Equine

BEVA introduces Internship Programme to support graduates

vetreportSeptember 15, 2013

BEVA has introduced a new Internship Awareness Programme (IAP) to help students and veterinary surgeons navigate the opportunities available after graduation as an intern and to enable equine veterinary practices to select the right employee to best enhance their practice. The programme was instigated in response to a recent industry survey indicating that up to five times as many veterinary graduates may be seeking work in equine practice, than there are jobs available. The Internship Awareness Programme was launched at BEVA Congress on 11 September and will be rolled out in stages over the next three years.

The start point of the IAP this year, is the publication of a detailed list of current equine veterinary internship providers in the UK, together with basic information on what they offer, the type of candidate sought and how to apply for the position. In addition a working party has been set up, comprising BEVA Council members as well as private practice and university representatives, to focus on establishing common and specialised training outcomes that can allow potential applicants to select postgraduate training that best matches their career goals.

“The current mismatch of veterinary graduates versus jobs available in equine practice, is concerning,” explains Vicki Nicholls, BEVA Council member and IAP working party member. “So it is ever more important that we give young graduates as much support as possible to help them make the most informed decisions at this stage of their careers. In the longer term, the provision of guidelines on internship structure and delivery should help practices, not only in terms of efficacy of operation but also in developing their reputations as centres of excellence in training.”

Outgoing BEVA President, Keith Chandler, added: “It is paramount that BEVA continues to champion students and new graduates and provide them with the crucial information and support to make informed decisions at this key stage of their career. Equine Practice is a rewarding and fulfilling career, but there are many entry routes and supporting students and graduates to enter an internship programme is something which we are proud to be involved with.”

The list of current providers of internship programmes in the UK is available from BEVA student representatives or can be viewed online at www.beva.org.uk on the jobs section page.

The next phase of the Internship Awareness Programme will be launched at BEVA Congress 2014.

For further information visit www.beva.org.uk.