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KICKING OFF YOUR CLINICAL CAREER IN SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE WITH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE

NEW GRAD PREP WEEK

Develop your hands-on skills in the most needed areas for GP work in small animal practice.

5 days of hands-on practice.

Fully supported with direct guidance from two clinicians with UK experience in GP practice, ECC and referral practice.

More than 5 clinical areas covered, including surgery, imaging and dentistry.

GAINING CONFIDENCE IN YOUR SKILLS FROM THE BEGINNING OF YOUR CAREER

The Struggles of the New Grad

You are going from assisting to making choices that you’re fully accountable for When you are doing rotations and seeing practice, you will usually be listing options and share your preferences for diagnoses and treatment, but ultimately you are not fully responsible for those decisions and results

There’s LOTS that you’re expected to have a grip on From vaccination protocols to neutering surgery to basic diagnostics, mastering consultations and effectively communicate with clients, any new graduate is under pressure from the boss, the clients and the rest of the team to be ready for most of the pets walking through the door.

You’re not on your own, but everyone else also has a job to do While most practices and teams are aware of the need to support new graduates and cut you some slack, the reality is that everyone in the team has their own role and tasks and they are not always able to dedicate an appropriate amount of time to mentor and supervise new graduates.

The start of a negative cycle

New graduates don’t always have the ability of being gradually introduced to practice. They may be put in situations where they are not comfortable to perform certain procedures or deal with certain cases. They feel negatively about their skills and lose confidence. Thus they avoid dealing with those cases in the future.

Lack of confidence leads to

insecurity and this leads to discomfort during work.

Ultimately you start to resent your job, you feel like you’re going backwards or stagnating in your evolution and soon you are considering leaving clinical practice.

TRAINING IN CLINICAL SETTINGS, AWAY FROM THE CLINIC

To turn the tables around, you need opportunity, practice and feedback. Opportunity to learn, the ability to practise and feedback on how to improve your skills. Doing this in practice in real time is not easily achievable.

REAL-LIFE SETTING

Engaged exposure

We review with you the theoretical principles and daily tricks behind what you are doing and advising.

HASSLE-FREE STAY

No need to worry extra!

It’s stressful enough having to deal with so much knowledge and skills to learn. When joining the New Grad Prep Week, you only have to worry about that - we deal with accommodation and meals so you don’t have to spend extra energy

HANDS-ON

Practise practise practise!

We get you to practise the actual technical skills with real patients in a real clinical setting. You’ll be doing rather than talking or watching

GROWTH

Feedback

You will have ongoing support and feedback from a dedicated tutor so that you can learn tips and techniques in real time while you are performing

YOUR EXPERIENCE

You’ll be grouped with another new grad. We will make 2 groups of 2 new grads and cover the following areas:

Consultation Skills

- Consultation of the cat - Clinical reasoning - Client communication

Practice: handling and examination of a cat. Handling and examination of a dog. Common abnormalities found on physical examination. Case workup (via roleplay)

Anaesthesia

- Drug selection and patient preparation - Induction and monitoring - Patient recovery Practice: choosing drugs and doses, administering medication, placing IV catheters, intubation, monitoring during surgery and dental procedures

Diagnostic Skills

- Radiology - POCUS ultrasound - Foundations of abdominal ultrasound - Cytology Practice: assessing and interpreting radiographs. Performing POCUS ultrasound of the thorax and abdomen. Performing beginner - intermediate abdominal ultrasound. Making smears and slides, staining slides, examining urine sediment and masses. FNA techniques (skin and ultrasound-guided) with practice in models

Surgery and Dentistry Skills

- Neutering surgery - Nerve blocks for dentistry - Principles of tooth extraction - Understanding dental radiographs - Scale and polish Practice: neutering of cats (and, whenever possible, dogs). Scale and polish in live patients. Obtaining dental x-rays (with models or patients). Assessment of teeth for extraction. Extraction techniques (in models or patients). Performing nerve blocks (in models or patients)

Triage and ECC

- Understanding and following a triage system - How to deal with the most common emergencies seen in practice - How to perform CPR - Emergency procedures: thoracocentesis, abdominocentesis, chest drains, blood transfusions Practice: CPR simulation. Placement of chest drain. Preparation for blood transfusions. Thoracocentesis and abdominocentesis.

Innovation gets attention, repetition gets results.

We will first review and discuss each topic and then move onto the practical tasks so you can repeat repeat repeat!

YOUR INSTRUCTORS

Dr. Ana Mafalda Dordio MRCVS DVM CertAVP

Dr. Ana Mafalda Dordio has an impressive academic journey and hands-on experience. WIth Dr. Andreia, she is committed to enhancing your learning experience.

Academic Excellence: Ana earned her veterinary degree from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Lisbon, Portugal, an EAEVE-accredited University.
International Exposure: Ana gained practical insights through externships and internships at prestigious veterinary hospitals affiliated with the University of Bristol and the Royal Veterinary College.
Rotating Internship Expertise: Ana furthered her skills with a rotating internship at Davies Veterinary Specialists.
Focus on Abdominal Ultrasound: Ana is passionate about abdominal ultrasound, having completed training at ESAVS (European School for Advanced Veterinary Studies).
Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Studies: Ana holds a postgraduate degree in Imaging Diagnosis from the University of Liverpool.
ECC experience: on top of her experience with imaging, Dr. Ana works in ECC and is experienced with emergencies and surgery.

Dr. Mafalda is responsible for the following modules: POCUS and abdominal ultrasound, neutering surgery, triage and ECC.

