Offering advice/help for Veterinary Medicine applicants!

Any advice on interviews and personal statements?

Reply 3

Original post by sophielophie

Any advice on interviews and personal statements?

Plenty of information on those here and here. :smile:

Reply 4

Original post by Little Tail Chaser

Plenty of information on those here and here. :smile:

Thanks. I've read these already, but I was looking for a more personal point of view from their experience.

Reply 5

Lizziefickling

11

Original post by sophielophie

Thanks. I've read these already, but I was looking for a more personal point of view from their experience.

There's a limit to how much 'personal experience' during interviews someone can offer you, as applicants are not allowed to discuss interviews with other applicants, whether your already at vet school or not.

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Reply 6

Original post by Lizziefickling

There's a limit to how much 'personal experience' during interviews someone can offer you, as applicants are not allowed to discuss interviews with other applicants, whether your already at vet school or not.

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Very true. But, I was hoping to hear how each person dealt with their nerves, anything they regret doing or wish they said...
Is that allowed to be discussed, or is it all meant to be kept private?

EDIT: I'm so clueless about the application process... sorry!

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 7

Lizziefickling

11

Original post by sophielophie

Very true. But, I was hoping to hear how each person dealt with their nerves, anything they regret doing or wish they said...
Is that allowed to be discussed, or is it all meant to be kept private?

EDIT: I'm so clueless about the application process... sorry!

I was extremely nervous before my interviews, and I'm quite a shy person which also doesn't help. The way I got round it was by completely pretending I was super confident. I walked in with my head held high, and shook their hands like I was a really confident person (which I'm really not!). I made sure I was clued up on current issues and welfare related stuff and practiced talking to people about things to improve the way I came across at interview.

I regret falling apart at my Bristol interview. I panicked - and the worst thing to do if you don't know how to answer something is to panic, get yourself all worked up over it and get frustrated because it shows! It's one of the major reasons I wasn't offered a place at Bristol in the end because I just went to pieces over not being able to answer one question. Keep your cool (it's hard I know - I still do it in OSPE exams at uni which is terrible!) if you don't know something, be confident anyway, and give yourself a minute to collect your thoughts and start again.

There isn't anything I wish I had said - people always ask if students should ask the interviewer a question at the end of an interview when asked 'is there anything you would like to know' - if you don't genuinely have anything to ask, don't make something up, but it's always good to look into the course to see if there are any questions you might have which you can then ask at the end of an interview.

The most important thing for me was to be confident and not fall apart. I did really well in my Liverpool interview because of this, and it's the reason I'm now at Liverpool, but I did have to work on things before I got my place. Just practice (but not rehearse otherwise you sound like you're reading from a script) with different people/family/school staff and be confident and believe in yourself - and at the end of the day - it's not the end of the world if you don't get a place (might seem it at the time, but you can try and try again to a point!) so if you go into an interview relaxed and not panicking whether you'll get a place or not it'll go a lot more smoothly

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Reply 8

Original post by Lizziefickling

I was extremely nervous before my interviews, and I'm quite a shy person which also doesn't help. The way I got round it was by completely pretending I was super confident. I walked in with my head held high, and shook their hands like I was a really confident person (which I'm really not!). I made sure I was clued up on current issues and welfare related stuff and practiced talking to people about things to improve the way I came across at interview.

I regret falling apart at my Bristol interview. I panicked - and the worst thing to do if you don't know how to answer something is to panic, get yourself all worked up over it and get frustrated because it shows! It's one of the major reasons I wasn't offered a place at Bristol in the end because I just went to pieces over not being able to answer one question. Keep your cool (it's hard I know - I still do it in OSPE exams at uni which is terrible!) if you don't know something, be confident anyway, and give yourself a minute to collect your thoughts and start again.

There isn't anything I wish I had said - people always ask if students should ask the interviewer a question at the end of an interview when asked 'is there anything you would like to know' - if you don't genuinely have anything to ask, don't make something up, but it's always good to look into the course to see if there are any questions you might have which you can then ask at the end of an interview.

