My first veterinary clinic placement in Malta

Finding a veterinary clinic to shadow or work at in Malta may be difficult due to the amount of student competition. Despite this, I was lucky enough to be accepted by a veterinary clinic not only with a good reputation but also with great veterinarians and veterinary nurses alike.

I had called the clinic's reception and requested I shadow there for a certain amount of hours; luckily, they had one remaining placement open and I took it. Through this call, we had agreed upon a starting date and time.

(From personal experience, I would always recommend calling rather than sending an email to potential employers. Reason is that it creates a trustworthy and more personal first impression rather than sending a basic email with a CV/Resume, as many others do.)

After this, I went and visited the clinic for my first shift.

I met with the same receptionist I had spoken to over the phone and also the veterinarians and nurses, who all greeted me very kindly despite being new and unfamiliar.

Upon entering the clinic's back office, I realised how much I was yet to learn. Although I had done some research around common medications used in veterinary settings beforehand, I was still unfamiliar with many of the other medications I saw and the treatments used in practice.

I had gone into a few consultations shadowing a veterinarian who did a great job working with their clients. By listening to and observing these consultations, I learned more practical skills than I had through schooling alone.

After spending more time at the clinic, I realised that learning and expanding my knowledge on the subject not only comes from the practical work itself, but also from the people around me.

I had asked many questions when I got confused or needed assistance, and through these questions, the answers I received stuck to me long after they were explained. One of the most valuable parts of the experience was working alongside people who knew more than I did and were willing to help and share their knowledge.

At the start, it was quite confusing, but being exposed to the profession naturally helped me become more confident in my skills and abilities, more comfortable with patients and more eager to learn.