YOUR INSTRUCTORS

Dr. Andreia Dias MRCVS DMV MSc ISFMAdvCertFB

Founder of UniVets Global, Dr. Andreia has always loved teaching (she actually wanted to be a teacher, not a vet!) and particularly teaching students. Her favourite rotation when doing her internship at Glasgow was the PDSA rotation with the students, so she is thrilled to be able to teach the New Grad Prep Week.

Academic Excellence: Andreia earned her degree in 2014 from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Lisbon in Portugal, an EAEVE-accredited university. Her Master’s degree about the identification and isolation of Side Population cells in the mare endometrium awarded her a final grade of 19/20.
International Exposure: Andreia has worked in Scotland, England and Portugal since 2015 in mixed practice, small animal practice, referral practice and feline-only practice.
Rotating Internship Expertise: Andreia spent 6 months at the Small Animal Hospital of the University of Glasgow doing a rotating internship, visiting all specialty departments.
Focus on feline behaviour and medicine: Andreia is a crazy cat lady and has an Advanced Certificate in Feline Behaviour that was completed with Distinction. She also has an interest in feline medicine (and imaging in general).
Beyond clinical practice: Andreia has been working as a coach and mentor for overseas vets since 2017, particularly with the development of their soft skills, having worked in International New Graduate Programs for groups such as Vets4Pets and IVC Evidensia.
Moment of fame: back in 2019, Dr. Andreia was one of the three finalists of the BVA Young Vet of Year Award for her work in support of the profession.

Dr. Andreia is responsible for the following modules: consultation and communication, radiology, cytology, anaesthesia and dentistry.

LIMITED VACANCIES

Dates for the next Courses

28th April - 2 May 2025

Suggested arrival on the 26th departure on the 3rd.

TRAVEL, STAY AND MEALS

The New Grad Prep Week takes place at our partner training centre in Vila Franca de Xira. This is a small city that is located 20 minutes away from Lisbon airport and has a well-connected train station. We book your accommodation in Vila Franca de Xira at the guesthouse O Maioral. You get your own private bedroom and bathroom, which can be converted into a double bedroom if you travel with your partner or a friend. The guesthouse is a 5-minute walk from the training centre and from the train station. All your meals are included. Breakfast is provided at the training centre. Lunch and dinner take place in varied restaurants in the area, so you can have a taste for the local gastronomy. We will bring you to those locations. We will finish each day in time for you to have a stroll around the city and enjoy the river views, or relax in your room.

Course Fees

The fee for joining the New Grad Prep Week is £1500 + VAT split into 2 payments (deposit for £1000 + VAT and final fee of £500 + VAT one month before attendance).

Here's how to make a booking.

Pre-Registration Fill out the pre-registration form to let us know what Academy you’d like to join.

Q&A Session Once we know when you’d like to join, we’ll get in touch with you by email or phone to explain to you how the course works and look at suitable dates, making sure you have no questions.

Booking confirmation After speaking to you we can confirm if there is a vacancy for the date that suits you and will start your registration if you want to join in by sending you an invitation letter with our full terms and conditions.

Deposit and reservation We will raise the invoice for your deposit. Once your deposit is paid, your reservation is complete and we’ll start enrolling you on the online course, process your accommodation and help you plan your travel.

Join Us

Three Good Reasons to Join

Ultrasound Academy offers you a unique and unforgettable experience that goes beyond learning skills.

Foundational knowledge and skills

Review and practise foundational skills. Learn practical tips to make your life easier.

Real clinical environment

Work with actual patients in a private practice setting whenever possible.

Ongoing supervision

Perform tasks and learn skills under direct supervision to get real time feedback.

Request a Q&A Session

Book a Course

Frequently asked question

Here are a few answers to our most common questions

I'm a veterinary student, can I join?

Yes, this course is for veterinary graduates and final year veterinary students who want to develop their practical skills for small animal clinics.

Where does it take place?

The course takes place in our partner training centre, in a city called Vila Franca de Xira. This location is 20 minutes away from Lisbon airport and can also be reached in 30-40 minutes by public transport.

What sort of help will I have?

You will be instructed at all times by one of the two course instructors.

What am I expected to do during the course?

During this course, you will be grouped with one more student and take turns doing the different tasks. You are expected to prepare patients for anaesthesia, perform neutering, dental scale and polish, POCUS, abdominal ultrasound, and train procedures like chest drain placements. And more!!!

Does this count as CPD / CE?

Yes, this course counts for 40 hours of practical CPD.

What are the course fees?

The fee for the 5-day course with accommodation and meals included is £1500 + VAT (£1800 VAT-inclusive). This value can be paid in two installments and converted into other currencies, such as USD.

What accommodation is available?

We will organise accommodation for you at the local guesthouse O Maioral, where you will get your own bedroom and bathroom. The cost of the accommodation is already included in the course fees.

Are meals included?

Yes, we will offer you breakfast, lunch and dinner from Monday to Friday. We will also accommodate your preferences and limitations.

What about travel?

We will help you organise your travel and provide you with information to comply with COVID-19 travel restrictions. However, you will have to make travel arrangements to travel to Vila Franca de Xira from the airport, which we'll help you. The training centre is walking distance from your accommodation.

What do I need to bring?

We ask that you bring your stethoscope and comfortable shoes. You can also bring your scrubs, but we will have spare scrubs for you if needed.

What conditions can I expect at the training center?

At the training center we have clinical facilities with a dedicated space for the patients to stay, a consulting room, a prep room/exam room and a surgical theatre. There are other facilities, of course, such as a nice staff room for us to chill and have some tea while we discuss some cases :)

Still have questions?

Book a free Q&A session.

Become confident with basic foundational skills for small animal GP practice

A unique and supported experience to accelerate your career in small animal practice.

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