A career as a vet?
Vets are healthcare professionals for the animal kingdom. They work to diagnose and treat sick animals and are also involved in managing disease outbreaks, to protect both animals and humans. It’s a profession full of variety and the opportunities are diverse.
A veterinary degree not only gives you the opportunity to work in clinical practice, but can also be a passport to a range of other careers. You could end up in scientific research, the pharmaceutical or animal nutrition industries, travelling abroad on wildlife projects or working in government to maintain biosecurity in the UK.
Qualifications required
A university degree is essential. There are currently seven universities in the UK that offer a veterinary degree course that’s approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). These are Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Nottingham.
Each of the veterinary schools asks for slightly different qualifications. The general guide is AAB at A-level, or AAABB at SCE (usually including Biology and Chemistry). For applicants who do not have the standard qualifications, a one-year pre-degree course or a six-year vet degree is available from selected universities. Applicants are expected to demonstrate their commitment by carrying out relevant work experience, for example, in a veterinary practice, on a farm, in kennels or at a pet rescue centre.
Attributes
Applicants will need to be self-confident and self-motivated, with good communication and motor skills. Students are expected to have an understanding of the positive and negative aspects of a veterinary career and have an awareness of current important issues and developments in veterinary medicine and science.
Put yourself in the picture...
Case study: Adeel Khan Adeel, 20, from Birmingham, is currently in his second year of a vet degree at the University of Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Science.
Why did you want to become a vet? I went to visit relatives in Pakistan for a few years when I was 13, and was really upset by the lack of medical care available for our family pets, which set me thinking about a career as a vet. My family was keen that I go into medicine, but I loved animals, so putting the two together, veterinary medicine seemed an obvious choice!
What do you enjoy most about the course? My Mum advised me to go for a career I would love – one that would make me want to get out of bed in the mornings. The vet degree is already doing this for me. I really love learning something new every day, and being able to understand how the scientific knowledge we gain is going to have a direct effect on the health of animals.
What are you hoping to do when you qualify? I am not sure yet – there are so many options. I am quite keen on the idea of working with horses, possibly at a referral practice that takes difficult cases. Or perhaps working in the meat industry, to ensure the meat we eat is safe, and produced to the best welfare standards.
What’s your advice for a budding vet? Don’t give up! Getting into vet school isn’t easy, but there are lots of options, such as foundation year courses. And get as much work experience as possible – it’s never too early to start. It looks great on your personal statement and in interviews – but more importantly, you will know what you are letting yourself in for…!
Ve t e r ina ry Sc i enc e . . . f o r a l l Wa l k s o f L i f e
• Does science inspire you? • Would you like to be your own boss? • Fancy the outdoors as your office? • Would you like to be a surgeon? • Would you like to work with animals?
Vets come from all walks of life and a veterinary degree is a passport to a huge range of careers, from clinical practice, through research, to government or conservation work. Many vets own businesses too. Visit our website to find out which veterinary career might suit you!
For more information:
www.walksoflife.org.uk or
www.youtube.com/vetcareers full on! 5
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