By Lucas Hearle

We both joined LLM in February for two weeks as part of the innovative placement scheme run by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) Vet School. This unique program allows students to return to the same practice each academic year, helping us build strong relationships and trust with the team, while also allowing vets to tailor tasks to our developing skillsets. Our time at LLM Broughton gave us a fantastic insight into the working life of a farm vet, as well as the management and operations behind a busy practice. From day one, the team welcomed us with open arms and involved us in a wide range of tasks—everything from packing medicine orders and running blood tests in the lab to learning about the administrative side of the business.

Out on the road, we gained valuable hands-on experience with both vets and vet techs. Their guidance and encouragement gave us the confidence to try new things and pushed us to develop our practical skills. The emphasis on getting involved made all the difference, and we were encouraged to take part in every aspect of the job.

Disbudding calves was one of the more challenging tasks, as it was a completely new experience for both of us. Handling a disbudder while restraining a calf tested our coordination and confidence—but by the end of the placement, we could clearly see the progress we had made.

We also learned just how much more difficult it is to take blood from a lively sheep compared to a model in a classroom! Fertility checks challenged our ability to interpret ultrasound images, but with support from the vets (and a few farmers), we’ve started to make sense of those grainy black-and-white screens.

Most importantly, we’ve seen how the clinical knowledge we’re building at university connects directly to the work happening every day in practice. The team at LLM Broughton have been approachable, supportive, and always happy to answer our questions. We’ve both gained a huge amount from the experience—and we’re already looking forward to returning next year!