Graduate Veterinary Surgeon

About the Role

You'll split your week between a busy, well-equipped first-opinion general practice (75%) and a nearby referral and emergency hospital (25%), giving you broad clinical exposure and a structured pathway to develop confidence and skills. This is designed specifically for new or recently qualified vets who want solid grounding in general practice whilst accessing advanced diagnostics, medicine, ophthalmology, surgery, and 24/7 inpatient care from day one.

Based in Colchester, North Essex, with excellent transport links (47 minutes to London by train), this role offers a rare combination of general practice and referral hospital experience in a highly supportive, educational environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide first-opinion small animal clinical care across the general practice, under supervision and with mentorship
• Gain structured exposure to referral cases, advanced imaging, internal medicine, and surgical procedures
• Participate in regular case discussions, hospital rounds, and learning sessions
• Work towards developing high-quality diagnostic, medicine, and surgical skills in a supervised setting
• Contribute to a collaborative, multidisciplinary team environment

Requirements

• Newly qualified or recently graduated veterinary surgeon (BVSc, BVetMed, or BVMS)
• RCVS registration (MRCVS)
• Motivated and enthusiastic approach to learning and professional development
• Ability to work within a team and respond to feedback

Benefits

• Competitive salary: £40,000–£45,000 per annum (depending on experience)
• Integrated learning environment with seamless access to referral and emergency cases
• Dedicated structured mentoring from experienced vets across both general practice and the referral hospital
• Regular in-house CPD, skill-sharing sessions, and lunch-and-learns
• One-to-one support and hands-on guidance to build clinical competence
• Focus on clinical development with emphasis on high-quality medicine and surgery training
• Excellent work-life balance: 1 in 4 weekends, no on-call, no sole charge
• Flexible rota designed to support wellbeing
• Team events and genuine investment in people development
• Access to a stable, friendly, and highly skilled multidisciplinary team

About the Practice

Colchester Vets4Pets Advanced Veterinary Practice is part of the Vets4Pets group (a Pets at Home brand). The practice operates as an integrated first-opinion and referral hospital, offering both general practice and specialist services including emergency and critical care, advanced imaging, internal medicine, ophthalmology, and surgery. The team is multidisciplinary and committed to continuous professional development and collaborative learning.

The practice values diversity, inclusion, and creating opportunities for exceptional talent. They are intentional about removing barriers and supporting their people to be their best selves.