[science_geek]

Just about to start writing my personal statement () and just wondering how much I should actually mention in there about work experience. Obviously a very important part of the application but I have read before that some unis (all?) ask you to fill in a seperate sheet describing work experience? Where do I find this sheet as I've logged into UCAS and it hasn't brought anything up after selecting my choices?Can someone clear this up for me as I'm a bit confused! Thanks xx

[amykirton93]

I would only including a couple sentences maximum about your work experince, unless it is heavily related to the course your choosing. When i applied for univeristy, there was no sheet given seperately about work experince and im only in my first year uni, so i would'nt risk it!
good luck! x

[science_geek]

Hi thanks for the advice but I think the course I am applying for might be different as it is veterinary medicine and the course requirements for work experience are very high. Thanks anyway though

[Alt__x]

I had quite a large paragraph in mine on work experience, but it was directly related to my course and i think definitely strengthened my application.


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[Erin01]

Assuming you've posted in the Veterinary forum because you're applying to Vet Med, I would disagree with the comment above! (Sorry amykirton93). Work experience isn't just an 'added extra' for Vet Med, it's a pre-requisite.

I would definitely mention most (or all, if you can) your work experience, even if it's just a sentence to say 'In addition to my experience in <example>, I have also done work experience in <list other examples>'. Make sure you mention the core work experience areas, such as lambing, dairy, small animal vets, equine etc, as well as anything quite unusual you may have done that makes you stand out. For example, I mentioned about turtle conservation I had recently done! I would also take one particularly interesting case you have seen and go into a little bit of detail about it - why did you find it interesting? What did you understand about the case? How has this case strengthened your desire to be a vet?

Obviously you're quite tight for space on a personal statement and it is still really important to mention non-vet things to show you're a 'rounded' person with other interests. There will be experienced people on here who will have a look at your statement and give you any hints and tips... I think there is a page of personal statements written by successful vet students too

The separate work experience sheet you've heard about is sent out to you after you apply. It allows you to list all of your placements (with dates) and give a bit more information. However some of the universities only send these out if they think you're a suitable candidate, so it's still important to mention work experience on your statement. Remember: your personal statement is a University's first impression of you! Don't sell yourself short.

Good luck

[dclarke35]

Include your work experience, but explain what skills you have learned from it. DON'T just say what you did, as they know roughly what you did, just stick to the point about what you've learned and how it will benefit you in the course at the University.

[britchick]

I wrote about 1/3 of mine for Optometry on work experience (maybe a little more than 1/3). I wrote about what I learnt, how this interested me and what it's taught me in terms of which field I want to work in when older.

[dizzeedollee]

(Original post by science_geek)
Just about to start writing my personal statement () and just wondering how much I should actually mention in there about work experience. Obviously a very important part of the application but I have read before that some unis (all?) ask you to fill in a seperate sheet describing work experience? Where do I find this sheet as I've logged into UCAS and it hasn't brought anything up after selecting my choices?Can someone clear this up for me as I'm a bit confused! Thanks xx

^
These forms are not found on the UCAS website The unis will send you a link to their work experience forms once you've submitted your UCAS form. For example, Bristol (if you apply there) will send you a username and password for their 'portal', which contains all the information about the course, interviews, the forms you need to fill in, where you need to send it, etc. RVC will send you an email saying please fill in these health and work experience forms, etc, etc.

How much work experience have you actually done? Altogether I had 22 ish weeks (ish because I had an ongoing placement lasting 6 months) of experience so obviously I didn't have enough space to write in detail about all of it. What I did was state that I did 22 weeks of experience at the beginning and then stated exactly what those 22 weeks were (i.e I went to a kennel...I went to a chicken farm....I went to a cattery...etc, not exactly like that but you know what I mean :P) but the placements on which I'd seen the most interesting cases that I wanted to talk about I expanded a bit more (i.e I have 22 weeks of experience. Two weeks were spent at a cattery and then at another kennel, where there was a case of blah blah blah disease expand expand).

Ultimately it's up to you to decide how much detail you want to include about your work experience but remember this: the questions you will be asked during your interviews are generated from your personal statement (generally, Liverpool doesn't care about personal statements :P) and how well you express your interest through your answers will determine whether you will gain a place at vet school. If they can't ask any questions from your personal statement, you won't be able to impress them with your answers

Hope that helps

[science_geek]

Thank you guys, all really really helpful!

[Cetacea]

I think the key points about veterinary work experience and the personal statement are:

1. Show the vet schools that you have actually learnt something and not just ticked a box to show that you've done the placement. Show that you appreciate the importance of mastitis prevention in a dairy farm, for example. Consider why each placement you have done will make you a better vet student.

2. Incorporate scientific ideas into your work experience discussion. For example if you have observed a cardiovascular condition in small animal practice you may want to go into a bit of detail about the causes and effects of that particular condition, given that the structure of the heart is needed for most AS Biology courses!

3. Don't just rattle all your placements off in a massive list. It's not kind on the eye and doesn't show the admissions panel anything about what you've learnt.

4. You can mention work experience you have booked for after the October deadline but you should make sure you see it through - it won't look good if you said you'll do something and don't.

5. As has already been said, you should leave a paragraph for discussing why you want to study Veterinary Medicine and a paragraph to show your extra-curriculars and why you have the qualities to be a good vet.

