- STUDENT PLACEMENTS
- SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES
- SEEING PRACTICE
- BEST TIME TO VISIT
- QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED IN NZ
Student PlacementsWe welcome veterinary students already studying or considering studying a veterinary qualification in New Zealand or from overseas who would like to spend time with us on practical placement.
We also welcome veterinary nursing and veterinary technician students who are studying or considering studying towards a qualification. With two clinics (Balclutha and Milton), we can usually accommodate several students on placement at a time and keep them busy with a combination of companion animal and production animal cases. Large Animal Placement
The local farming systems are seasonal, which means the types of cases you might see can vary depending on the season/time of year. It is worthwhile giving this consideration as to which month would be most worthwhile for you to come and visit us - this way you can get the most out of your time and have a higher chance of seeing the things you want to see. The strength of New Zealand's agricultural economy is built on the efficiency of feeding grass outside, when it grows. Thus we aim to have both dairy cows and ewes at peak lactation in the late spring (Oct/Nov), to maximise the efficiency of converting growing grass into animal protein. For this reason, our farming system is highly seasonal, to a much greater extent than most overseas people realise. What this means for a rural vet practice, with a high component of clinical work as dairy, is that our calendar is highly seasonal too. We do a lot of particular jobs for a couple of months, then all of a sudden that job stops, and we start the next seasonal task, and are very busy with that for a couple of months, until it is time to move to the next one. All peri-calving and neo-natal work (calvings, mastitis, calf medicine, reproductive work) occurs in a short period from August to November. The main activities for large animal work occur mostly within the time frames given below:
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Student Application
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Dairy Cattle
Equine
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Sheep
Beef Cattle
Deer
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There are various other large animal jobs that occur all year round such as general, individual sick animal visits, lame cow treatment, emergencies, and the occasional goat and alpaca visit. Please phone or email us at the clinic if you would like further information on what to expect if you have a particular time in mind in which you would like to visit.
Scholarships and Bursaries
The Clutha Veterinary Association invites students studying Veterinary Science or Agriculture in New Zealand to apply for 2 types of scholarships on offer.
- Studying veterinary science at Massey University
- Studying agriculture at any New Zealand tertiary institution
1. Massey University 2. Agricultural Tertiary Bursaries
1. Massey University Vet Students - Travel Grants |
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Travel grants of $2000 are available to students who are in their 3rd, 4th or 5th year of study for a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree at Massey University, and is intended for travel to see practice at Clutha Vets.
Grants will be awarded at the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Clutha Veterinary Association. Preference may be given to students who are normally resident in the Clutha Vets practice area or who have a particular interest in rural veterinary practice. Need, as well as academic attainment will be taken into account when selecting recipients. Grants will be awarded annually but recipients may be eligible for a scholarship in more than one year.
Students awarded a Clutha Veterinary Association travel grant are expected to spend a minimum two weeks (not necessarily consecutively) seeing practice at either our Balclutha or Milton clinics. Payment will be made as a lump sum at your first visit.
Application forms are available to Vet Students from "BVSc Zoo" Stream website. Applicants are required to attach a brief one page covering letter which explains a little about themselves, their areas of interest and likely career aspirations.
Applications for Travel Grants are open from August until October and are awarded for travel in the following year. Students in their 2nd, 3rd or 4th year of study are eligible to apply.
Applications for Travel Grants are open from August until October and are awarded for travel in the following year. Students in their 2nd, 3rd or 4th year of study are eligible to apply.
3. AGRICULTURAL TERTIARY BURSARIES
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4 bursaries of $1000 each open to students studying a veterinary or agricultural degree at a tertiary institution in New Zealand.
Closing date: Friday 26th March 2021 |
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Seeing Practice at Clutha Vets
We welcome veterinary students already studying or considering studying a veterinary qualification at Massey University, Palmerston North or from overseas who would like to spend hands-on time with us on practical placement at a rural veterinary practice.
We also welcome veterinary nursing and veterinary technician students who would like to complete their practical placement at Clutha Vets. Most nursing and technician students we host are studying at:
With two clinics (Balclutha and Milton), we can usually accommodate several students at a time and keep them busy with a combination of companion animal and production animal cases, but it is best to read some of the information below first.
We also welcome veterinary nursing and veterinary technician students who would like to complete their practical placement at Clutha Vets. Most nursing and technician students we host are studying at:
- Otago Polytech School of Veterinary Nursing in Dunedin
- Southern Institute of Technology in Invercargill
- Telford Agricultural Training Centre in Balclutha
With two clinics (Balclutha and Milton), we can usually accommodate several students at a time and keep them busy with a combination of companion animal and production animal cases, but it is best to read some of the information below first.
When is the best time to visit Clutha Vets?
Small Animal placement:
Both our Balclutha and Milton clinics offer students a busy small animal schedule in which a range of interesting medical and surgical cases can be seen all year round. 2-3 small animal vets work full time in Balclutha and 1-2 in Milton. These are supported by a team of experienced veterinary nurses at both clinics.
As a rural veterinary practice, our small animal cases include rural working dog surgery and medicine alongside typical small animal cases. Vet and nursing students will be able to observe and work with modern ultrasound, digital radiography, in-house blood chemistry and haematology machines, see orthopaedic and soft tissue surgical cases as well as medical diagnosis and consultation.
Both our Balclutha and Milton clinics offer students a busy small animal schedule in which a range of interesting medical and surgical cases can be seen all year round. 2-3 small animal vets work full time in Balclutha and 1-2 in Milton. These are supported by a team of experienced veterinary nurses at both clinics.
