The Scottish Rural College (SRUC) has announced that it will invest £ 850,000 in the establishment of a world-class veterinary clinical skills training center in the North East.
Opened in September, the ten-room Veterinary Clinical Skills Center on the SRUC Craibstone campus offers dedicated rooms for hands-on experience with state-of-the-art equipment, a clinical skills laboratory, and laboratories for diagnosing animal diseases.
There will also be a replicated veterinary practice with a consultation room and pharmacy.
An artistic impression of the new veterinary center in Craibstone
Digital technology will connect the Veterinary Clinical Skills Center to other SRUC locations and remote learners via 360-degree cameras, video streaming and touchscreen displays.
The center will be equipped with the latest technology to support teaching in veterinary skills.
The Veterinary Clinical Skills Center will be open at the beginning of the 2021-2022 academic year.
This will coincide with the first Craibstone students working towards a degree in veterinary medicine, a program also taught on the SRUC’s Barony campus near Dumfries.
A similar investment in digital technology is planned for Barony to give students in all SRUC locations the opportunity to study together.
Every year more than 100 students will study and learn at the center.
The center will also offer short courses for veterinarians and paraprofessionals on weekends, evenings, and summer holidays to create a hub for veterinary professional development across the region.
Caroline Argo, Dean of the North Faculty of SRUC, said, “Our new Veterinary Clinical Skills Center offers one of the best experiences for students of veterinary medicine and other animal-related programs in the country.
“Rural veterinary practices are vital to agriculture and rural life and face challenges when it comes to finding veterinary nurses and support teams.
“By focusing on developing talented new rural practitioners, our graduates have the skills, knowledge and opportunities to have long, successful and fulfilling careers.”
The Veterinary Clinical Skills Center was designed by MAC Architects in Aberdeenshire in collaboration with SRUC staff and students.
The Veterinary Clinical Skills Facility, located adjacent to SRUC Veterinary Services laboratories and new animal care facilities, will create a hub for veterinary clinical skills and animal care in Northern Scotland.
The center follows the recent announcement of new equestrian facilities for Craibstone, also due to be completed in September, and recent investments in student welfare facilities at Tulloch Farm.
Given the growing number of students, SRUC is looking for veterinary practices from across Northern Scotland to offer internships for students. This will help the practices find new veterinary assistant talent and support the wider profession.
Further information on the courses offered at SRUC can be found at www.sruc.ac.uk/study
