Students

Veterinary student extra mural studies (EMS)

We welcome veterinary students to see practice with us.

Placements are split into small animal only, large animal only or mixed but the latter should be reserved for those students that have a genuine interest in pursuing mixed work in the future.

Placements are based at Cockermouth for large animal, small animal and mixed or Workington for small animal only.

Our view is that EMS is not a box-ticking exercise.
 

  • We like students! A great student can be a massive help to our vet team.
     
  • Students allow vets in practice to hear about new techniques and cutting-edge veterinary medicine that goes on at vet schools. We want to learn from you, as much as you from us.
     
  • We are a large busy practice with a varied medical and surgical caseload in both large and small animals so there is always something interesting to see.
     
  • We view EMS as an extended job interview. We are always on the look out for excellent young vets and keen to hire students who we have built up a relationship with. It would be great to think that your working veterinary career at Millcroft has already started when you are on EMS.
     
  • We treat EMS like an externship, with students coming back again and again and while our trust builds, the opportunities build, massively increasing what students get out of EMS.
     

  • Free accommodation can sometimes, but not always, be available in one of our practice-owned properties within walking distance to our Cockermouth branch. This is provided with the expectation that students help with in-patients OOH but also allows students to attend interesting out of hours cases. Our free accommodation is always prioritised for students who we have built a relationship with and a benefit of coming back again and again.
  • Being based just outside of the Lake District National Park means there are lots of Air BnBs and alternative accommodation options available when the practice accommodation isn't available.

We take EMS seriously and have a very high demand from students. Because of this:

  • We seek out only the best students and those who are genuinely interested in potentially working for us in the future.
  • We kindly ask that on their first visit, students come for only 1 week to see how they fit with the practice. 

We ask those interested in see practice to send a current curriculum vitae and covering letter to Hazel Sharp, EMS co-ordinator at the Cockermouth surgery by CLICKING HERE
 

Veterinary nurse training practice

We've been a veterinary nurse training practice since 2002. To achieve this status we were inspected by our Veterinary Nursing Approved Centre (VNAC), Myerscough College, Preston. A VNAC is an organisation approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to manage veterinary nurse training and to enforce training standards.

We have two inspections a year by Myerscough College to ensure that standards are maintained and to assist with training methods to help our student nurses. The standards we have to meet focus primarily on the range of facilities and equipment we use, and the procedures undertaken in the practice, as well as health and safety issues.

 

 

School student work experience

We believe it is important to give appropriate encouragement and guidance to anyone who wants to work in the veterinary sector.  Work experience at a veterinary practice is highly sought after and we expect you to have a genuine desire to train as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse and be enthusiastic during your time with us. Due to the nature of veterinary practices, the role of students undertaking work experience is largely one of observation, rather than participation.  

As of September 2022 work experience placements are only available at our Workington branch. If you would like to be considered for a work placement please apply via our application form and return it to [email protected]

If you would like further information about a career as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse please see the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons website.