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VETERINARY MEDICINE - RUSSELL KYLE OM'61
What is your profession and current position?
Retired Vet. I had a variety of roles beginning in private farm practice, then teaching at a veterinary college, to working for Defra in disease control and then as a veterinary adviser for international trade, and finally as a consultant in industry for the export of high-end poultry genetics.
How did Monkton get you ready for the world of work?
At Monkton and then at Cambridge my main study was modern languages. I believe that any form of higher education broadens the mind and makes one open to new ideas and possibilities.
What is your biggest professional achievement?
I wrote a book “A Feast in the Wild” (which I believe is in the school library) after many years studying and visiting schemes in less favoured agricultural parts of the world to manage the locally adapted wild species in preference to cattle, which was published in 1987. It makes the point that cattle damage unsuitable environments, whereas local wild species may produce more meat, cause less environmental damage, ensure a more diverse ecosystem, provide local employment, and generate more income in poorer agricultural areas. It was well received by the relatively limited number of specialists in this rarefied field.
What has been your most challenging professional moment?
Moving from an Arts academic background into Veterinary Science. The need for rigorous assimilation of facts in a scientific discipline is very different from the more permissive approach in Arts.
What inspires and motivates you at work?
Reducing pain and suffering.
What is one piece of advice you would like to share with pupils or OMs about getting into your profession?
The academic entry standard is eye-wateringly high. Be prepared to study with dedication both to gain entry to a veterinary school, and throughout the course. To gain entry it helps if you also have another skill or interest like music, or enterprising hobbies.