Being a mum to four young children meant veterinary life took a backseat to family life for Victoria Lenthall for the past decade. And following her husband abroad saw intermittent clinic work become non-existent. Now, though, after going through a spell when she thought she might leave the profession altogether, Victoria is loving life as vet once again.
She’s working at Vets Now’s Salisbury clinic, not only having the satisfaction of using her hard-earned skills but seeing the benefits in home life, too. And she says it’s only been made possible thanks to AdvantEdge, Vets Now’s acclaimed programme that’s helped countless experienced veterinary professionals make the transition into the exciting world of ECC medicine.
It’s taken some hard work, but that’s something she’s been used to from her earliest days at the University of Bristol .
“I didn’t quite get the A-Level grades I needed, so I did a biology degree first,” said Victoria. “I hated the studies, but I was stubborn and determined and put in a huge amount of work to make sure I got through it. I enjoyed it more as it went on and became more practical as I learn better doing rather than reading books”
Victoria qualified in 2011 and, having grown up on a Dorset dairy farm, she had initially thought she might do farm work. But she ended up going into small animal work with her first job in Harrogate, following her soon-to-be husband who had to move there due to his job.
“It was a small James Herriot-style mixed practice with some on-call work, and I really loved that,” said Victoria. “I spent three years there and it was the best possible first job, with a lot of support.”
Victoria then moved to Wiltshire with her husband, taking a general practice job, before the arrival of daughter, now 10, saw her stop working full-time. Her son, eight, daughter, five, and youngest daughter, three, c ame along, she took her full year’s maternity leave each time and then just found occasional locum work when she could. Those sporadic shifts stopped altogether during lockdown and when another move took the family to Cyprus.
It was only on their return last summer, after three years of not working at all, that the possibility of becoming a vet again was even considered.
“I loved being a vet and with Thea at an age where I could leave her, I needed something for me as I felt I’d lost myself just intensively parenting,” said Victoria. “I’d done a little bit of locum work with Vets Now in the past and I knew the hours could fit in with my lifestyle. But I would never have felt brave enough to do this without AdvantEdge. With my years away, I’d lost all my confidence in being a vet.”
AdvantEdge is delivered twice a year, with vets receiving full salary and a mix of sessions at Vets Now’s Dunfermline support office and online. There is around 80 hours CPD over the fortnight, with the programme including blood gas analysis, fluid therapy, cardiac emergencies and much more. One of the most popular sessions is a full day spent at a surgical wet lab facility.
Victoria Lenthall"There’s no doubt that AdvantEdge has kept me in my career, and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough"
Overcoming Challenges and Regaining Confidence
Victoria admits it was a massive leap out of her comfort zone at first.
“I did feel out of my depth, and I realised how much knowledge I’d lost and needed to refresh, especially in emergency when you don’t have that much time. I felt a bit panicky that maybe I couldn’t do it anymore. Maybe I wouldn’t be good enough and would have to give up being a vet.”
“I kept saying to my husband the easiest thing would have been to give up and I had to fight through those feelings. But everyone on the course – and there was a real mix of people – was so supportive.”
“I was like a sponge and absorbed every little nugget of information that was given to me and the course gave me just what I needed.”
By the end of the two weeks and, as she started to get shifts at Salisbury under her belt, Victoria’s confidence increased massively. She’s adapted to ECC’s ways of working and loves seeing how she can make a difference as a vet.
While initially working just one weekend a month, Vets Now’s flexibility has meant she has increasingly been able to pick up additional shifts as family life allows.
“There’s no doubt that AdvantEdge has kept me in my career, and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough,” said Victoria. “I’m really enjoying being a vet again and while being a mum will always come first, I like feeling this is something for me. It’s good for the kids to see mum going to work – and doing something more than just clearing up after them!”
Applications for the next intake of AdvantEdge are open. For more information or to apply visit https://www.vets-now.com/careers/edge/advant-edge/