Happy New Year

RE: Happy New Year

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 12:23:18 GMT

Rob Davis No need to justify yourself to me

Seriously, you should do as follows:

1. Change your membership category to 'Referral Practitioner - Dentistry' in your 'Account Settings'

2. Update the 'About' section of your profile (My account > View/Edit My Profile). It's a bit thin at the moment. Begin with something like: I am a general practitioner with a special interest in dentistry and accepting dental referral cases.

Then expand on your dental experience. How long seeing cases? Working on any additional dental qualifications now? Been on any dental courses? Then perhaps close with a line about the middle tier service you offer.

3. If you haven't already, then go and click share my location on this page: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/user/connect.aspx#

That will put you on the map as offering dental referrals (AND connect you with others in your area with shared interests / goals).

Finally, when that is done, let me know and I will add your name as one of the experts contributing to the new dentistry group, here:

https://www.vetsurgeon.org/veterinary-clinical/small-animal/dentistry/

(while you are there, click the 'join' button on the lhs ... doesn't do anything at this stage other than show you are a member of the new dental group, but I plan to add more functionality soon).

RE: Happy New Year

Rob Davis — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 11:40:59 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]Interesting question, because whenever I have discussed this idea in the past, I've picked up a certain snootiness by referral practitioners about other referral practitioners on the lower branches of the tree, so to speak ... "Yes, but are they a specialist??' or 'Only a cert holder?' and of course: "What, NO additional qualification and accepting referrals. Whatever next???"[/quote]

In my field (dentistry) there are only a very small number of RCVS recognised specialists, and certainly nowhere near enough to treat all the potential referral cases. I am honest about my abilities and experience and am able to offer a "middle tier" of referral. My knowledge and experience in dentistry is significantly more developed than most GP vets, but I do not (currently) have qualifications to prove it. Also there is no RCVS certificate in dentistry so there is no easy way of achieving advanced practitioner status. The veterinary dentistry community is a fairly small one and I doubt whether any of the recognised specialists would take issue with what I am offering.

RE: Happy New Year

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 18:53:01 GMT

[quote user="Rob Davis"]Will it be possible for general practitioners who also accept referrals to be included? [/quote]

Interesting question, because whenever I have discussed this idea in the past, I've picked up a certain snootiness by referral practitioners about other referral practitioners on the lower branches of the tree, so to speak ... "Yes, but are they a specialist??' or 'Only a cert holder?' and of course: "What, NO additional qualification and accepting referrals. Whatever next???"

My view is that it's a free market, and as long nobody holds themselves out as something they aren't, then go right ahead. After all, if someone wants to refer a case to a GP rather than the UK's leading expert in a particular field, that's completely up to them.

The one thing I would say is that if you set your VetSurgeon.org profile to be 'Referral Practitioner' WITHOUT holding additional qualifications, I think you should make sure that the rest of your profile is complete, and you explain the experience level on which your referral service is based.

That way, nobody could accuse you of being misleading.

What does everyone else think?

RE: Happy New Year

Rob Davis — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 17:43:13 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]So ... I'm going to kick off the year by beefing up the dentistry and exotics sections and maybe ophthalmology at the same time[/quote]

oooh, how exciting!

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]My first idea is to create a directory of referral practitioners in each section who contribute to VetSurgeon.org, in which they can add a page of information about themselves and any of the services they provide for the profession.[/quote]

Will it be possible for general practitioners who also accept referrals to be included?

RE: Happy New Year

Clare Tapsfield-Wright — Sat, 05 Jan 2019 17:18:13 GMT

Happy new year Arlo to you and yours. Sorry it’s a bit late , I thought it was a watch this space announcement so didn’t reply. you know I wish you well for this forum , I’m still finding it thought provoking, informative and enjoy the feeling of community. Thank you

RE: Happy New Year

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 17:42:16 GMT

[quote user="Julie Innes"]if it makes you feel better, Arlo [/quote]

Yes, it does, thank you

[quote user="Julie Innes"]reasons being that it is far harder to read a "thread" on FB, due to people replying to other people's replies, it confuses me! and the replies are not always in order of posting, which confuses me even more.[/quote]

EXACTLY how I feel (and no, not just bias, I genuinely find it nearly impossible to follow discussions the way they are presented on facebook, and even harder to find anything I want to refer back to.

