Beyond the Clinic: Rhian’s Inspiring Veterinary Career

From dream to leadership

We recently interviewed Rhian about her veterinary journey to help encourage those thinking about taking the next step in their early veterinary career.

Rhian always wanted to be a veterinarian; she knew from as early as two years old and has never looked back or considered another career path. The veterinary life was always for her. 

In school, careers advisors initially discouraged Rhian from following her career dream. Passion persevered, however, and Rhian was the first person from her large comprehensive school to become a Veterinary Surgeon! 

Rhian is extremely passionate about accessibility to veterinary careers and plays a huge part in our partnership with the University of Lancashire.

Rhian’s early career

Realising she loved veterinary medicine, Rhian started training to become a Veterinary Nurse after a failed first attempt at a vet school application, but was encouraged to reapply to veterinary school by her lecturers, family, and colleagues because they could see where her real passions were. After graduating in 2012, she never looked back. 

Starting in a small animal practice that was eventually purchased by another corporate group, Rhian later became a Clinical Director, moving around to other regional practices and eventually supporting an entire region. 

One of the reasons that Rhian felt passionate about joining Medivet was the existence of the branch partnership model- a unique opportunity that makes practice ownership accessible to vets regardless of their financial position. 

Onwards and upwards

Between working in Sri Lanka with elephants and joining Medivet, Rhian chose Medivet, joining us as a Regional Director for Wales and Dorset (although, working with elephants was initially still on the table!).

Rhian advanced quickly and looked for further roles within Medivet that allowed her to pursue her personal passions: enhancing accessibility to veterinary careers, the delivery of exceptional clinical standards, and regulatory compliance. 

Rhian has experienced a range of roles within Medivet, from Divisional Operations Director to Head of Early Careers. She also leads Medivets' collaboration with the University of Lancashire, which enables everyone, regardless of background, to have the opportunity to access careers in veterinary medicine.

Fast forward to today, and Rhian’s now working as Medivets Senior Appointed Veterinarian and Clinical Governance Director. 

Rhian’s favourite things about Medivet

As with any colleague story, we love to highlight their favourite parts of working here so you can get a real sense of our culture. For Rhian, these stand out most:

• Branch Partnership – making clinical ownership more accessible.

• Community – a strong, supportive network that shares both clinical and non-clinical knowledge, all while showing deep care for animals and local communities.

• People – the colleagues she works with every day, who make the experience truly enjoyable.

• Pets - at heart, Rhian is very much a first-opinion vet, who views everything that she does as a contributor to animal health and welfare.
  

Why Rhian recommends Medivet

When asked why she’d encourage others to join Medivet, Rhian had plenty to share:

• Career Progression – opportunities that go beyond the traditional vet or nurse pathway, including the chance to become a branch partner.
• Learning and Development – access to extensive training, shared experiences, and knowledge from both peers and courses.
• Clinical Communities – dedicated groups where colleagues with shared interests can connect, find mentors, and help shape clinical strategy from the ground up.
• Quality Improvement – a commitment to refining processes that benefit both clients and the animals in our care.

Searching for Veterinary jobs? Bring your career to Medivet

Rhian’s journey is proof that passion, perseverance, and the right support can lead to an incredibly rewarding veterinary career. From her early days as a student to her leadership role today, she’s helping to shape the future of veterinary medicine while still staying true to what inspired her in the first place: a love of animals and a commitment to exceptional care.

At Medivet, we’re proud to nurture careers like Rhian’s. Whether you’re just starting or looking for your next challenge, there’s a place here for you.

Browse our live roles today or read more about our different careers:

• Clinical roles
• Non-clinical roles
• Support centre
• Field-based opportunities
• Lab opportunities