The most important thing for me was to be confident and not fall apart. I did really well in my Liverpool interview because of this, and it's the reason I'm now at Liverpool, but I did have to work on things before I got my place. Just practice (but not rehearse otherwise you sound like you're reading from a script) with different people/family/school staff and be confident and believe in yourself - and at the end of the day - it's not the end of the world if you don't get a place (might seem it at the time, but you can try and try again to a point!) so if you go into an interview relaxed and not panicking whether you'll get a place or not it'll go a lot more smoothly

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Thank you so much! This has been so useful to read... :biggrin:

especially seeing as I'm a shy person too.... :s-smilie:

How are you enjoying Liverpool and vet school ?

Reply 9

Lizziefickling

11

Original post by sophielophie

Thank you so much! This has been so useful to read... :biggrin:

especially seeing as I'm a shy person too.... :s-smilie:

How are you enjoying Liverpool and vet school ?

No worries!
I'm about to go into my third year this September - it's not been easy, and I've had mini breakdowns along the way but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. It's an amazing vet school and I love it here, but I'm going to be bias towards the vet school I go to! They're all amazing though. Liverpool is brilliant, everything in one place and the locals are really nice. I live here all the time as we have a house here since I started but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else (apart from maybe the countryside, I do miss that a bit)

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Reply 10

marthaji

I really want to go to Bristol, I'm starting AS Chem, Bio, Psych and 2 GCSE Sciences in September (I went to an "alternitive" primary and secondry school, aka mad hippie hell where I learnt nothing and so I need to improve my Science GCSE's from Cs😭) However I hadn't realised I wanted to be a vet till I finished year 12, and am
now redoing the year taking Sciences instead of humanities- does doing three years immidiately write me off? Also, how much work experience and volunteer work should I being doing? I've been told 70 days but realistically I'm not sure I'll be able to do that and keep my part time job! I've also been told that unis will look down on me for starting my work experience late and for not knowing that I wanted to be a vet for longer! I feel like I'm fighting a loosing battle and that I've no hope in hell. I'm naturally drawn to subjects such as art and philosophy, but I desperately want to be good at science and work with animals. Another worry I have is that I'm a passionate vegan, and object to consumption of animal products, animal testing or any use of non-human species in our society (I have a "They're here with us, not for us" attitude) would this be an issue? Finally- ideally, I'd love to be able to travel and work with endangered species and larger exotic animals, but after I'd love to come home and work in a clinic- is this possible, or do you have to choose one specific group of animals to work with? Thankyou so much if you can answer any of my questions!!☺️

Reply 11

Original post by marthaji

I really want to go to Bristol, I'm starting AS Chem, Bio, Psych and 2 GCSE Sciences in September (I went to an "alternitive" primary and secondry school, aka mad hippie hell where I learnt nothing and so I need to improve my Science GCSE's from Cs😭) However I hadn't realised I wanted to be a vet till I finished year 12, and am
now redoing the year taking Sciences instead of humanities- does doing three years immidiately write me off?

Not at all. Some people have taken three years at sixth form for a variety of reasons, and still get into vet school.

Also, how much work experience and volunteer work should I being doing? I've been told 70 days but realistically I'm not sure I'll be able to do that and keep my part time job!

See the work experience thread. Ideally, as much as possible. Previously the minimum suggestion was Liverpool's old minimum requirement of 10 weeks/50 days, but loads of people do way more than that so there's not set amount that will guarantee you an interview/offer unfortunately. At the end of the day variety matters more than sheer quantity so if you can do a good mix of placements (small and large animal vets, stables, kennels/catteries, commercial farms, abattoirs, labs, zoos....) then you may be able to get away with doing less. Jobs can count towards your total, so could you perhaps get a part time job working with animals?

I've also been told that unis will look down on me for starting my work experience late and for not knowing that I wanted to be a vet for longer! I feel like I'm fighting a loosing battle and that I've no hope in hell. I'm naturally drawn to subjects such as art and philosophy, but I desperately want to be good at science and work with animals.

Nah, as long as you get a good amount it doesn't matter when you start. Nor does it matter that you haven't wanted to be a vet forever :nah:

. Lines like "I have wanted to be a vet ever since I was 5 when Noel Fitzpatrick saved my guinea pig, Fluffy" reads very poorly on personal statements :lol:

Another worry I have is that I'm a passionate vegan, and object to consumption of animal products, animal testing or any use of non-human species in our society (I have a "They're here with us, not for us" attitude) would this be an issue?