On top of which, I don't have a clue what people's credentials are unless they happen to be a friend. Again, in the context of a professional discussion, that's useless.

[quote user="Joyce Whitehead"]Whereas a forum you have to come here specifically.[/quote]

Yes, which is why I have to make vetsurgeon an even stronger proposition ... that it really is worth visiting here and participating, because you are going to have a better and more valuable experience than on facebook.

[quote user="Joyce Whitehead"]But it I use this much more and often tell the younger staff members where I have seen this info. [/quote]

Thank you!

RE: Happy New Year

Joyce Whitehead — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 14:09:58 GMT

I’m like Julie, I read more than post on FB vet pages, although I do pick up some useful snippets there. I suspect rather that it is a bit of an age thing, the younger members of staff spend quite a lot of time on FB and see those posts automatically. Whereas a forum you have to come here specifically. I suspect the average age of regular posters on this forum is well over 30.

But it I use this much more and often tell the younger staff members where I have seen this info.

RE: Happy New Year

Julie Innes — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 14:07:05 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]Well, one of the things that gives my enthusiasm, morale, etc. a right old hammering is seeing the growth in veterinary facebook groups, not least because I think facebook is inferior for professional discussions, but also because I work so hard at all this (and so can't help feeling: "What the bloody hell are you doing over there" when I see vets discussing things on facebook!).[/quote]

I am a member of a couple of vet facebook groups, but I rarely join in discussions on there, if it makes you feel better, Arlo

reasons being that it is far harder to read a "thread" on FB, due to people replying to other people's replies, it confuses me! and the replies are not always in order of posting, which confuses me even more. And also I am far more at ease posting here- Although I know even closed groups can be breached, I can't help feeling that FB is somewhat more likely to be "leaky".

RE: Happy New Year

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 09:34:52 GMT

[quote user="Julie Innes"]Happy New Year Arlo![/quote]

Thank you Julie, you too; was starting to feel a bit lonely there

[quote user="Julie Innes"]I am jealous of your enthusiasm! [/quote]

Don't worry, even I have to dig quite deep to find it sometimes!

[quote user="Julie Innes"]Having been plagued with this horrible cold for two weeks now[/quote]

Bad luck. One of the perks of my job is that I rarely get colds (because I rarely get out, which is less good!).

[quote user="Julie Innes"]Will look forward to your new features![/quote]

Well, one of the things that gives my enthusiasm, morale, etc. a right old hammering is seeing the growth in veterinary facebook groups, not least because I think facebook is inferior for professional discussions, but also because I work so hard at all this (and so can't help feeling: "What the bloody hell are you doing over there" when I see vets discussing things on facebook!).

Anyway, over the Christmas break I was chuffed to see a VS recommending VetSurgeon on facebook to a VS looking for advice on an exotic question, which made me think:

a) 'ologies' (inc. exotics) are an area we can offer everyone SO, SO much more than facebook does. I mean, if a referral practitioner is going to give some advice and help, here on VS we can offer them many more opportunities to showcase their services than facebook.

b) Part of that includes the fact that we offer referral practitioners far more professional profiles on VetSurgeon (which is both a showcase and helpful for readers to put posts/advice in context, again impossible on facebook, which is so much less accountable).

So ... I'm going to kick off the year by beefing up the dentistry and exotics sections and maybe ophthalmology at the same time. My first idea is to create a directory of referral practitioners in each section who contribute to VetSurgeon.org, in which they can add a page of information about themselves and any of the services they provide for the profession.

More as it happens ... (but if anyone thinks I am barking up the wrong tree here, please DO say so!)

RE: Happy New Year

Julie Innes — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 09:00:00 GMT

Happy New Year Arlo!

I am jealous of your enthusiasm! Having been plagued with this horrible cold for two weeks now, my plans at the moment consist of dragging myself from my bed! Will look forward to your new features!