If you stopped practicing veterinary medicine for a couple of years or even a few months, would you return to work completely certain of your abilities?
The British Veterinary Association thinks that some veterinarians who take an extended break — whether to raise a family, work abroad, deal with a health issue or for another reason — might need help regaining their skills and confidence.
Trying to assist, the organization will host a series of classes starting Feb. 20 at its offices in central London. Registration for “Return to Work With Confidence and Clarity,” the first of six classes, is available at http://bit.ly/2Gkycks.
BVA past president Robin Hargreaves, BVSc, said his return to practice “was quite a shock.”
“On reflection, I think it would have been valuable to have attended a course like the BVA Back to Practice series,” he said. “Firstly, because after a year there were new approaches and medicines with which I wasn’t familiar and, secondly, because a course like this would have helped to reassure me that I hadn’t forgotten everything and also highlight what I needed to brush up on.”
Veterinarian Natalie Russell went back to work after a maternity leave.
“For me, the main challenge about returning to practice was the self-confidence,” she said. “Not only in my knowledge but also in my people skills. Many of those skills hadn’t gone and the knowledge was still there, but a course … would have helped me prepare and feel more confident in what I knew and how to apply it.”