Not necessarily an issue, as long as you realise that you would have to undertake placements on farms as part of the degree. It's fine to have those views of course, that appreciate that they won't be shared by the people you're on these placements with. You would have to understand that people's views can differ and as such animal agriculture/testing is a feature of society, your role as a vet would be to improve/maintain animal welfare in these scenarios.

Finally- ideally, I'd love to be able to travel and work with endangered species and larger exotic animals, but after I'd love to come home and work in a clinic- is this possible, or do you have to choose one specific group of animals to work with? Thankyou so much if you can answer any of my questions!!☺️

Nope, you qualify technically able to treat everything from aardvarks to zebrafish. You can choose to do internships/residencies/certificates/specialisations afterwards in a specific area if you wish. It would probably be much easier to only do smallies/only do large exotics (e.g. a zoo vet,when you're at home although these positions are quite rare and competitive as I understand it).

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 12

lwescott

7

LTC has covered most of what I was going to say :tongue:

I have a real thing about people doing work experience for them and not for their application. I see lots of people who finish 12 weeks of WEX the summer before their application and then stop; the whole point is to build husbandry skills to help you not the admissions officer. Get as much experience as you can with a variety of placements and if you need to, take a gap year to strengthen your application.
I officially only had to do 2 weeks of clinical EMS this year but I've done 7 so far because first I love spending time in the clinic, I learn loads of practical skills and pharmacology but also it's about finding out about where and what field you want to work in.

There are lots of vegan vet students which is fine but just remember a massive part of the course and industry is focused around animal production systems; it's not an issue unless you make it one.
You will have to go lambing, to dairy and poultry farms, spend time in abattoirs and see practices you may not necessarily be comfortable with, so that is something you will need to think about. If you can't get past this, maybe consider other courses.
If you wish to talk about it in your application, maybe look at neuter clinics and the impact they can have on reducing the deaths of unwanted animals every year.

Everyone covers everything on the course and then you can specialise after graduation. If you have a keen interest follow it up with optional subjects and EMS choices to build contacts and skills for your career.

Reply 13

mussi

Do they ask to send in grades other than GCSE before they invite candidates for interview?

Reply 14

Original post by mussi

Do they ask to send in grades other than GCSE before they invite candidates for interview?

Your AS and predicted A2 grades (or whatever equivalent qualification) must be declared on your UCAS application, which will be seen by the universities.

You won't be asked to bring exam certificates for anything beyond your GCSEs to interview if you're applying for the undergrad course, as far as I know.

Reply 15

studentlife444

1

Should I do an EPQ or any extra studies to help me get into vet school? Thank you

Reply 16

Original post by studentlife444

Should I do an EPQ or any extra studies to help me get into vet school? Thank you

It's not necessary but certainly won't do any harm and might be of benefit. Your work experience/PS/A2 predictions are vastly more important but if you have the time and don't think it will affect your A level studies then go for it. The skills you learn doing it will probably be useful when you get into vet school. I never did one and although it didn't affect whether or not I got an offer, I still cower in fear a little bit at the prospect of research projects :hide:

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 17

mussi

Original post by Little Tail Chaser

Your AS and predicted A2 grades (or whatever equivalent qualification) must be declared on your UCAS application, which will be seen by the universities.

You won't be asked to bring exam certificates for anything beyond your GCSEs to interview if you're applying for the undergrad course, as far as I know.

Thank you ver much, this helps a lot.

Reply 18

studentlife444

1

Original post by Little Tail Chaser

It's not necessary but certainly won't do any harm and might be of benefit. Your work experience/PS/A2 predictions are vastly more important but if you have the time and don't think it will affect your A level studies then go for it. The skills you learn doing it will probably be useful when you get into vet school. I never did one and although it didn't affect whether or not I got an offer, I still cower in fear a little bit at the prospect of research projects :hide:

Thank you for such an helpful reply, should I do the EPQ in the first year or second year?

Reply 19