As a rural veterinary practice, our small animal cases include rural working dog surgery and medicine alongside typical small animal cases. Vet and nursing students will be able to observe and work with modern ultrasound, digital radiography, in-house blood chemistry and haematology machines, see orthopaedic and soft tissue surgical cases as well as medical diagnosis and consultation.
Veterinary Qualifications Required for Vets to work in New ZealandGaining Registration - For current guidelines please see www.vetcouncil.org.nz
All people working as veterinarians in New Zealand or representing themselves as a 'veterinarian' must by law (Veterinarians Act 2005) be registered with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand and hold a current practising certificate. If you are already registered with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand but need to renew your practising certificate follow the Veterinarians/Annual practising certificate link on the left hand bar on this page. For those who are not yet registered, you will need to establish whether you are eligible for registration without examination or registration by examination (or neither). There are also different categories of registration. To check if you are eligible for general registration (i.e. without further examination) read the information below and refer also to this Information letter (Revised 22 March, 2009). |
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For those who are not yet registered, you will need to establish whether you are eligible for registration without examination or registration by examination (or neither). There are also different categories of registration. To check if you are eligible for general registration (i.e. without further examination) read the information below and refer also to this Information letter (Revised 22 March, 2009).
If you are eligible you can apply by downloading, completing and forwarding the Application form
If you are registered as a veterinarian in any Australian jurisdiction you can apply under the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition (TTMR) provisions.
Download, complete and forward the TTMR Application form
Registration Without Examination (General Registration)
List of recognised institutions
Under current registration policy VCNZ registration without further examination is granted to graduates with primary veterinary degrees from those schools which have been assessed and approved by an internationally recognised 'authority' having a rigorous assessment and review process.
The VCNZ recognises the authorities (and the schools accredited by them) set out on the list below. If you gained your primary degree at one of the institutions on the list, then, provided you meet the other registration requirements, you are entitled to apply for registration without examination. If not refer to the further information below on the examination process.
All applicants must also satisfy the Council that they can communicate in and understand English to an appropriate standard for practising as a veterinarian in New Zealand. Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of English competency by sitting and passing an approved English test to the required level (IELTS and OET testing, see below).
All applicants must also satisfy the Council that they meet the fitness and recency of practice requirements. The Council will require a letter of good standing from previous registration authority/authorities and will require you to make statements about your recency of practice and fitness to practice.
VCNZ Recognised Schools
Veterinary Schools Accreditation Advisory Committee (VSAAC)
VCNZ recognises veterinary degrees from these schools accredited by VSAAC:
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
VCNZ recognises veterinary degrees from these schools accredited by RCVS:
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
The VCNZ recognises veterinary degrees from these schools accredited by AVMA:
NB Registration is available for those who have successfully completed the USA Certificate of the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) or the Canadian National Examination Board Licensing Examination (NEB) for foreign graduates, as long as they fulfill other eligibility criteria required by VCNZ.
For current guidelines please see www.vetcouncil.org.nz
If you are eligible you can apply by downloading, completing and forwarding the Application form
If you are registered as a veterinarian in any Australian jurisdiction you can apply under the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition (TTMR) provisions.
Download, complete and forward the TTMR Application form
- Policy on Registration
- Policy on Limited Registration
- Policy on Provisional Registration
- Policy on Registration under TTMRA
- Policy on English Competence
- Policy on Specialist Registration
Registration Without Examination (General Registration)
List of recognised institutions
Under current registration policy VCNZ registration without further examination is granted to graduates with primary veterinary degrees from those schools which have been assessed and approved by an internationally recognised 'authority' having a rigorous assessment and review process.
The VCNZ recognises the authorities (and the schools accredited by them) set out on the list below. If you gained your primary degree at one of the institutions on the list, then, provided you meet the other registration requirements, you are entitled to apply for registration without examination. If not refer to the further information below on the examination process.
All applicants must also satisfy the Council that they can communicate in and understand English to an appropriate standard for practising as a veterinarian in New Zealand. Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of English competency by sitting and passing an approved English test to the required level (IELTS and OET testing, see below).
All applicants must also satisfy the Council that they meet the fitness and recency of practice requirements. The Council will require a letter of good standing from previous registration authority/authorities and will require you to make statements about your recency of practice and fitness to practice.
VCNZ Recognised Schools
Veterinary Schools Accreditation Advisory Committee (VSAAC)
VCNZ recognises veterinary degrees from these schools accredited by VSAAC:
- New Zealand: Massey
- Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, Murdoch, Queensland
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
VCNZ recognises veterinary degrees from these schools accredited by RCVS:
- United Kingdom: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Bristol, Cambridge and London
- South Africa: Pretoria
- Ireland: National University of Ireland. This is restricted to those who graduated up to and including 1988. Those who graduated from 2004 are also recognised – see below
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
The VCNZ recognises veterinary degrees from these schools accredited by AVMA:
- USA: Auburn, California, Colorado State, Cornell, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas State, Louisiana State, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Missouri, North Carolina State, Ohio State; Oklahoma State; Oregon State; Pennsylvania; Purdue; Tennessee; Texas A & M; Tufts; Tuskegee; Virginia-Maryland; Washington State; Wisconsin-Madison
- Canada: Montreal; Guelph; Prince Edward Island; Saskatchewan
- Europe: Utrecht
- The National University of Ireland (from 2008)
NB Registration is available for those who have successfully completed the USA Certificate of the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) or the Canadian National Examination Board Licensing Examination (NEB) for foreign graduates, as long as they fulfill other eligibility criteria required by VCNZ.
For current guidelines please see www.vetcouncil.org.nz