The value of EMS

A long time ago I was 19 years old and in 3rd year at Vet School. I hitched lifts on the road from Glasgow to Buckinghamshire for a fortnights Equine EMS practice in December. Busy long days in the car with the vet followed seeing a wide variety of cases and problems, including a famous show-jumper. I learned to enjoy coffee as I went through a lot of it. I also hitched lifts along country lanes to see racing at Bicester.

On New Year’s Eve, a young male warmblood, Uma Flash was admitted into the practice for observation for colic signs. The colic worsened and he was then referred by the practice owner to the RVC about 9pm. The owner, Mr Yule was called from a New Year party and set off in with his precious charge in an HGV horse lorry. I went along with him for the experience.

Quite quickly it transpired that Mr Yule possibly had been enjoying a sherry or two at the party and kept dozing off at the wheel. I offered to take over driving for the 50 miles or so to the hospital. I had no HGV Licence. Mapless, through the icy darkness we progressed, Mr Yule out cold. It was snowing. The engine began to overheat alarmingly and I pulled up outside a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere.

I knocked the door and a woman responded but wouldn't open the door. She listened to this Scottish voice in the night asking for water for our truck and after some hesitation told me to get it from an outside trough with a kettle that was discarded there. I broke the ice and filled the kettle. It had several holes. It took me many trips to fill up the radiator before we could set off again. Mr Yule hadn't moved.

I felt so sorry for Uma Flash in the back, gripped by colic and dependent on my hapless driving and direction finding.

At last we pulled into the well lit area of the equine hospital and concerned staff led our poorly patient inside for examination. They spoke to the owner and we set off home... again, with me driving.

I will always remember driving through deserted Milton Keynes on New Year's morning, wondering if I would be stopped by the police. Mr Yule dozed fitfully the whole way back. When I got back to the practice, I was gutted to learn that Uma Flash had been too Ill and required euthanasia.

I saw a few horses at the start of my clinical career and I reflected on the value of my Equine EMS placement. It was truly priceless. Apart from the clinical learning , it taught me powerful lessons that have lasted my whole career as a veterinary surgeon on Leadership, resourcefulness, empathy and resilience.

The UK has an incredible tradition of vets and RVNs leaving the ladder down and supporting our undergraduate in practice work with all its qualities. RCVS is working with Vet School's Council and has talked to stakeholders to support and strengthen that invaluable asset for future generations.

A policy framework is now created to allow students to select and complete suitable EMS in a flexible way and to obtain consistent great value in a focussed structure which requires fewer hours, assisting diversity.

A National EMS Database will underpin and support placement administration. These changes will occur in 2024 and we will work with vet schools, EMS practices and student representatives to get things in place. Our students and our practices deserve the best and I know their EMS will serve them well on their professional journey.