Small Animal Surgical, Mentored Position

* Surgery Certificate holder, or looking to complete CertAVP (fully funded if needed)

• Mentored by RCVS Specialist Surgeon in independent GP/multidisciplinary referral setting
• Exceptional opportunity to expand surgical skills and experience
• Island VetCare and Island Referrals, Isle of Wight

NEW YEAR, NEW CHALLENGE? Aiming to increase your surgical experience or get your surgery cert? Mentored small animal surgeon position, busy first-opinion and Specialist referral practice

We are opening up a new role, for a highly organised and self-motivated MRCVS with some experience of mixed or small animal practice, with a keen interest in small animal surgery, and with good surgical skills and experience. Surgery Certificate holders will have the chance to broaden their skills and experience further but if you are looking to complete your CertAVP it will be funded fully.

Island Referrals provides RCVS-recognised Specialist clinical services for the pets, owners, and vets of the beautiful Isle of Wight. Based in Ryde, we have created and expanded our unique niche, and our energetic and friendly team now provides broad specialist surgical, medical, diagnostic imaging, cardiological, and ophthalmological services. Island Referrals runs within Island VetCare, a growing, independent, RCVS-accredited Small Animal Practice, with Gold Standard cat care and vet nurse and vet student training, which is designed and run to prioritise patient welfare during treatment.

The four day a week role will be split into Mondays and Tuesdays working alongside and supporting the Specialist Surgeon (Ian Nicholson) with his varied orthopaedic, soft tissue, and neurological case load, to build your experience of common and unusual referred cases. You will be trained to perform all CT and MRI imaging, advanced anaesthesia and analgesia techniques, and minimally-invasive sampling techniques, as well as being second surgeon for most cases.

On Thursdays and Fridays you will play a full and active role within the Island VetCare general practice team, including helping with/leading on cases requiring CT scanning and/or surgery, to build your own surgical caseload. The practice, with its experienced nursing team and referral facilities, is extremely well-equipped for diagnosis and intervention.

Your Wednesdays are your own to relax and enjoy everything island life has to offer to spend time for your certificate, and preparation of peer-reviewed publications (if you wish).

Our clients, their pets, and our whole team, place great value on the fact we take responsibility for our patients 24-7 ourselves, making sure there is no disruption to their care, and we all work hard for this. You will fully participate in the shared out-of-hours rota – this leads to bonus pay, generated by the OOH cases you see.

Salary £45-60k (including approx. £5k per annum OOH bonus) depending on experience, with 6.6 weeks holiday per year

The island itself is one of the UK’s best holiday destinations, with stunning downland, coastal, and marine, scenery and wildlife, where local produce abounds.

We are very proud of our friendly, growing, practice, and look forward to the right person joining us.

To apply for this unique opportunity to take your surgical decision-making and skills to the next level, please email a covering letter and CV via the apply button. Please also use this email address if you need any more information or wish to arrange to visit the practice.