A vet student from West London is hoping a brand-new resource for secondary school-aged pupils will encourage young people to consider a career in the veterinary professions.
Reanne McDonald, who is from West London and studying at University of Liverpool, will appear on camera as part of the new ‘Vet Team in a Box’, which is a complete secondary school lesson in a box. Sponsored by ManyPets pet insurance, the resource is designed in-line with National Curriculum key stage 3 Science, where students will participate in ‘real-life’ veterinary scenarios, performing diagnostic tests similar to those used to diagnose real animals and interpreting scientific evidence.
This project aims to demystify the veterinary professions and some of the perceived barriers to joining it for both young people and their advisors. It covers a wealth of content, from science, critical thinking, communication, mathematics, analytics to problem-solving skills and teamwork. The guided lesson sees Reanne join small animals vet Faheem Ilyas and vet nurse Craig Tessyman to talk through a fictional scenario to help a farmer protect her herd of cows by making diagnostic decisions and creating a treatment plan.
Aimed at pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9, schools will be able to “book the box” via project collaborators Loughborough University (producers of HE Unboxed) and have it delivered to them for free. The project aims to engage with future members of the professions from all backgrounds. The box is available to all schools, however schools which have a high number of pupils from diverse backgrounds will get booking priority and additional support.
Reanne McDonald, who is in her fourth year at the University of Liverpool, said: “I’m proud to be joining such an exciting and rewarding profession and want to inspire others to join too. I’m hopeful that Vet Team in a Box will help with the ongoing efforts to increase diversity and inclusion in the industry; a more diverse and inclusive profession can better serve the public and ultimately the animals in our care. The veterinary profession is for everyone, and I hope Vet Team in a Box will help encourage more young people from all backgrounds to consider it as a career.”
The resource has been created by the University of Liverpool in collaboration with members of the Widening Participation Vet Schools Network, the British Veterinary Association (BVA), the British Veterinary Nurse Association (BVNA), Vet Nurse Futures and HE Unboxed. It was showcased at the London Vet Show on 17 and 18 November at ExCel London and is now available to schools to book.
BVA President Malcolm Morley said: “This is a fantastic new resource which is not only educational but fun for pupils to take part in. I am extremely proud to be part of the veterinary profession, which is made up of incredible people from all walks of life. It is so important to demonstrate to young people that they can play an important role in delivering animal welfare, whatever their educational, financial or cultural background. This resource is sure to spark an interest in many young minds and help the vets and vet nurses of the future to take their first steps on this rewarding career path.
“We would encourage any vets or vet nurses who are in a position to advise young people about their career or who have links with schools to tell their teachers and guidance counsellors about this free resource so they can share it with their colleagues and pupils.”
Dr Hannah Hodgkiss-Geere, Vet Team in a Box project lead and creator and Director of Student Recruitment in the School of Veterinary Science at the University of Liverpool, said: “I am so excited to be able to bring Vet Team in a Box to fruition. This box provides an opportunity to engage with young people and their teachers to inspire them to join the profession, in particular from underrepresented groups. The degree of collaboration in this project speaks volumes about its importance in igniting interest in future vets and vet nurses at a younger age, and to give support to the people who have direct influence over this. We can only select for our future professionals and colleagues from those who apply for the courses, therefore starting support as early as possible is critical. This is the first step in the Vet Team in a Box project, and I am very proud of its production and how hard the whole team has worked on getting it to this stage.”
Linda Prescott-Clements, Director of Education at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, said: “Vet Team in a Box is an incredibly exciting educational initiative. This practical project aims to increase engagement directly with young people, within schools, using the national curriculum as a template. Just as importantly, this resource also offers support, information and guidance for the teachers advising these young people and draws attention to some of the historical assumptions and bias which may be dissuading them from considering joining the professions, and which may have an impact on applications from underrepresented groups.”
BVNA President Charlotte Pace said: “This is a great opportunity to engage students in understanding how veterinary medicine impacts the wider world, and learn the transferable skills that will help them throughout their life.”
CEO of ManyPets UK Oke Eleazu said: “We work with vet teams up and down the country and are lucky to have so many vet nurses on our ManyPets team. We have seen first-hand how much the industry is in need of diverse young minds to join the next generation of vet team professionals. Together, we have worked hard to create an inspiring science module to get more kids excited and curious about life as a vet and vet nurse. We are so proud of this collaboration, and we can’t wait to hear the feedback from those who get the chance to experience Vet Team in a Box.”
