Maddie Brady is a vet and director of Northvet Veterinary Group, a mixed practice based in Orkney. Originally from Australia, Maddie worked in mixed practice and first came to Northvet for a summer locum position before settling permanently in Orkney. In her profile, Maddie celebrates the variety of mixed practice and shares her enthusiasm for working within a close community.
Please give a brief summary of your career path so far – feel free to share what motivated your career decisions:
I studied at the University of Sydney in Australia where I grew up. Graduating in 2012 I took a mixed practice job in the central west of New South Wales. I was not from a farming background but grew up reading James Herriot and I was determined to start in mixed practice and treat all creatures great and small. I spent two years at my first job before the travel bug bit and like so many Aussie vets I came to the UK on a working holiday.
I worked in several different practices across England and Scotland and particularly enjoyed a spring lambing and calving season in the Scottish Highlands. I first came to Orkney in 2016, originally for a six week summer locum position – I didn’t count on falling in love with Orkney! The countryside, the beaches, the wildlife but also the work – a truly mixed practice with the added bonus of island life. I returned a few times as a locum and was devastated when my visa ended and I had to return to Australia. After 18 months locuming around Australia with my Orcadian farmer partner in tow we decided to move back to Orkney.
I took a permanent position with Northvet in 2019 and became a director in 2022. I am currently on maternity leave after our little girl was born in February 2024.
What is it about your work that enthuses you and brings you satisfaction?
I am passionate about mixed practice – I love the variety it offers where no two days are the same. I believe starting out in mixed practice offers a great foundation for a veterinary career no matter where it takes you in later years. I enjoy having students on placement, showing them where I get to live and work and passing on little tips that make my life easier. I also learn a lot from our students sharing the latest research and developments. I love a good question that makes me think about why I do something one way or another!
Settling down in Orkney I have enjoyed becoming part of the community and getting to know our clients. The client/veterinarian relationship is so important to achieving good outcomes and also enjoying your work! It’s nice to be able to work closely with farmers and examine some of the bigger issues and work towards long term goals.
What advice can you share with others embarking on similar paths about finding fulfilment in their veterinary career?
There are so many things you can do with a veterinary degree. If clinical practice isn’t the right fit for you then there are many different options. I would urge all new graduates to carefully consider their first job. The right team with the right support is so important and will look different for every graduate. Be open to new experiences and find what it is that you enjoy. I never would have thought I would end up living and working on a small Scottish island but I love it and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!
What best sums up your approach to keeping yourself and your team motivated and engaged within your veterinary careers?
I love that at Northvet we are a true team, all working together and supporting each other. We try to stay connected over the busy times by meeting for breakfast discussions. When you’ve had a disaster or something goes amazingly well, it’s nice to share with the wider team! It’s important to debrief those difficult situations and also celebrate the wins.
Everyone has their own talents and aspects of veterinary work that they particularly enjoy and it’s important to encourage this. Finding relevant and interesting CPD is important – we try to host visiting specialists a few times a year so we can sit down as a whole team and learn together.
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