b'AD FEATUREPASSION MEETS PURPOSE:FROM VETERINARY PRACTICE TO PRKaty Ellison and Fi Farmer, directors of Companion Consultancy, a veterinary PR, marketing and design agency, share how they followed their passions to develop their veterinary careers into the world of PR and marketing. rural Cambridgeshire before spending 19 years in small animal practice in Bury St Edmunds.From clinical to content creationIn 2021, Katy wanted to explore the possibilities of using her veterinary skills in a different way and joined Companion Consultancy part-time, balancing this with her clinical work in practice three days a week. It was a steep learning curve, but one that I relished. I learned a lot of new skills and no two days are the same. I might be writing a technical article about poultry disease one dayand I love researching a new topic - the thirst for learning never goes away. The next day, I could be writing a blog on respiratory issues in companion animals, creating copy for a press release or advertising campaign, or filming a video to advise pet On my first day at secondaryowners on spotting early signs of arthritis. school, I remember telling my formKaty extended her role at Companion tutor that I wanted to be a vet, it wasConsultancy but continues to work a real vocation and I qualified fromin practice for evening surgeries and weekends on call. The two roles Cambridge vet school in 1999 thencomplement each other. I enjoy clinical worked for four years at a small mixedwork and think it is important for keeping practice in rural Cambridgeshirein touch with the profession and practice before spending 19 years in smalllife. Equally my role at Companion animal practice in Bury St Edmunds. Consultancy, which is all about communication, makes me evaluate, and hopefully improve how I communicate As well as their entrepreneurial spirit and awith pet owners in the consult room.commitment to effective communication,Diversifying within the vet sectorsomething Katy and Fi have in commonFi had a love of horses from a young age is their deep passion for the veterinaryand competed up until she went to vet profession: they both wanted to be a vetschool. Graduating from the University of from as long as they can remember.Liverpool in 2009, she went to Dubai for On my first day at secondary school,her internship, then returned to the UK to I remember telling my form tutor that Ifirst opinion equine practice. Through my wanted to be a vet, Katy says. It wascompetitive endurance riding, I fell into a real vocation and I qualified fromvetting endurance rides and worked my Cambridge vet school in 1999 then workedway up the FEI ladder. I am now a Level for four years at a small mixed practice in3 Official Vet and last year I was on the 32www.inspiredvet.co.uk'