Langford Vets’ Small Animal Referral Hospital has announced the creation of a veterinary nurse rotating internship and a veterinary nurse residency.

The move has been described as a “significant milestone” for the referral hospital – a subsidiary of the University of Bristol – and applications are now open for the new training pathways, which will begin in August.

The new internship is a one-year fixed-term course and will involve rotating through various departments and clinical disciplines such as theatre, emergency and critical care, wards nursing and anaesthesia.

‘Incredibly excited’

Chloe Pilgrim, nurse intern lead at Langford, said: “As the lead for the veterinary nursing rotating internship, I’m incredibly excited to guide the next cohort of veterinary nurses through this unique and enriching experience. It’s not just about professional progression – it’s about nurturing the compassion and teamwork that are essential to great patient care.

“This internship offers a chance to grow both professionally and personally. I’m thrilled to see our interns develop into confident, skilled nurses who make a real difference in the lives of the animals and families we serve.”

Gain experience

The residency will run from 2025-2028 and has been developed to support veterinary nurses who want to achieve their Veterinary Technician Specialism (VTS), in a specific discipline in which they would already hold extensive experience in.

Langford is open to applications for the residency programme in the following areas: emergency and critical care, anaesthesia and analgesia, internal medicine and neurology.

The first year will be spent within the chosen discipline to build up the number of supervised hours, gain experience and practical skills before enrolment into VTS training in year two with the aim of completing this in year three.

Advanced skills

Holly Witchell, nurse resident lead, said: “The veterinary nursing residency programme has been created to give veterinary nurses protected time and support, for them to learn from specialist nurses and board-certified specialist veterinary surgeons to gain advanced nursing skills and knowledge.

“This type of programme will empower veterinary nurses and push the profession forward. We have shown great success in supporting our nurses to achieve their veterinary technician specialism at Langford. As a teaching hospital we are set up to provide the required support and we understand the dedication required to achieve this prestigious qualification.”