Vet Ed info hub

New graduates

As a new graduate you're likely to need practical skills workshops and events with networking opportunities to help establish you in your new profession. The Vet Ed calendar has all the details about upcoming social and educational events near you.

You may also choose to participate in the AVA Mentor Program, where a more experienced veterinarian can help you negotiate your development and learning during your first years in practice, as well as offer general support and advice. These programs are run by the AVA and are only available to members. You can enrol online.

To help you plan your next steps, find out about some of the career paths available to veterinarians and how to take the first steps on your chosen path.

If you're an AVA member, you might like to take advantage of our online professional development plan. It will guide you through the decision making process to set professional development goals and document the steps you need to take. Completing the online professional development plan will also automatically earn you one Vet Ed point.

It is often a good idea to make use of work activities to keep up your points, particularly if you are new in your job and can't get away to conferences. We have several options of continuing professional development activities at work that will earn you Vet Ed points.

Or take learning at your own pace and enrol in an online course, which can be completed in your own time from the comfort of your own home. Some providers give substantial discounts on the cost of their courses to AVA members, which is especially helpful when you’re just starting out.  

And don’t forget you can test your knowledge and top-up your Vet Ed points each month by taking the Australian Veterinary Journal online quizzes.

You can also read the peer review journals, the Australian Equine Veterinarian, the Australian Veterinary Practitioner and proceedings of other special interest groups such the Australian Cattle Veterinarians, all of which are in the Vet Ed library.

More AVA member benefits for new graduates