Veterinary Work Experience
This year the Zoological Society of London will only be offering Veterinary nurse ‘work experience’ placements at ZSL London Zoo – These placements are designed to give RCVS listed and registered (qualified and trainee) veterinary nurses an insight into all aspects of the work nurses perform within the Zoo environment.
Unfortunately ZSL is no longer able to offer experience for school leavers. Non Veterinary nurses please click here.
Please send applications for the 2012 Veterinary Nurse summer work experience placements after 28th December 2011
Each WE placement will be for a set two-week period July – September (Mon-Fri) and there will be a total of six successive placements. The placements offer a unique opportunity for veterinary nurses to gain work experience within the Zoo environment, working with wild animals (and some domestic ones too!).
Unlike most small animal Veterinary practices the clinical work is mostly dictated by the collection animals and work load can be highly variable so applicants should be prepared for this. There are many routine procedures that can occupy our time such as health checks on new arrival animals in quarantine, or checks on export animals, to follow up checks on animals on long term medications such as NSAID’s and sexing and micro-chipping of new juveniles for collection management.
Naturally we do get clinically quieter periods where paperwork and general housekeeping can be caught up on but this is all necessary for the day to day running of the department and it is a positive thing as it generally means our animals are healthy! So whilst zoo work can be very exciting and challenging and we do deal with many different species, it is well worth remembering that whilst some days may be busy with tail to tail emergencies and clinical procedures, it can also be quite unpredictable. As nurses that work for ZSL we feel that this keeps the job interesting but this does mean that we can never guarantee what you will get to see during your placement and you may find it very different from General Practice.
As there will only be 6 Veterinary Nurse placements at London in 2012 - Applications for these will be accepted up until February 17th. All applications will then be reviewed and successful applicants will be notified in the week beginning March 5th 2012
Please send covering application letter and CV to the head veterinary nurse: ilona.furrokh@zsl.org .
Claire Maher one of ZSL’s Work Experience Veterinary Nurses
'I thoroughly enjoyed my two week work experience placement with the Veterinary Department at ZSL London Zoo. Everyday was varied and exciting giving me the chance to nurse an array of animals many of them rare, some endangered and certainly very few of which I would have the opportunity to see in general practice.
'It was wonderful to have the opportunity to work with the veterinary team at the zoo, all of whom having a vast amount of experience and knowledge and all only too happy to answer any of my questions and help me to learn some new skills in the nursing of wild animals.
'Not only did I gain invaluable experience during the time I spent at ZSL London Zoo but it also showed me the possibilities of where a career in veterinary nursing could lead me in the future.'
