Having been a vet for 25 years, Fiona Mcleod has experienced much of what the profession has to offer.
As a mum to two young daughters, Fiona knew having a work-life balance was important to her – and that came through entering the world of ECC.
Fiona, who is now loving life as Principal Vet at our Dundee clinic, tells how AdvantEdge was vital in making her better prepared for all she faces.
Tell us more about your veterinary background?
I went to the Royal (Dick) Vet School in Edinburgh and qualified in 2000. Back then at college we got very little specific ECC training. I did on-call for the first 19 years of my career, starting in mixed practice in Lancashire then locuming before coming to Dundee in 2003.
I was in a first opinion general practice until 2011 when I had my eldest daughter who’s now 14, and moved to a part-time role at the PDSA.
What brought about the move to Vets Now?
In 2022 I started working at what is now Vets Now’s host practice. This gave me an insight into how the Vets Now team worked and how friendly and inclusive they were. That made me want to give ECC a go, so I decided to make the leap.
Tell us about the importance AdvantEdge played in making the move.
I was aware of how much the veterinary world had progressed since I qualified, and I hadn’t had that much exposure to the emergency side of things. I felt like I wanted to brush up my medicine skills, for example blood and plasma transfusions, CRIs and blood gas analysis interpretation. I thought AdvantEdge would give me the confidence to do those things and when I spoke to a friend working at the Aberdeen clinic, she recommended doing the course.
Fiona McLeodI love the challenge of still seeing and learning new things even after all these years. You have more time for patients when required and not feel like it’s only a 10 or 15-minute consult. We have a fabulous team here and all really support each other.
AdvantEdge is a mix of online and in-person learning, How did you find this?
I thrived more in thein-person element. It was lovely to meet everyone, and it was a very diverse group in age and experiences. We got on really well and still stay in touch on our group chat, which is a great support network and handy to ask opinions on tricky cases in the middle of the night!
Was there anything you found particularly useful? There was a lot on sepsis and shock, which gave me a much better understanding on identifying and treating this in patients. The surgical wet lab course was fantastic and we had such a great tutor. We got the chance to place central lines, oesophagostomy and chest tubes as well as abdominal surgeries.
There was an excellent session on Point of Care Ultrasound, POCUS. It was great getting both theoretical lectures and practical sessions, and it’s something we use on every shift.
What about the online learning?
I found the cardiology session especially useful as the tutor was so good at breaking it right down into what you needed to know and do in an emergency setting. There was also a session on treatment of intoxications which was very useful as I’ve discovered we induce emesis regularly for many different toxins.
How have you found applying your knowledge from AdvantEdge back in clinic?
It’s definitely been usefulI feel I’m approaching cases in the ECC setting differently, working them up with the major body systems approach. I feel more confident using some of the drugs like vasopressors, lidocaine and treating electrolyte imbalances. We’ve had dogs with septic abdomens that I’ve been able to more confidently identify and take to theatre quicker than I’d have done before. I feel much more confident in dealing with those sorts of cases since AdvantEdge.
Did AdvantEdge meet your expectations?
Yes, definitely. It was pretty much as my friend had described, which was great. The notes were fantastic and it’s very handy to refer back to those when the unusual cases come in.
So, you’d recommend AdvantEdge to other vets?
Absolutely. No matter where you are in your career, you’ll get something out of it. You’ll learn new things, pick up new tricks and meet a great cohort of colleagues who’ll support you.
What difference has moving to the shift pattern at Vets Now made?
It’s been night and day, I feel like I’ve got my life back. I’ve got so much more time with my family, and time just for myself, which is a great. My daughters are into riding, and we have two horses, which naturally take up a lot of free time. Mostly the girls ride and I’m there to do everything else! The midweek free time has also allowed me to volunteer coaching netball at my youngest daughter’s school and I am starting to volunteer with a local trishaw group taking elderly people out on rides.
It sounds like you’re happy you made the switch to Vets Now?
I’m really enjoying it, seeing cases that still test you and knowing you’re making a difference. I love the challenge of still seeing and learning new things even after all these years. You have more time for patients when required and not feel like it’s only a 10 or 15-minute consult. We have a fabulous team here and all really support each other.
Have you been inspired by Fiona’s story?
We’re currently recruiting for our next AdvantEdge cohort – to find out more, email [email protected], or read more on our AdvantEdge page.