Student veterinary nurse lands prestigious 'Apprentice of the Year' award

Megan Hill, from Paragon Veterinary Referrals in Wakefield, has been named ‘Apprentice of the Year by Lantra, which delivers a RCVS-approved training programme in veterinary nursing.

Megan is doubly delighted after beating more than 100 nominees to win the keenly-contested Land- based and Environment Learner (LBEL) prize and achieving an overall distinction in her qualification towards becoming a registered veterinary nurse.

Megan said: “I felt honoured to be nominated for the award so to win and be recognised by the wider veterinary profession is amazing.

“I am so excited to qualify and start my career as a veterinary nurse especially at a fantastic multi- disciplinary referral hospital like Paragon, where no two days are the same.

“The team is so supportive and knowledgeable and upholds high standards of animal welfare. I am so grateful to my excellent clinical coach, Lindsay Ward, who has supported me through my time here at Paragon.”

Megan originally joined the hospital in 2021 as a patient care assistant before deciding to study to realise her dream of becoming a veterinary nurse.

Paragon’s learning and development team lead, Helen Garbett says Megan is a credit to the hospital and the profession after achieving such high marks for her studies.

Helen said: “We nominated Megan for the Lantra award for not only excelling in her studies but contributing to the practice and wider veterinary community.

“She is an expectational and inspirational student who has excelled in her studies, completing thetwo-and-a-half-year course within two years.

“Not only has Megan completed her Nursing Progress Log 18 months ahead of schedule but the College of Animal Welfare (CAW), where she trained, is also using her witness statements, as a demonstration to other and future students of excellent work.

“Alongside passing all her exams and assignments, the latter all with distinction, her incredible work ethic, proactivity and self-motivation enabled her to sit the exams six months ahead of the rest of the cohort.

“Megan is also a huge asset to the hospital, aways delivering gold standard patient care and presenting natural ability to reassure clients whose pets are in her care."