A New UK Graduate’s Journey into Veterinary Public Health

By Charlotte Lazell, MRCVS

Exploring a Career Beyond the Clinic

I graduated from the University of Bristol in August 2024, and like many new vets, I was curious about the different career paths available once becoming an MRCVS. Veterinary school primarily prepares us for clinical practice, but I wanted to explore how I could have a broader impact in the profession.

During my final year, I completed my Official Veterinarian (OV) course, along with Animal Welfare and Poultry Welfare Officer courses. I also took part in a pathology elective, where I spent four weeks performing post-mortems and communicating findings to farmers.

These experiences really opened my eyes to what aspects of veterinary work I enjoyed, giving me hands-on exposure to public health, food safety, and animal welfare—areas where vets play a vital role beyond the consulting room.

In particular, working on post-mortems allowed me to see firsthand the kinds of pathology cases that are often only presented in textbooks or test results. Being able to observe, diagnose, and communicate findings directly reinforced my passion for maintaining animal welfare and ensuring food safety—key aspects of veterinary public health that I hadn’t previously considered as a career option.

Why HallMark?

A few months after graduating, I came across an opportunity with HallMark Veterinary & Compliance Services, which was recruiting for OV positions in abattoirs. What stood out to me was their commitment to offering mixed career pathways, allowing vets to combine official control work with other aspects of veterinary work.

Thanks to HallMark’s support, I successfully secured a dual role that includes enrolling in a poultry internship with Poultry Health Services (PHS), which I will be starting in the next couple of months. This means I will be fortunate enough to gain experience in:

• Public health and food safety

• Animal welfare legislation and enforcement

• Post-mortem inspections

• A variety of clinical skills

One of the most exciting aspects of working at HallMark and PHS is their commitment to career progression and job satisfaction. The traditional abattoir-only OV model has contributed to high turnover rates, particularly among EU vets, as the work can become repetitive. HallMark is addressing this by offering more varied roles that combine abattoir work with farm visits and lab-based pathology work. This variation aims to not only make the job more engaging but also enhance professional development, reducing burnout and improving long-term job satisfaction.

This integrated approach to veterinary public health mirrors successful models seen in countries like the Netherlands, Germany, and Canada, where veterinarians engage in a mix of clinical, public health, and pathology work, leading to higher job satisfaction and reduced reliance on overseas graduates.

Another key aspect of this approach is closing the gap between farm and abattoir work. Traditionally, farm vets and abattoir OVs have worked separately, which can limit the flow of information. Farm vets often don’t receive feedback on the health and welfare of animals once they reach slaughter, and many abattoir vets have never visited a farm.

HallMark and PHS, part of VetPartners, are working towards a more integrated model, enabling vets to work across abattoirs, farms, and post-mortem facilities. Some VetPartners practices already have on-site post-mortem facilities, and the idea of dual roles is being explored to allow vets to gain experience.

This approach aims to make the role far more engaging and allow vets to follow livestock from farm to fork, seeing the full picture of animal health and welfare. It also aims to strengthens collaboration between farm and abattoir vets, ensuring better feedback loops and health monitoring, which ultimately would benefit animal welfare and disease prevention.

Taking a step away from the ‘typical’ vet route is challenging, as university primarily prepares you for clinical practice. However, this is a brilliant opportunity to gain an incredible variety of experience in different fields of veterinary work, expanding my skill set far beyond what I initially expected.

Making a Difference in Veterinary Public Health

Now, two weeks into my HallMark journey, I’ve already completed my OCQ OV training in export work and started gaining first-hand experience in abattoirs. I am excited by the opportunities this sector offers and hope to become fully trained in as many aspects of official control work as possible, including import, export, and OV work.

There is a real lack of UK graduates entering this sector, and I believe this must stem from the limited focus on Veterinary Public Health (VPH) in UK veterinary education compared to other countries. VPH plays a crucial role in ensuring food safety, disease prevention, and animal welfare, yet many vet students don’t realise how rewarding and varied this career path can be.

I know that throughout vet school, I became a little disengaged with the idea of being a small animal vet, and our public health and pathology teaching showed me how much impact we can have on animal welfare without being in a practice 24/7. This career path offers incredible opportunities, including:

• A positive impact on animal welfare

• A structured work-life balance compared to clinical practice

• Competitive salaries that reflect our level of responsibility

• A welcoming and supportive work environment

I genuinely hope that soon-to-be vets reading this consider VPH as a career option. Taking a step away from clinical work can be daunting, but the variety and importance of the work in this sector make it an exciting and fulfilling alternative. The work-life balance is likely to be better than in many clinical roles, and the salary reflects the responsibility involved.

For those who, like me, may not feel drawn to small animal practice, I want to highlight that veterinary careers go far beyond clinics and surgeries. Public health, pathology, and official control work allow vets to play a key role in food safety, disease control, and global trade compliance—all while making a tangible difference in the industry.

Join Us and Explore Your Future in Veterinary Public Health

From the very start, the directors, staff, and fellow vets at HallMark have been incredibly welcoming. As a new graduate, feeling supported in your first role is invaluable, and their encouragement has made settling in much easier.

If you're a new or soon-to-be MRCVS graduate, I highly recommend considering this sector. Veterinary Public Health is an exciting, meaningful, and impactful career, offering opportunities many vets may not have initially considered. Being an MRCVS can open so many doors you never knew were there, and HallMark provides the perfect environment to explore them.