Scholarship Program to kickstart the careers of budding Victorian livestock veterinarians
14 Feb 2025
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Eight early career veterinarians have been announced as the successful candidates for a first of its kind scholarship program in regional Victoria.
The Victorian Livestock Veterinary Scholarship (VLVS) Program supports early career vets as they embark on their professional journey into rural mixed animal practice.
Made possible by a $1.5m grant from Agriculture Victoria’s Cattle Compensation Fund (part of the Livestock Biosecurity Funds Grant Program), the recent graduates have been selected for their strong interest in livestock veterinary work and are employed full time in a Victorian regional veterinary practice from 31 January 2025.
AVA Member, Veterinary Support Services (VSS) owner and head veterinarian, Dr Becky Dickinson congratulated the cohort, noting the very high standard of candidates.
“With dozens of applications from candidates within 14 diverse regional Victorian vet clinics, we were really impressed by the interest VLVS has sparked in our veterinary profession,” she said.
“Rolling out a novel program on a state-wide level carries risk and, despite knowing there is a rural vet shortage, we simply could not have anticipated the overwhelming response and calibre of young vets applying.”
Over the next 2 years, the successful candidates will receive one-to-one clinical supervision and training from an experienced large animal veterinarian. A program of 16 days livestock education and professional skills will also be delivered.
With this support, Dr Dickinson hopes the graduates will be better set up for success as regional vets, to sustain a long career in rural practice.
“Our goal is to retain more production animal vets in Victorian regions,” she said.
“With exotic animal diseases at our national borders, it is imperative that we work to increase capacity and capability of livestock vets for our preparedness for emergency animal disease response, investigation and biosecurity. This starts with building solid foundations as an integrated rural veterinarian.”
The group will commence the 2-year VLVS program in their respective clinics from 31 January 2025 to January 2027.
Further information on the program can be found, here.
2025 Victorian Livestock Veterinarian Scholarship Cohort:
- Dr Callum Tomlin, Devoted Vets, Warragul
- Dr Chelsea Skuza, Hampden Veterinary Clinic, Cobden
- Dr Emme Williams, Tallangatta and Kiewa Veterinary Clinic, Tallangatta
- Dr Harry Stapleton, Gippsland Veterinary Hospital, Maffra
- Dr Liz Young, Cobram Veterinary Clinic, Cobram
- Dr Mikayla Markham, GV Vets, Shepparton
- Dr Niall Barlow, Border Veterinary Clinic, Cohuna
- Dr Sophie Gough, Gippsland Veterinary Group, Leongatha