For our orthopaedics and soft tissue surgeon Laura Homer, childhood visits to her local vet inspired a lifelong love of helping animals.
Laura is now a key part of the highly-qualified team here at Wear Referral’s award-winning small animal hospital in Bradbury, County Durham.
Laura graduated from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies Edinburgh in 2008 and spent two years in mixed practice in Durham, before completing a rotating small animal internship at the University of Glasgow.
She worked for two years at PDSA Edinburgh before returning to the University of Glasgow for a dedicated surgical internship, followed by a three-year specialist training ECVS residency in surgery, before joining us here at Wear in May 2019.
She said: “I was inspired to become a vet from primary school age when our family cat was unwell and we took her to the local vet. We developed a really good relationship with them and it allowed me to see a little bit of their work.
“It’s hard now to think what else I would have done if I hadn’t have become a vet!
“I was always interested in surgery from the moment I started my training as a student. The real confirmation came in my final year as a student, when we started to look at referral level surgery.
“From day one, those of us in the training group decided we wanted to become surgeons.
“I think the best thing about being a surgeon is you are able to fix certain problems, certainly with orthopaedics where often you are presented with a specific issue.
“The most rewarding element has to be seeing our patients go home fit and healthy. More often than not they come to us very unwell or in pain, so to see them leave with wagging tails is incredibly rewarding.
“You develop good relationships with clients and patients, so to see that journey from start of finish really is good.”