VetsNow Fast Track

Re: VetsNow Fast Track

Mark Holmes — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:49:58 GMT

Regarding the 10 weeks of lectures, you can learn a language from a textbook ,but you are going to make some embarrassing mistakes until you can interpret the subtleties of intonation, body language and context.

Re: VetsNow Fast Track

Kate Richardson — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:23:11 GMT

[quote user="Colin Cameron"]These are OOH service providers and not referral centres.[/quote]

That is a very good point

Re: VetsNow Fast Track

Colin Cameron — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:49:10 GMT

I didn't actually make either of these points and I fail to see the contradiction! I will comment on your points.

1. Having a bit more experience does help when dealing with OOH cases and you cannot gain that in 10 weeks of lectures.

2. Nobody said that OOH was always easy but many cases are fairly straighforward and need no more investigation than a proper clinical examination. Again, not all cases need loads of investigations and tests before being handed back to their own vets the next day. These are OOH service providers and not referral centres.

Re: VetsNow Fast Track

Rob Smith — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:39:41 GMT

I'm confused. Both Kirsty and Colin - you have both made two points:

1. Dealing with OOH cases requires lots of experience.

2. Dealing with OOH cases is easy.

These statements seem to contradict each other - or is it just me?

Re: VetsNow Fast Track

Mark Holmes — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:28:43 GMT

And a daily dose of scepticism and/or cynicism.

Re: VetsNow Fast Track

Colin Cameron — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:23:15 GMT

I agree with your first paragraph and this is what I try and instil into my new grads, hopefully with some degree of success! In the second paragraph you omitted generalised thickening of the skin and selective hearing!

Re: VetsNow Fast Track

Mark Holmes — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:05:03 GMT

I would have to agree, after 5 years of uni and 40 hrs a week of lectures further lectures seems somewhat like trying to fit quart in a pint pot. The main problem with new grads, myself included at the time was structuring loads of information into a useable format, common things being common and appropriate to age etc. and explaining things to owners in a simple, confident and easy to understand fashion. These things are not going to come from 10 weeks of lectures it needs time at the coal face.

I would propose however a 10 week period cosmetic treatment to thin and grey the hair, callus and thicken the hands to simulate hibiscrub exposure and facial exercises to create some furrows would be more useful.

Re: VetsNow Fast Track

Colin Cameron — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:26:05 GMT

'Tis the incessant march of the conglomerates and instant experts! To think that a new graduate, having just done 5 years at university, will gain the equivalent of 2 years experience in a further 10 weeks of lectures is, in my view, ludicrous. This is really only fast track to 10 weeks experience, nothing more. This is one more reason why I would never subscribe to an OOH provider. A lot of people seem to assume that all OOH cases need loads of critical care and specialist knowledge. I believe that this is rather far from reality but is heavily promoted by these providers with, as has been mentioned, minimum data bases and tests assuring proportionately large bills. I have never used one of these clinics but from reading about other vets experiences I am glad I don't. And anyway, 2 years experience isn't really all that much , as my assisting young vets with difficult cases in the middle of the night will testify!!