Veterinary Woman Role Model – Charlotte French

Dr Charlotte French, MA, VetMB, BSc(ARCS), PGCVetEd, FHEA, MRCVS, is Head of ISVPS Academic Affairs at Improve Veterinary Education, with more than 25 years of experience across mixed and small animal practice, shelter medicine, and veterinary education. After initially missing out on a place at veterinary school, she took an alternative route through a Zoology degree at Imperial College London before qualifying as a vet at the University of Cambridge — a journey that shaped her resilience and determination.

Alongside clinical practice, she developed a strong interest in education, training veterinary nurses and delivering diploma- and degree-level courses. In 2017, she completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Veterinary Education at the Royal Veterinary College and was awarded Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, further cementing her commitment to high-quality, practical learning.

Now leading academic affairs within ISVPS, she oversees assessment development and quality assurance, ensuring programmes maintain rigorous academic and professional standards. Passionate about supporting veterinary teams and raising standards across the profession, she combines extensive clinical experience with educational expertise to help shape the future of veterinary learning.

Please summarise your journey / biography:

After my A levels, I narrowly missed out on a place at Bristol Veterinary School due to a C grade in Physics (never my favourite subject). Rather than giving up, I took a different route and began my academic journey with a Zoology degree at Imperial College London. This strengthened my scientific foundation and confirmed that veterinary medicine was still the career I wanted to pursue.

Following graduation, I secured a place at the University of Cambridge, where I spent five challenging and rewarding years training as a vet.

Once qualified, I worked for over 25 years across mixed and small animal practice, as well as shelter medicine. This breadth of experience shaped my clinical skills and sparked a strong interest in improving standards of care, supporting veterinary teams, and mentoring colleagues as they progressed in their careers.

Alongside practice, I became increasingly involved in veterinary education. I have spent many years training veterinary nurses and developing and delivering courses at diploma and degreelevel, always aiming to make learning practical, relevant, and grounded in real-world experience. In 2017, I completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Veterinary Education at the Royal Veterinary College and was awarded Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.

I joined Improve Veterinary Education in 2020 and have held several roles within the organisation. I now serve as Head of ISVPS Academic Affairs, overseeing the development and quality of assessments and ensuring our programmes maintain high academic and professional standards.

On a personal note, I met my husband at a Cambridge ball in 1991 and we married a year later. We have three children—our daughter works as a reporter for Bloomberg in Japan, while our two sons are based in the UK, one an accountant and the other training as an Operating Department Practitioner. We live just outside Cambridge and, although currently pet-free, our home has hosted a revolving cast of dogs, ponies and guinea pigs over the years.

Describe your typical day from waking to sleeping:

Start the day early with a gym session — usually Pilates first thing. It wakes me up, clears my head, and sets me up for the day ahead.
Home for breakfast and a quick shower before logging on to work.
If I am working from the office I will travel to Swindon where our Clinical Excellence Centre is based, alternatively I might be flying to Porto to meet up with colleagues
If I am working from home my “commute” is short, but my colleagues could be anywhere in the world — my mornings are often filled with virtual meetings across different time zones.
Lunchtime usually means a walk to get my steps in and some fresh air, which helps me reset for the afternoon.
The afternoon is more meetings, planning, reviewing assessments, and catching up with the team.
Evenings are for slowing down: supper with my family and then something easy to watch — currently Stranger Things.
I’m definitely an early-to-bed person… lights out by 9 pm at the latest!

How would you describe yourself in a sentence?

Resilient, down-to-earth, and quietly driven.

What has been your top success and what have you learned from this?

My greatest success was ultimately securing a place at veterinary school after initially missing out on admission. Not achieving the grades I needed the first time was disappointing, but it forced me to rethink my path rather than give up. I chose to study Zoology at Imperial College London, where I strengthened my scientific foundation and reaffirmed my commitment to veterinary medicine. With renewed focus and determination, I reapplied and was accepted to Cambridge.

This experience taught me resilience, adaptability, and the value of perseverance. I learned that setbacks are not failures but opportunities to grow and find alternative routes to your goal. It also showed me how important the support of family and friends can be in sustaining motivation. Above all, it reinforced my belief that with determination and hard work, anything is possible.

What has been your biggest challenge, setback or failure and how have you overcome it? How did you grow or change as a result?

One of my biggest personal challenges was learning to drive. I needed five attempts to pass my driving test and, on one memorable occasion, managed to make the examiner scream. Although it sounds light-hearted now, at the time it was frustrating and dented my confidence.

Rather than giving up, I focused on consistent practice and deliberately worked on staying calm and managing my nerves under pressure. Gradually, my confidence and competence improved, and I eventually passed.

This experience taught me resilience and the importance of persistence when something doesn’t come easily. It also helped me recognise how much mindset affects performance. Having to work harder for success ultimately made me a more careful, self-aware, and safer driver. More broadly, it reinforced a lesson I’ve carried throughout my career: setbacks are opportunities to improve, not reasons to stop trying.

What advice would you have given to your younger self, that you would now give to others wanting to follow your path?

I would tell my younger self to stay open to opportunities and not assume there is only one “right” career path. A veterinary degree opens far more doors than you initially realise. Clinical practice is hugely rewarding and suits many people, but there are many other ways to contribute to the profession. Moving into education has been incredibly fulfilling for me, allowing me to support others, shape standards, and meet inspiring colleagues. Be curious, flexible, and willing to explore—you never know where your skills might take you.

I couldn’t have got where I am today without…

The opportunities I’ve had at Improve Veterinary Education. Holding several different roles within the organisation has allowed me to learn, grow, and develop skills in areas I hadn’t previously considered. Moving away from clinical practice can feel like a big leap of faith, but it’s been incredibly rewarding. I would encourage anyone looking for new ways to apply their veterinary knowledge and skills to embrace such opportunities—they can open doors you never imagined.

What are your three top likes?

Currently my top three likes are:

Skiing

Spa days

And spending time with my family

What are your three top dislikes?

Currently my top three dislikes are:

Not being in control- I am a control freak (something which I am working on!)

Disorganisation

Giving up too soon – I’ve learned the value of persistence (five driving tests taught me that!).

What is the most helpful book you’ve read and why?

For me, the most helpful book has been the Bible. I find that, no matter what stage of life I’m in, I can always find passages that resonate with me personally and offer guidance or perspective.

I would also add.. this is not a helpful book, but I belong to a book club and we recently read ‘Flesh’ by David Szalay which was the 2025 Booker Prize Winner -very well written and surprising ….I would recommend.