28 Jul 2021
Pilots include support such as monthly professional skills training, well-being support and a one-to-one mentoring framework as part of internship programmes.
James Westgate
Job Title
Linnaeus has launched a number of pilot initiatives within seven of its UK-wide internship programmes in a bid to help develop the next generation of veterinary specialists.
The pilot introductions include support such as monthly professional skills training, well-being support and a one-to-one mentoring framework as part of the programmes.
On top of more than 70 rotating intern roles, the group offers more than 90 residency posts across the country, with 32 discipline-specific internships across 9 different disciplines available.
Natasha Hetzel, internship and residency manager at Linnaeus, said: “We are at the start of a journey with these pilots and are excited about how we’ll move forward with our internship programmes.
“We have put a lot of time into surveying interns to understand what they want to get out of their experience, what works well and what can be done better, so we are putting all of that into place as part of our programmes.”
Ms Hetzel added: “A key point that came from our surveys was learning and development, so we have introduced fortnightly learning opportunities in which interns take part in a different interactive seminar once a fortnight.
“There is also an emphasis on pastoral care to ensure the well-being of interns, who often have recently moved to the UK, or may be living alone and working in a fast-paced environment, so offering that level of support is a real priority for us.”
North Downs Specialist Referrals is one of the Linnaeus referral practices that has run a longstanding internship programme at its Surrey hospital.
Mike MacFarlane, RCVS and European specialist in small animal oncology, is one of three internship directors at NDSR.
He said: “Our rotating internship allows the interns to spend time with specialists from all areas of the hospital, as well as offering weekly seminars and lectures to ensure the best learning experience.
“A lot of learning is done by doing and we encourage our interns to play as active a role in our patient care as possible.”
Sophie Adamantos is clinical director at Paragon Veterinary Referrals, a Linnaeus referral centre in Wakefield that opened its doors in February 2018.
As clinical director, Miss Adamantos has oversight of the Paragon internship programme. She has been involved with internship programmes for nearly 15 years, and prior to joining Paragon she led the internship programme at both the RVC and the University of Bristol.
She said: “During an internship, we usually flip the emphasis and use case-based discussions to focus the learning experience, rather than lectures on specific topics.
“As you are working within a referral centre with fewer cases under your direct care, an internship gives you a bit more time to think about the clinical signs that animals present with and think about the various options for investigation or treatment.
“You will also be able to improve your problem-solving skills through case discussions with the clinicians working on the case.”
As well as offering increased support to its interns, in 2020 Linnaeus had more than 500 active research projects, with interns supported to undertake research, and encouraged to publish in peer-reviewed journals and present at international congresses.
For more information about Linnaeus internships, visit the Linnaeus website.
