HAMISH STAFFORD (CGS 2014)

Veterinarian

WAS THERE A PARTICULAR EXPERIENCE THAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN THE VETERINARY FIELD?

Unlike many who end up in the veterinary field, I hadn’t decided on this as a career path until well into my first university degree. I spent a bit of time volunteering at the RSPCA during my undergraduate studies, and being involved mainly with the dogs there before rehoming really got me interested in working with animals. I thought about combining my interests in science, problem-solving and working with animals and a career as a veterinarian fit perfectly.

DID YOUR TIME AT CGS PROVIDE YOU WITH SKILLS THAT HELP IN YOUR PROFESSION?

The biggest skill I developed at CGS is the curiosity to learn and a desire to develop continually. This is something that I do constantly with every patient I manage and is particularly important in veterinary medicine, but it is an asset in almost all career paths.

WHAT’S THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF BEING A VET, AND HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE IT?

The most common comment I get as a vet is, ‘I couldn’t be a vet; you have to put animals down’. But in my opinion, while euthanasia is a challenge, it is also a privilege to be able to be there for a patient and their owner as they go through that process. I would say the biggest challenge I face daily is dealing with the financial constraints that, unfortunately, are a huge part of both companion animal and farm animal practice.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS YOURSELF? WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL TO WORK WITH AND WHY?

Absolutely! I have two cats and a dog to keep me on my toes. Having never grown up on a farm I never thought I would be working more with cattle than I do with anything else. They are also probably my favourite animals to work with as they are incredibly tolerant, resilient and surprisingly smart. If anyone has seen a caesarean on a dairy cow, you can be elbow deep in the abdomen, and they don’t even flinch and often will just sit there eating some hay.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO STUDENTS INTERESTED IN VETERINARY

MEDICINE?

My advice would be to spend a bit of time in a few different clinics or talking to different people in the profession. This is very important prior to making any decisions. This is because the perception of what being a vet is like can be very different from reality in both good and not-so-good ways. This is something that I didn’t do before diving in headfirst, and luckily, I love it. However, if you have the opportunity to see what dayto-day practice is like, both in the city and particularly rurally, you may find a whole new direction that you had never considered before.