The last week has seen me taking part in two large and occasionally chaotic educational events. The first involved showing veterinary students what their career options are after qualifying and, as importantly, how to get that vital first job. A regular theme is that in your first job, the most important person in the practice, the one you annoy at your peril, is not the boss, but the head nurse! There are plenty of talks on the opportunities for vets to work in many different areas other than practice. Noticeable this year was that more young vets are wanting to go into farm work than in previous years, which is good for the future of the profession. Equally certain is how much farm practice has changed since I attend the first of these conferences in 1987. Desk work was very much looked down on then, but the young vets now realise the importance of understanding how much of farm work involves monitoring good health rather than just treating the sick animals.

I was also involved in the Farm Open days run by the Westmorland Show committee when lots, and I mean lots, of local schools came to Heaves farm. My “Vets” station had syringes and stethoscopes for them handle, as well as one of the ultrasound scanners to look at. The highlight, though, was the lambing simulator, where one of the group got to dress up in the huge gown and gloves I use, and then pulled a pretend lamb (actually a soft toy in the shape of a purple rat) out of the pretend ewe (a box with a sheep’s pelvis in side, that feels quite realistic!) It was great fun, if full on, and I appreciated the constant cups of tea and excellent Park House strawberries that kept coming.