West Coast to East Coast

START TO HER CAREER: MPI Voluntary Bonding Scheme vet Kaitlyn Fake (pictured with dog Theodore) started work at Eastland Veterinary Services earlier this year in her first year out from her graduation and she has been enjoying the challenge. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell

A BRAND new veterinarian came to Gisborne under MPI's Voluntary Bonding Scheme for vets and Kaitlyn Fake has been having a challenging but great time since she got here.

The 24-year-old from New Plymouth came to Gisborne earlier this year and has been working at Eastland Veterinary Services.

She was one of 30 graduate vets who received a financial boost to help ease the shortage of vets working with primary production animals and domestic pets across regional New Zealand.

“I had not been to Gisborne before this job, but the region was appealing to me because of the type of work that Eastland Vets have been doing,” Kaitlyn said.

“One minute I might be working with a cow, the next with an alpaca, then a dog or a cat.

“The variety of work was really attractive to me.”

She said she wants to get as broad a range of experience in her first few years as a veterinarian as possible.

“Also, I really like Gisborne.

“The weather here is so much better than New Plymouth, and I really like being on the coast.

“I'm thinking about learning to surf. So many of my friends and family have suggested I should do that, so I might give it a go.

“Gisborne does remind me a lot of home.

“While it's a city, it's still reasonably small, and it's a tight community, with a good community feel to it.”

She said she has found the after-hours work a bit challenging at times.

“Recently I had a weekend where I had a really intensive patient that needed tending to for six hours, but the phone was still ringing every couple of minutes from other people needing help with their animals.

“There is quite a high workload because we cover such a huge area.

“While I find that challenge stressful at times, it's also really good because I get to experience so many different things.”

Kaitlyn said the team she works with at Eastland Vets have been so supportive.

“They've been awesome since I started, and I really appreciate the support they have given me.”

Kaitlyn graduated as a veterinarian after five years of university studies at the end of last year.

This has been her first appointment in the profession.