30 Mar 2021
College’s Vets and Nurses Interprofessional society virtual event, taking place on Saturday 24 April, aims to encourage vet and VN students to learn together and understand each other’s roles.
Rachael Buzzel
Job Title
A team of vet and VN students from the RVC has organised an online symposium to showcase veterinary professionals – and highlight different aspects of veterinary medicine.
Due to COVID-19 and many lectures being online, students have lost the chance to connect with other students beyond their year and course. With this in mind, the RVC Vets and Nurses Interprofessional society has created an online symposium to take place on Saturday 24 April.
The student-led committee was established in 2018 with support from lecturers that make up the Interprofessional education team at the university. Its main aim is to encourage more students on both courses to learn together and understand each other’s roles in clinical practice, because formal teaching is held separately.
The main aim of the all-day event is to inspire other vet schools and nursing institutions to set up their own version of an interprofessional club – especially those that train both professions together.
Confirmed guests for the event include:
VetWings creators Colin and Lizzy Whiting have also been confirmed to help host.
The symposium will be hosted on VetLink, and sponsored by IVC Evidensia, Burns and PitPat dog activity monitors. The event is free and raffle prizes will also be given away to delegates throughout the day.
Fourth-year vet student and vet president of the RVC Vets and Nurses Interprofessional society Kathryn Owen said: “The committee has had great fun organising this event, and working together virtually during lockdown has truly emphasised the value of an interprofessional approach.
”We hope our symposium will provide the opportunity for all UK vet and vet nursing students to connect and learn more about respective roles, as well as being the catalyst for other institutions to set up their own interprofessional club.”
Josh Stratford, vet nurse student and nursing president of the society, added: “As a committee, we strive to make interprofessional education fun and personal. This is why we will be creating a social event after the educational side to allow vet and nursing students to meet each other and blow off some steam.
“The current climate has, in many ways, disproportionately affected students, and many feel pressured and burnt out. We hope a night of animal-themed cocktails, and an event hosted by Colin and Liz Whiting, will help remedy this.”
To register your place at the event, visit its website or email suipec@rvc.ac.uk for more information.
