Beyond a life in practice

Veterinarian Gwen Rees found herself reassessing her options as she realised she needed to move away from clinical work. Finding an opportunity to study what influences farmer decisions in their use of medicines gave her the chance to explore human behaviour, adding novel insights into the world of improved veterinary and farmer communication. Gwen now lectures at Aberystwyth University in Wales and is the president of the British Veterinary Association Wales Branch. She also leads the Veterinary Prescribing Champions (VPCs) network, part of the Arwain DGC project that looks at ways to reduce the use of antimicrobials in cattle, sheep and horses. In this episode, we discuss: how her PhD project helped recognise that vets often make assumptions about how medicines are used on farm, the question 'what does a farmer want from their vet?' with regards to understanding how to use prescribed medicines, the success of the Veterinary Prescribing Champions network in Wales and how this was achieved. Listen in to discover Gwen's thoughts on communication, cows and coffee! Links from the show: Arwain DGC https://menterabusnes.cymru/arwaindgc/home-2/