6. Finally, in terms of additional forms/documentation: note that most vet schools will send you forms etc. after you have pressed 'send' on your UCAS form, but Edinburgh require the work experience summary form (WES) to be completed by 1st November. They will not send it to you by email or post - it is on their website and you must remember to fill it in! It won't look good if they have to chase you up about it because you've forgotten.

[science_geek]

(Original post by Cetacea)
I think the key points about veterinary work experience and the personal statement are:

1. Show the vet schools that you have actually learnt something and not just ticked a box to show that you've done the placement. Show that you appreciate the importance of mastitis prevention in a dairy farm, for example. Consider why each placement you have done will make you a better vet student.

2. Incorporate scientific ideas into your work experience discussion. For example if you have observed a cardiovascular condition in small animal practice you may want to go into a bit of detail about the causes and effects of that particular condition, given that the structure of the heart is needed for most AS Biology courses!

3. Don't just rattle all your placements off in a massive list. It's not kind on the eye and doesn't show the admissions panel anything about what you've learnt.

4. You can mention work experience you have booked for after the October deadline but you should make sure you see it through - it won't look good if you said you'll do something and don't.

5. As has already been said, you should leave a paragraph for discussing why you want to study Veterinary Medicine and a paragraph to show your extra-curriculars and why you have the qualities to be a good vet.

6. Finally, in terms of additional forms/documentation: note that most vet schools will send you forms etc. after you have pressed 'send' on your UCAS form, but Edinburgh require the work experience summary form (WES) to be completed by 1st November. They will not send it to you by email or post - it is on their website and you must remember to fill it in! It won't look good if they have to chase you up about it because you've forgotten.

Thank you, so would you say it is more important to mention fewer placements in a little more detail, than it is to list of all your placements with no 'explanation'?

[Cetacea]

(Original post by science_geek)
Thank you, so would you say it is more important to mention fewer placements in a little more detail, than it is to list of all your placements with no 'explanation'?

I think you should give each placement roughly equal attention but especially for the more important placements, e.g. vets or dairy farm. You have to make clear to them that you have met the minimum requirements so if this means leaving some placements stated but 'un-discussed' because you've run out of characters then so be it.

[ofssinfoxes]

(Original post by science_geek)
Thank you, so would you say it is more important to mention fewer placements in a little more detail, than it is to list of all your placements with no 'explanation'?

Yes, as others have already mentioned, you are not required to provide an exhaustive list of your work experience on your personal statement. I am not too sure if it is in fact necessary for you to state that you have met the minimum requirements (I certainly didn't put that on my personal statement, and I would imagine that the underlying assumption for all vet applicants is that you have read and completed the minimum work experience list). Having said that, since you have such a limited space, it would be a good idea to not discuss all your work placements. Focus on one or two, and elaborate! A long rambling of work placements with "no explanation" would not only be very predictable, but utterly and deadly boring to read!

[skatealexia]

Agreed with above points. No lists, and elaborate on a few you found most interesting. I'd have a balance between vet, equine and farm experience places discussed in there as well if you can.

[Mimi10]

My personal statement had this rough format:
-Why VetMed?/Catch the admission tutors eye etc.
-Work experience: Listed what I had done, then elaborated on what I had enjoyed/learned - if anything really interests you then put it in and they will ask you about it at interview!
-Extra-curricular/sports & achievements
-Achievements at school (prefect, form captain...)
Not sure where I put it, but also mentioned how I like science, did maths challenges etc.

The work experience section was probably between 1/3 and 1/2 of the personal statement
Hope this helps! Worked for me - got 3 offers (god knows how!), just thought I'd throw in my own experience, even though you've received some great advice already
Good luck!!

[ofssinfoxes]

(Original post by Mimi10)
My personal statement had this rough format:
-Why VetMed?/Catch the admission tutors eye etc.
-Work experience: Listed what I had done, then elaborated on what I had enjoyed/learned - if anything really interests you then put it in and they will ask you about it at interview!
-Extra-curricular/sports & achievements
-Achievements at school (prefect, form captain...)
Not sure where I put it, but also mentioned how I like science, did maths challenges etc.

The work experience section was probably between 1/3 and 1/2 of the personal statement
Hope this helps! Worked for me - got 3 offers (god knows how!), just thought I'd throw in my own experience, even though you've received some great advice already
Good luck!!

Haha, I had the EXACT same format as you! And the same result

That said, I think half the vet applicants use that format as well.... I mean, what's an alternative?

[Mimi10]

(Original post by ofssinfoxes)
Haha, I had the EXACT same format as you! And the same result

That said, I think half the vet applicants use that format as well.... I mean, what's an alternative?

Haha! Yay, well done!

I think some people talk broadly about work experience throughout it and don't directly list their work experience etc. I thought it would be worth listing it as some of the unis I applied to don't ask about work exp until you've got to the interview stage

Good luck for results! Or if you already have your grades then have fun in October!!

[skatealexia]

Just to say, personally I wouldn't make a list of work experience. Takes up a lot of space, looks untidy and most places send out some sort of form anyway. I didn't in mine, I got 4 offers, but I guess it just depends on the rest of your PS too.

[JHP1996]

If you list the work experience you're not showing how each placement gave you a unique experience and what you learnt from each one. Maybe you could write about your skills and how you applied them in your work placements?? X


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[lucylou432]

Hey, I included a lot about my work experience placements in my ps, probably around 1/3 of the whole thing. I tried to include more or less all of them, a few interesting cases and then what I learnt from the placements. Your placements are obviously really important in ensuring that a veterinary career is what you want so I wouldn't be afraid to talk about cases/situations in detail Good luck!