May 2018

Am I still a new grad?

Despite it being a year since she graduated, Jordan Sinclair reflects on the past 12 months and why she still doesn't feel ready to stop referring to herself as a “new grad”.

10 mins
Be Kind

To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, Jordan Sinclair highlights on the importance of supporting colleagues who may be close to the edge and raising awareness of poor mental health in the profession, focusing on the overriding message – be kind.

11 mins
Being a millennial vet

Far from being lazy and entitled, Jordan Sinclair says the profession's millennials – driving battered cars and with bleak property-buying prospects – have simply drawn the short straw in the birthdate lottery. Yet, they still consider themselves privileged to be doing a job they love.

17 mins

April 2018

Are new grads avoiding OOH?

With today’s graduates having a very real option to never have to work out-of-hours, Jordan Sinclair discusses potential reasons as to why some new vets are opting not to undertake it.

17 mins
Fake it ‘til you make it

“All the world’s a stage,” wrote Shakespeare – so Jordan Sinclair offers tips for new graduates to turn the consult room into their stage and win the trust of clients, despite lacking experience.

19 mins

March 2018

How to handle breeders: let battle commence

Drawing on experience from the consult room and a recent visit to Crufts, Jordan Sinclair discusses the ongoing uphill battle with some dog breeders.

16 mins
Cat cafes – a pawsitive or negative?

Curious about the proliferation of cat cafes, and concerned by the implications of forcing a group of notoriously territorial creatures into a shared environment, Jordan Sinclair drops in for a panini.

17 mins

February 2018

Supporting new grads: are you up to the job?

Drawing on her personal experience and that of her university friends, Jordan Sinclair advises employers on how to ensure your practice is ready to welcome and benefit from a new graduate in the workplace.

20 mins

January 2018

Should you employ a new grad?

Taking part in a talk at SPVS-VMG Congress leads Jordan Sinclair to discuss the challenges, pitfalls, opportunities and advantages of hiring new graduates – all from the perspective of being one herself.

17 mins
New year, new me

To many new graduates, beginning a new year without a job would be cause for concern. For Jordan, however, it was a huge relief, having realised her first place of employment was, overall, a bad fit.

21 mins
Occupational hazards

Having experienced little in the way of vet-specific illness or injury, Jordan recounts the moment her luck ran out and she got her hand trapped between between a cow and the cattle crush.

11 mins

December 2017

Look after yourself this Christmas

Questioning owners about their pets' symptoms and well-being is a daily task for vets, but how often do you apply this same process to your own health? Jordan Sinclair looks at the importance of doing both...

10 mins
Breaking away from a vet’s diet of fast food

Takeaway food may be a quick sustenance solution during busy days in practice or while out on call, but new grad Jordan Sinclair suggests a good work-food balance would be better in the long run.

10 mins

November 2017

Social media – a blessing or a curse?

New grad Jordan Sinclair shares her thoughts on social networking from both a personal and professional perspective, and suggests her peers avoid viewing the world through Facebook-coloured spectacles.

15 mins

October 2017

What to do when on call

Pumpkin carving may have provided the perfect diversion to being on call this weekend, but Jordan Sinclair is looking for inspiration on enjoying her free time while waiting for the telephone to ring…

13 mins
Aggressive patients

Having now become a “real vet”, Jordan Sinclair discusses the unpredictable and daunting aspect of pet temperament that graduates are presented with in practice.

8 mins

September 2017

Cats reunited

With dog microchipping now compulsory in the UK, recent graduate Jordan Sinclair finds it surprising many cat owners don't bother – particularly given the feline tendency to wander off.

7 mins
In at the deep end

Six weeks in to her first job since qualifying as a veterinary surgeon, feelings of imposter syndrome are beginning to knock Jordan Sinclair's confidence.

10 mins
Language: lost (or gained) in translation?

Worried she may be slipping into using too much “vet speak” already, new graduate Jordan Sinclair discusses how language is used in the veterinary profession, both among staff and with clients.

10 mins

August 2017

Accountability and responsibility: which causes more fear?

Graduation has been and gone – Jordan Sinclair is now on the RCVS register, ready and raring to go. So why is she feeling on edge?

12 mins