If we could sneak away to a lecture… here’s where you’d find us

4 mins

Every year, we attend several conferences, and one of our favourite parts (besides catching up with familiar faces) is browsing the lecture programme. We can’t help ourselves: part curiosity, part nostalgia from our practice days… and, if we’re honest, a tiny bit of envy because we don’t actually get to sit in on the sessions.

So this time, instead of just quietly scrolling through the agenda, we thought we’d share the talks that caught our eye – the ones we’d love to attend ourselves and happily recommend to others.

Choosing can be tricky when there’s so much on offer. We recall that feeling all too well from our time in practice, wishing someone could simply point out the gems that genuinely make a difference, from individuals who understand what’s happening in practices and across the industry.

Emma’s top 3 tips

Tip 1: Analgesia during general anaesthesia to improve post-operative patient comfort/outcome

When working in practice, my primary aim was to improve patient comfort, and this was a passion that I also passed on to my students during teaching. Visiting us in practice was often a stressful experience for our patients (especially as I mainly worked in ECC). I felt that my role was to make that experience as “comfortable” as possible. As soon as I saw a lecture that focused on improving post-operative patient comfort and outcomes, I was hooked. Anything that we can add to our armoury for improving patient comfort should always be embraced!

Tip 2: The Last Goodbye: End-of-life care and euthanasia, how to improve outcomes for pets and owners

End-of-life care is an emotionally charged topic that clinical teams must deal with on a daily basis. This lecture appeals to me as it prioritises quality of life over quantity, something that I strongly advocated for when working in practice as an RVN.

I primarily worked in Emergency and Critical Care. We were there out of hours for many stages of the end-of-life journey, but we did not have the long-term relationships with our pet owners and pets that primary care affords you. I believe that the more informed a team is about the options available when treating pets, the easier it is for us to adapt our approach in real-time to improve the pet owner and pet experience. The opportunity to learn from someone with a wealth of experience in this area is not something I would waste! (Link to lecture).

Tip 3: Not a copycat: Why cats are not small dogs when it comes to chronic pancreatic disease

I am known for liking a challenge, so pancreatic disease in cats always caught my interest! I always preferred nursing medical cases, the ones where the nurse’s powers of observation would be valuable. Working with the vet to gather all the relevant information before it was combined was crucial to providing the correct diagnosis. However, cats with chronic pancreatitis have always felt difficult to manage, and I would love to see what evidence-based information is now available to help with this often underdiagnosed condition. (Link to lecture).

Vincent’s top 3 tips

Tip 1: The pet owner experience

While browsing through the programme, one session immediately caught my eye: “Selling the promise, delivering the experience: Aligning your marketing with what clients actually receive.” (Link to lecture).

Having worked in practice, being a pet owner myself, and now working in the industry in a marketing role, I believe everything starts with the experience. Every veterinary visit should ideally be a positive experience. As pet owners, we have animals for the joy they bring us, so that visit to the vet should reflect that same sense of care and enjoyment. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but it’s essential to be aware of.

After all, you don’t want your practice to have a great reputation but deliver an experience that feels more like a theme park ride, where disinterested staff push down the safety bar and tell you to hurry along for the next group. I’ve had the opportunity to attend a few talks around this topic before, and honestly, they’re always at the top of my list.

Tip 2: The human side of the job

When I first started working in practice, I quickly realised that at least 50% of the job is about people. That’s why I never skipped sessions that focus on communication and interaction.

In the Modern Veterinary Practice theatre by Veterinary.IT, I spotted several interesting sessions, such as:

“Meeting the demands of the digital pet parent” (Link to lecture) – about today’s tech-savvy, connected pet owners. In the Business Theatre, I spotted a few talks that touch on practice culture, such as those on feedback and constructive communication. And one on data-driven change, although details of those lectures are still limited at the time of writing. Working in an organisation where we use data heavily to make decisions, this is definitely one I’d pencil into my agenda.

Tip 3: AI in practice

I would also make time for some sessions about AI. Chances are, you’re already using some form of AI in your practice, perhaps without even realising it. Maybe your radiographs are enhanced digitally, or your analyser uses AI to interpret results more accurately.

So why attend AI sessions? Because it’s a fascinating topic. It’s not a magic solution for everything, but when applied thoughtfully, it can really make a difference. The key is to remain critical and consider the type of AI that best suits your practice and where it can bring the most value.

For instance, using AI for client communication might sound great, but what if your pet owners actually value that personal touch? Or perhaps your team has tasks they find repetitive or uninspiring; those could be the perfect opportunities for technology to step in.

In short, I’d recommend attending a few AI sessions, but go in with a curious and critical mindset. Think about what works best for your team and your clients. And if you’re too busy during the London Vet Show to attend one, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. Visit the IDEXX Theatre on the final day, in the final hour, where we’ll be hosting a talk on this very topic.