncology cases. They will become experienced in all aspects of
anaesthesia and analgesia and become competent in working in intensive care.
Willows Emergency Service provides out-of-hours care for Willows Veterinary Centre’s (WVC) first opinion patients.
Rotations on this service involve night and weekend work. Interns will have primary case responsibility and will work
alongside experienced Veterinary Nurses on these shifts. They will have 24-hour back-up support from specialists and
residents in the multiple referral disciplines. Interns on out-of-hours shifts will be involved with caring for in-patients both in
the intensive care unit and the rest of the hospital. Interns will be expected to liaise with each other out-of-hours regarding
transfer of patient care and also, where appropriate, to discuss cases at medical and surgical ward rounds.
The internship training program will have four key rotations (A, B, C and D). Each rotation is performed three times during the
year, in four or five week blocks, i.e. 13 weeks are spent in each of the four rotations. For interns with particular interests,
there is the option to take an elective two week block when they are on their second anaesthesia rotation, to spend extra time
in another discipline (excluding medicine, since they already have two rotations through this discipline) – this option is only
available in the proviso that there is not an intern already with the elected discipline.
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Rotation A: training in neurology, ophthalmology and anaesthesia / critical care. Weekends off. Monday off during
first week of the rotation.
N.B. Holidays / CPD must be taken during rotation A.
Rotation B: training in orthopaedics (4 weeks), imaging (5 weeks) and anaesthesia / critical care (4 weeks).
Monday and Tuesday mornings involve working in the emergency service and caring for in-patients (7 am to 8 am),
and attending rounds (8 am to 9 am). Finish 1 pm on Thursdays. Friday and Saturday nights (7 pm to 7 am) involve
working in the emergency service and caring for in-patients. Only Saturday night when on last week of the rotation.
Rotation C: Sunday to Thursday nights (7 pm to 7 am) involve working in the emergency service and caring for inpatients. Sunday to Friday nights when on last week of the rotation.
Rotation D: training in medicine (6 weeks), oncology (2 weeks) and soft tissue surgery (5 weeks). Mondays off and
noon starts on Tuesdays. Wednesday to Friday mornings involve working in the emergency service and caring for
in-patients (7 am to 8 am), and attending rounds (8 am to 9 am). Saturday and Sunday (7 am to 7 pm) involve
working in the emergency service and caring for in-patients.
Key skills and qualifications
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MRCVS with a minimum of two years post graduate experience in either small animal or mixed practice, preferably
within the UK.
A professional approach and appearance is expected at all times, including out-of-hours duties.
Excellent interpersonal skills and a positive friendly attitude are essential for effective teamwork within the practice,
together with the ability to make decisions and communicate clearly and effectively with colleagues at all levels.
Excellent client communication skills are essential for this role as most client exposure will be within an emergency
situation. Clear explanations of treatments and costs are vital to prevent misunderstandings and client
dissatisfaction.
Written and spoken English skills must be excellent
A commitment to practising the highest standard of veterinary medicine, adhering to the RCVS code of ethics at all
times.
Key clinical and administrative tasks
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Provide support for our clinical services as required, with particular responsibility for the discipline through which you
are rotating at the time. Such support will include, but not be limited to: assisting with patient handling; coordination
of patient throughput; sample collection/analysis and handling; setting up and maintenance of intravenous lines;
induction and monitoring of anaesthesia; care of in-patients, including those undergoing critical care; assisting with
administrative tasks associated with patient care; admitting and discharging patients; communicating with referring
veterinary surgeons. All these tasks to be performed in strict accordance with the instruction from relevant veterinary
surgeons and senior members of staff.
Provide an emergency out-of-hours service to WVC clients as per the out-of-hours rota. The offer to see a patient
out-of-hours should always be forthcoming, unless there are grounds for believing that there may be a risk to staff
safety or that the client presents a high financial risk (the latter not to preclude the administering of necessary basic
emergency pain relief where indicated). When not seeing clients during out-of-hours duty periods you will be
expected to assist with ongoing in-patient care and also with the general tasks being performed by the on-duty
nursing staff, nursing assistants and animal care assistants. This will include instrument care and general
cleaning/tidying.
Comprehensive hand-over of patients seen out-of hours to the relevant WVC primary care clinician at the
commencement of normal working hours, or, where indicated, ethically sound referral to a WRS clinician at a time
which is appropriate to the needs of the patient.
When dealing with a first-opinion patient for which you have primary responsibility, explain physical examination
findings and communicate to the client a diagnosis of the pet’s problems; generate and present a treatment plan for
the pet to the client; educate the client on the best course of action including follow up consultations.
When dealing with a client who is the owner of a pet being treated by another Willows' clinician or when
communicating with a referring veterinary surgeon, ensure that you:
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1. say or do nothing which conflicts with communications given to date or planned by the clinician with primary
responsibility for the case
2. say or do nothing which undermines the position of the referring veterinary surgeon
Maintain client/patient/surgical/medical records and make certain all necessary information is kept up to date
through established protocols.
Attend CPD and training opportunities in agreement with the partners.
Read, understand and implement the practice’s current clinical, operational, safety and commercial policies.
Read and understand the Staff Handbook and Health and Safety Manual, ask for clarification if necessary.
Do nothing which might prejudice the good name of the practice in the eyes of the public or the veterinary
profession.
Read, acknowledge and act upon all internal communication and information.
Accommodation
The practice has two fully equipped two bedroom flats with en-suite facilities. These will be available to interns on a shared
basis. The flats must be kept in a clean and tidy condition and access given for daily additional cleaning and replenishment of
stocks provided by the practice, such as paper towels and toilet paper. An inventory of contents is to be signed for at the
commencement of employment and any breakages/loss of items which are the responsibility of the employee will be
deducted from his/her pay. Utility bills will be paid by the practice. No pets are allowed. All portable electrical appliances must
be reported to a member of the management team on arrival, using the form provided, so they can be PAT tested. One guest
may stay in the flat at weekends, on an occasional basis, with prior agreement from your colleague with whom you share the
flat. Regular guests are not allowed, due to the size of the accommodation and the implications for your co-worker. If guests
do stay, please be aware that the accommodation is situated within a 24 hour business, and as such your guest should avoid
disturbing staff who are working, and he or she should not enter restricted areas of the practice.
Uniform
The uniform provided by the practice (consulting tops, theatre scrubs, surgical clogs) should be worn during consultations
and surgery. Sensible clean and, where appropriate, polished shoes must be worn (not trainers) and hair of shoulder length
or longer must be tied back, with long fringes pinned neatly off the forehead. A smart professional appearance is expected at
all times. The wearing of blue denim jeans during working hours is not permitted.
Salary
£21,112 per annum
Holiday / CPD entitlement
Holiday / CPD entitlement is four working weeks. Holidays / CPD must be taken when on rotation A.
CPD allowance
Costs for courses concerned with continuing professional development for Interns will be met by the practice up to a limit of
£1220 per annum.
Memberships
The practice will finance membership of MRCVS, VDS plus one other professional body.
Probationary period
New appointments are subject to a three month probationary period. This can be extended if the partners deem an extension
appropriate after initial progress reviews.
Contract
Written terms and conditions will be issued with the placement offer letter and these should be signed and returned with the
Intern’s letter of acceptance.
Notice period
Employment can be terminated by either party by giving the other at least one month’s notice in writing. This would not apply
in the case of serious misconduct.