Mentee story: Anna Forbes

Mixed animal veterinarian Anna Forbes says she had always wanted to work in a diverse practice, after growing up on a deer farm with lots of pets and other animals around.

Now working in Taupo, after graduating in 2020, she has connected with a mentor who she has been working with for nearly a year. She says she found the process of using Mentorloop to be straightforward, and she liked that the platform had information about what you could expect from a mentorship and how to identify what you wanted to get out of it.

“It’s been good having someone outside of my clinic to discuss things with and give another perspective,” she says. “My mentor has given me some good advice on questions that I’ve had about clinical work, which has allowed me to make my own choices about how I want to approach things.”

She says that although she has only been able to connect with her mentor over the phone due to their locations, she has found it reassuring that she can check in when she needs to talk to someone. “I can call anytime for advice if I have a tricky case out in the field, or have any worries, so it’s nice knowing I have that option if I need it.”

Anna enjoys the challenge of operating on small animals, as well as having the opportunity to work outdoors with larger animals, including horses and production animals. She says that as a graduate veterinarian, having a mentor who is completely separate from her clinic, who she can talk to about how things are going, has been helpful as she gains experience.

“I would recommend having a mentor to other graduates. Even if you don’t catch up often or have specific things you’re wanting to work on, it’s nice to have someone experienced there to help you out if you need it.”