Neigh chance I’m seeing the dentist – trot on!

I’ve written a wee article for Glasgow science magazine The GIST about the history of equine dentistry and how far it has come in recent years.

You can read it here.

The Daily Grind – Then vs. Now (Part Two)

The Daily Grind – Then vs. Now (Part Two)

Now
I’m just starting the third year of my PhD project. I’m not entirely sure where the previous two years have gone. I highly suspect my memory has been erased by The Men in Black gizmo. It would explain a lot. Some call this the final year, the home stretch. Soon you will be finished they say. I take comfort in this as I’m currently performing what seems like a never ending run of PCR reactions. Here’s a typical day.

The Daily Grind – Then vs. Now (Part 1)

The Daily Grind – Then vs. Now (Part 1)

There was a bit of a culture shock (no microbiological pun intended!) when I made the move from working as a veterinary surgeon in a busy mixed practice to being a PhD student working in a laboratory. There was a learning curve too. A steep one, which shows no signs of leveling out. I went from being completely run off my feet consulting, operating and dealing with emergencies as and when they appeared to sitting at a desk with a pile of research papers towering in front of me and a lab full of mysterious equipment. It was a bit of a change to say the least.

Vets in research

So you don’t want to be a vet anymore?’

This was (and occasionally still is) the question asked when I announced that I was leaving first opinion veterinary practice for a career in research. My long-suffering parents, who had supported me throughout my veterinary degree and those first few terrifying years in practice seemed a little disappointed. I had spent five years studying animal husbandry, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, parasitology and clinical veterinary medicine as well as countless hours putting it all together seeing practice in order to gain my degree in veterinary medicine. After I qualified I spent my first few years as a stressed new graduate working in mixed practice before finally finding my feet.

Now I was going to work in a lab?