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Welsh farm hosts innovative taster course
vet and nurse
Planned by Neil Paton, the course looks to provide invaluable realistic insight into the physical and intellectual demands of life in the veterinary profession.
Prospective students to gain insight on vet life
 
A course, designed by Neil Paton and run by the Royal Veterinary College and Wales’ Coleg Sir Gar, will be attended by 26 prospective vets from the UK, France and Belgium.

In a five day long programme of lectures and practical visits, 16-24 year olds will visit Coleg Sir Gar’s Gelli Aur College Farm.  

Inspired by Neil Paton’s book So You Want To Be A Vet?, the course features a keynote lecture from RSPCA chief veterinary officer, James Yeates, alongside talks from farm vets, lecturers and current veterinary students.

Planned by Neil Paton, the course looks to provide invaluable realistic insight into the physical and intellectual demands of life in the veterinary profession. Neil Paton said: “It’s great to see the insight I aim to give prospective veterinary students in the book come to life in this course.”

The book informs students about what to expect from a veterinary degree, and outlines a range of potential graduate careers ranging from working with wildlife to drawing up government legislation.

Mr Paton continued: “That we have students from France and Belgium this year and students from Japan last year shows there is international demand for this ‘taster’ course and it is credit to the RVC and Coleg Sir Gar in leading the way and making Wales the home of this innovative course”.

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Submissions open for BSAVA Clinical Research Abstracts 2026

News Story 1
 The BSAVA has opened submissions for the BSAVA Clinical Research Abstracts 2026.

It is an opportunity for applicants to present new research on any veterinary subject, such as the preliminary results of a study, discussion of a new technique or a description of an interesting case.

They must be based on high-quality clinical research conducted in industry, practice or academia, and summarised in 250 words.

Applications are welcome from vets, vet nurses, practice managers, and students.

Submissions are open until 6 March 2026. 

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Survey seeks ruminant sector views on antimicrobial stewardship

A new survey is seeking views of people working in the UK ruminant sector on how to tackle the challenge of demonstrating responsible antibiotic stewardship.

Forming part of a wider, collaborative initiative, the results will help identify the types of data available so that challenges with data collection can be better understood and addressed.

Anyone working in the UK farming sector, including vets and farmers,is encouraged to complete the survey, which is available at app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk