AVPH Webinar | I don’t think clinical practice is for me. What else can I do?
November 10 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm AEDT
Free - $50.00
Not every veterinarian finds their long-term career in clinical practice, and that’s okay. While many vets begin their careers in practice, countless rewarding and impactful opportunities beyond the consulting room are often overlooked.
Join the AVA Veterinary Public Health Special Interest Group for an engaging webinar featuring veterinarians who have successfully transitioned into diverse, fulfilling careers outside clinical practice.
Our speakers will share their personal career journeys, what they do now, and the opportunities and challenges they encountered along the way. Following the presentations, you’ll have the chance to ask questions during a live panel discussion.
Whether you’re a student, recent graduate, practising veterinarian, or simply curious about alternative career pathways, this webinar will provide valuable insights into the breadth of opportunities available within the veterinary profession.
Who should attend
Veterinary students, recent graduates and veterinarians at all career stages
Learning outcomes
By attending this webinar, participants will have the opportunity to:
- Explore a range of veterinary career pathways beyond clinical practice.
- Hear personal perspectives on moving into different roles and sectors.
- Reflect on how their veterinary skills and interests may relate to other career opportunities.
Further details
Please ensure you are logged into the AVA Website to ensure correct pricing.
Our speakers
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- Dr Francette Geraghty-Dusan
- Biography
Francette's career has included mixed rural practice in Bathurst, Small animal clinics in Hong Kong and Sydney, working for WHO and FAO in China and Laos, for Animal Health Australia and for Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She currently sits on the Council of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists and is undertaking a PhD at Charles Sturt University's Gulbali Institute looking at how we value the health of humans, animals and the environment and how this impacts policy decisions.
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- Name
- Dr Katherine Clift
- Biography
Dr Katherine Clift is a veterinarian and senior public-sector leader with more than 25 years’ experience across Australia, New Zealand and internationally. She has held senior executive, regulatory and advisory roles spanning animal welfare, veterinary services, livestock health, food safety and biosecurity.
Katherine is currently the NSW Independent Biosecurity Commissioner, providing independent advice to the NSW Government on biosecurity policy, programs and performance. She previously served as Australia’s Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports and held senior executive roles leading biosecurity functions in Victoria and Western Australia. Earlier in her career, she represented the New Zealand Government in Europe, working with European Union institutions and member states on animal health and welfare, food safety and agricultural trade.
Katherine is also actively involved in the not-for-profit sector, including as Treasurer and Board Director of Landcare Victoria and a Board member of Reservoir Neighbourhood House. She contributes to initiatives that strengthen veterinary workforce capability and capacity, professional development and collaboration, with a particular interest in effective governance and the role of veterinary professionals in addressing complex animal health, welfare and biosecurity challenges.
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- Dr Mark Westman
- Biography
BVSc (Hons) MANZCVS (Animal Welfare) PhD
Mark graduated with a BVSc (Hons) from the University of Sydney in 2003. Following graduation he worked mainly in shelter medicine for 10 years (RSPCA NSW and Animal Welfare League NSW). During this time, he also volunteered for veterinary programs in Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Indonesia and India. Mark co-founded Pets in the Park in 2012, a charity dedicated to providing free veterinary care to pets owned by the homeless, which now has clinics in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, ACT and Tasmania.
In 2012 Mark returned to the University of Sydney to undertake a PhD investigating feline retroviral diseases, in particular FIV vaccine effectiveness in the field and FIV antibody response following vaccination. On completion of his PhD in 2016, Mark moved to the Centre for Virus Research at the University of Glasgow to undertake postdoctoral research in the antibody response of FIV and FeLV vaccinated cats.
Between 2017 and 2019 Mark returned to Australia to take on various teaching roles for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree in the Sydney School of Veterinary Science, including small animal microbiology, large animal microbiology, and veterinary pharmacology units.
As well as being an Honorary Research Affiliate with the University of Sydney, Mark has been Team Leader of the bacteriology unit at Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (EMAI), the NSW state veterinary laboratory, since 2020. He has over 70 research publications in areas including vibriosis, leptospirosis, brucellosis, Q fever, bovine mastitis, Salmonella Enteritidis in the poultry industry, and feline virology.
- Job title
- Professional Officer Veterinary
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- Name
- Dr Phillip Tucak
- Biography
Dr Phil Tucak BSc BVMS is a veterinarian, journalist, communications manager and science communication consultant. As the Wildlife Outreach Vet, Phil works to share the conversation about conservation. As a journalist he writes and develops content for various publications including SBS, dvm360, Vet Practice Magazine and other publications, and provides communications management consultancy services for various veterinary businesses, science organisations and not-for-profit groups – including Vetnostics, Wildlife Health Australia, the Australian Companion Animal Health Foundation, and Wildlife Recovery Australia.
Phil has previously worked as the Science Communication Manager for the Australian Chief Veterinary Officer and Australian Chief Plant Protection officer at the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry. He has also worked as Science Communication Advisor for Wildlife Health Australia, Communications Manager for the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Communications and Interpretation Coordinator for Perth Zoo, as a journalist for SBS News, television producer and presenter, and radio producer for the ABC, and in clinical practice at Cottesloe Vet.
- Job title
- Veterinary communications management consultant and Wildlife Outreach Vet.
