Lara says internship at our Glasgow hospital was one of most rewarding years of her career
Our internships offer qualified veterinary surgeons a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience and develop their knowledge in veterinary medicine.
Lara Brunori embarked on our small animal rotating internship at our Glasgow hospital last year after having previously graduated from our Cutting Edge induction programme and spent time working in our Southampton clinic.
In this Q&A Lara looks back on her internship at Vets Now and explains why it provides such a unique opportunity for career development.
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Find out moreTell me a bit about your background?
I graduated in Italy in 2009 and I was an equine vet for five years, then I came to the UK and worked in mixed practice. About four years ago I decided to become a small animal vet. I worked in general practice up until January 2018 and then I joined Vets Now’s Cutting Edge programme. After completing Cutting Edge, I started working in the Southampton clinic as an emergency vet and loved the job. Everybody was incredibly supportive.
What attracted you to apply for the internship?
While working in the Southampton clinic, I visited the 24/7 emergency and specialty hospital in Glasgow and I fell in love with all the specialists and the team there. When I found out I could apply for an internship I thought that learning from such highly-skilled people and working with state-of-the-art equipment would be an amazing opportunity for me to progress in my career.
What did you hope to have gained by the end of your internship?
I hoped it would broaden my knowledge and help me learn more about the areas of veterinary medicine that I hadn’t previously explored in depth, as well as prepare me to apply for a residency. Getting the chance to see how the residents work and learn as much as possible was a fantastic opportunity.
Did it live up to your expectations?
Absolutely. My rotating internship was one of the most rewarding years of my career. It allowed me to grow both in terms of my clinical skills and on a personal development level. I was exposed to a wide variety of cases and supported by exceptional people and specialists.
During that year I had the opportunity to explore further and expand my interest in emergency and critical care. I am now completing the discipline-specific internship in ECC and I’ll start the ECC residency in January 2021.
Why did you choose to pursue your veterinary career in the UK? Has it been a good decision?
Before moving to the UK, I worked as a vet in several different countries (Italy, UAE, Belgium, South Africa, USA, Mexico and Ireland) and I always struggled to find a balance between a good quality of life and high clinical standards, it was always either one or the other. In the UK and specifically within Vets Now I found a way to have my dream career while maintaining an excellent quality of life.
Having come from the EU, how has Vets Now supported you?
Vets Now provides you with an incredible support network. No matter the issue you’re facing, you’ll find a colleague, a mentor or someone at the support office willing to give you a hand or point you in the right direction. It is a truly wonderful community.
What message would you send to EU vets and vet nurses considering moving to the UK to further their careers?
Once you crossed the pond, it’s very difficult to turn back. I believe the UK is currently the best place for any vet keen to maximise their career growth while not having to compromise everything else for it.
Lara Brunori Veterinary surgeon, Vets Now Glasgow"In the UK and specifically within Vets Now, I found a way to have my dream career while maintaining an excellent quality of life."
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As part of the internship, you worked out of hours in ECC. What do you think of these shifts?
ECC is my passion so I was delighted to be able to work with some of the best in the field. Although I already had some experience working in ECC, there was so much more to learn. I think working in the Southampton clinic confirmed that ECC was what I wanted to do for the rest of my career and being in Glasgow gave me the opportunity to explore it further, to keep learning and keep improving.
Do you think that the internship is good preparation for working in ECC?
Definitely. As an intern, you are working on out-of-hours cases and have to make decisions, but you’re supported by more experienced vets, which is a big plus.
But the internships let you see both the referral side and the primary care side, which is quite unique. It’s a great foundation if you want to go into general practice or if you want to specialise. It’s an amazing opportunity.
What attracted you to Vets Now?
Before joining Vets Now, I was always fascinated by the fact that they were so open and clear about what their values were. After working at Vets Now, I can see that they actually live up to their values and they do care for you and want you to progress. If you put in the work, you’ll get so much back.
What advice would you give to people who were thinking about applying for an internship at Vets Now?
I would 100% recommend it. The Vets Now internship is very, very special. You know exactly what they expect from you and what you can expect from them in return.
If you believe in the company’s core values (caring, responsibility, releasing potential and innovation), you will find them put into action during your journey as an intern. It is hard work but it will pay off with interest.