Recent Graduate Event - Coming late 2025 / early 2026
After the success of the first Recent Graduate Event at The Wellbeing Farm in September 2024, the VDS are repeating the in-person CPD event in late 2025/early 2026, aimed specifically at vets who have qualified in the last 5 years. It will be an opportunity to meet with the VDS team and to make connections with other recently graduated vets.
The event will be held in an easily accessible central location and count as a full day of CPD. Register your interest here to be the first to receive details, updates and reminders about the event!
Recent Graduate Event 2024 That’s a Wrap!
Learning, Connection & Fun at The Wellbeing Farm
When: Friday, 20 September 2024
Where: The Wellbeing Farm, Lancashire
Our inaugural VDS Recent Graduate Event 2024 brought together 50 veterinary graduates for a day full of learning, professional support, and light-hearted fun. With a focus on building confidence, sharing experiences, and networking, the event created a relaxed and judgement-free atmosphere at the beautiful Wellbeing Farm in Lancashire.
Event Highlights:
- Cautionary Tales Live: Attendees heard real-life "Cautionary Tales" from our experienced Claims Consultants, who shared honest stories about both our members and their own mistakes and how they’ve turned these moments into valuable learning opportunities.
- Interactive Learning: Graduates explored their core values and how to deal with moral stress, in VDS Training Consultant Ruth Serlin’s session ‘Me, My RCVS and I’, and found out how curiosity might save the cat (and other species too) in VetSafe Manager Russell Roan’s session on medication errors in veterinary practice
- Supportive Conversations: The event’s Q&A panel featuring VDS, VDS Training, VetSafe and BVA teams was a hit. Graduates valued the judgement-free atmosphere and gained a variety of perspectives on tricky professional, moral and ethical situations. Many noted how reassuring it was to hear from senior vets with decades of experience
- Networking: Throughout the day, graduates had plenty of opportunities to chat and share experiences, both with their peers and with professionals from VDS, VDS Training, VetSafe, and BVA. These valuable conversations continued beyond the sessions, creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all.
- Unforgettable Venue: The Wellbeing Farm provided a unique backdrop for the event. Between informative sessions, attendees enjoyed fresh air and light-hearted moments with Winston the llama and Sandra the sheep! The relaxing drinks reception brought the perfect close to the day.
What Graduates Loved:
Feedback from the day was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees leaving reassured and inspired. Here's what some of them had to say:
- "Hearing about mistakes from experienced vets and seeing that making mistakes is normal and won't stop you becoming a good vet."
- "The Q&A was very good and informative."
- "Good advice, judgement-free atmosphere, meeting old friends and new people."
- “Loved the day! So very informative and helpful.”
- “I wanted to put you all in my pocket to take back to practice for reassurance in the future.”
A Safe and Supportive Space
We worked hard to create a safe, supportive atmosphere where recent graduates could feel comfortable sharing their experiences and asking tough questions. Many attendees commented on how this helped them feel more confident as they returned to practice, knowing they weren't alone in facing challenges.
Looking Ahead
Stay tuned for future updates! Keep an eye out for announcements on our next graduate event — we’d love to see you there!