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" P D P "

Personal Development Plan

There is a variety of ways how to acquire skills and competencies to become successful in studies, profession and life. One of them is a creation of personal development plan based on reflecting on previous experience. The aim of this development plan is to:

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  1. determine a desirable set of skills;

  2. identify strengths as well as weaknesses and potential threats;

  3. and create an action plan on how to best address these.

SKILLS NEEDED

to be a successful:

VETERINARY PHYSIOTHERAPIST

  • business skills (legislation, administrative and record-keeping)

  • people skills (communication, interpersonal skills, teamwork)

  • genuine concern for animal health and welfare

  • analytical skills and problem-solving

  • knowledge of functional anatomy

  • knowledge of pathophysiology

  • knowledge of biomechanics

  • safe animal handling skills

  • flexibility and adaptability

  • patience and persistence

POSTGRADUATE STUDENT

SWOT ANALYSIS

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

STRENGTHS

  • Equine handling skills including riding experience

  • Willingness to learn and eagerness to acquire more experience via securing placements

  • Persistence and dedication 

  • Academic skills acquired during undergraduate degree 

  • Great people skills acquired during years of work in a customer-oriented environment

  • Punctuality and always ahead of deadlines

WEAKNESSES

  • Lack of confidence in communicating my own skills and knowledge 

  • Exam and presentation anxiety 

  • Limited accounting and tax experience

OPPORTUNITIES

  • Writtle facilities 

  • Library books available online off-campus 

  • Work placements opportunities 

  • Part-time nature of the course 

  • Help and support offered at Writtle 

  • Academic and emotional peer support 

  • Online webinars and CPD training available 

THREATS

  • Reduced time spent on campus due to Covid-19 restrictions 

  • Potential cancellation of practical sessions including dissections

  • Lack of access to dogs to gain confidence in handling skills

ACTION PLAN

Weakness or threat with timescale and action

WEAKNESS/THREAT

TIMESCALE

ACTION

CONFIDENCE & COMMUNICATION

ongoing

  • Take every opportunity to practice

  • try to explain learned knowledge to peers, friends, or self

  • communicate over the phone

  • seek feedback

ANIMAL ASSESSMENT

ongoing, confident by the end of the second year

  • Observe as many healthy animals as possible to be able to distinguish between what is normal and abnormal

  • Learn clinical conditions and signs associated with them

  • Watch videos of particular cases

  • Make use of reading materials available at Writtle

SELF-EMPLOYMENT

end of second year

  • Engage with materials provided in modules

  • Do own extra research

  • Seek advice from self-employed peer or professionals

ANATOMY KNOWLEDGE

20 minutes daily, confident before May 2021

  • Revise every day to refresh knowledge

  • Engage with provided materials

  • Use apps to revise while on the bus/train

  • Take part in online webminars

ACCESS TO DOGS

before the first OSPE attempt

  • Take every opportunity to practice

  • Borrow dogs from family and friends to practice for OSPE and general dog handling

ANXIETY

ongoing

  • be well prepared for exams

  • simulate situations such as practical exams to become familiar with them

  • practice & time presenting before the actual presentation

  • convert anxiety to another high-frequency emotion such as excitement:-)

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