ABSTRACT: This article is about the personal experiences of the author as they embarked upon a PhD. The PhD was in the area of a major chicken welfare issue (the hunger of broiler breeders) and represented a challenging but exciting time in the author’s career as she tried to work out how the chickens felt and what they wanted. Careful selection of the PhD topic is important and there are many topics suitable for veterinary nurses. Funded PhDs are preferable for financial reasons and the stipend available is reasonably competitive with a veterinary nurse salary so should not be a barrier to applying.

Author

Louise Buckley PhD rvn

Louise Buckley is an RVN who divides her time between teaching and working as a veterinary nurse. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings over the last 18 years, including referral, first opinion, charitable and emergency clinics. She holds undergraduate degrees in animal science and philosophy, a PG Diploma in animal behaviour and welfare, and graduated with her doctorate in 2012. She is passionate about research and what it can do for veterinary nurses, and is currently a lecturer within the Veterinary Nursing team at Harper Adams University.

Email: lbuckley@harper-adams.ac.uk

Keywords: Features, Chicken pens, Knicker draw

To cite this article: Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 32 (02) • February 2017 pp51-53

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