entering vet school graduate entry
I want to be a vet and have done for most of my life.I don't have outanding GCSEs but have the required grades except a b in English language (I have a c). Also I am not studying a levels but am studying an extended diploma in animal management, so I know it will be harder for me to get a place.I have lots of animal experience but need need to get lambing and experience in a veterinary practice. I do not want to leave home next year when I have finished my btec as I do not think I am ready to, so I was thinking about doing a degree close to home (I live in Birmingham) then entering vet school after.
So here are my questions
What degrees could I do close to birmingham which would allow me to enter vet school at degree entry(I know zoology at Birmingham university and this is what I am planning) I am willing to travel is there anywhere close that offers bio veterinary science degree?
Is it hard to get into vet school at degree entry?
What is an example time table for vet school e.g. how many days a week for how long?
How many years is vet school if you already have a degree?
And finally I know you have to self fund your second uni course but do you have to pay it all in bulk or can you pay it year by year or get a loan or something?
Thanks
Cameron Mcternan
So here are my questions
What degrees could I do close to birmingham which would allow me to enter vet school at degree entry(I know zoology at Birmingham university and this is what I am planning) I am willing to travel is there anywhere close that offers bio veterinary science degree?
Is it hard to get into vet school at degree entry?
What is an example time table for vet school e.g. how many days a week for how long?
How many years is vet school if you already have a degree?
And finally I know you have to self fund your second uni course but do you have to pay it all in bulk or can you pay it year by year or get a loan or something?
Thanks
Cameron Mcternan
-I don't know much about degrees close to Birmingham, sorry.
-graduate entry can still be very competitive, yes. I applied to it 5 years ago from Canada, so I am not entirely sure how to convert my grades/requirements or even if they could be directly translated. I would recommend contacting the universities that offer this program and asking what their admission requirements would be, if you can't directly find it on their webpage.
In addition to the academic side, there is the work experience side. For 'school leavers', it is generally recommended to have 10 to 15 weeks of work experience, and most will have 15 in order to be competitive. This includes dairy farm practice, lambing practice on a farm, kennels experience, stables experience, and ideally both small and large animal vet practice. Plus whatever 'extra' or 'additional' you can get, like other farm experience (though my experience/understanding is that dairy and lambing are the biggies). For a graduate applicant, I would not be surprised if the standards are even MORE than 15 weeks, as in theory you have had another 4 years to get more experience (yes, while doing a degree BUT you will have to balance your school work with work experience/"EMS" while in vet school so why not now?).
From the R(D)SVS booklet (just happens to be where I went): "Mature Students
The Admissions Committee aims to select mature candidates from a variety of
backgrounds to further enhance the diversity of the intake. Although mature applicants
receive consideration, there is no relaxation of programme entry requirements. In order
to be considered you would, therefore, have to achieve the normal minimum entry
requirements. Normally candidates must attain these grades in the one sitting and at
the first attempt. However, if you are not able to study full time (if, for example, you are
continuing to work) you would not necessarily be expected to gain the grades at the one
8
sitting but you would certainly have to attain them at the first attempt.
Mature students are encouraged to contact the Admissions Office providing further
information on both school and further education examination results to discuss their
qualifications on an individual basis prior to making a formal application."
-Vet school for me was 5 days a week, except in clinical years when I was on ICU in which case it was 24/7 for a week or two. 5 days a week, and anywhere from 5 to 8 hours a day. Plus, they do expect quite a bit of self-study, especially in the first year since you are essentially covering two years of vet school (first and second year of the 'school leaver' degree) in one. After the GEP year, you enter "3rd year" of vet school, alongside the 5-year degree students. With labs, I was generally going from 9am to 3:30 to 5pm, with 1 hour for lunch and potentially the odd 'free period', during my GEP year, if I remember correctly. Plus self study. I believe you are expected to commit 40 hours + per week, but I don't remember for sure, perhaps someone else can comment. For your graduate entry year, at R(D)SVS you start in August and go to the first or second week in June, with time off at Christmas and Easter. I believe that is fairly standard, but again, perhaps others can comment. After the GEP year, it is end of Sept. to June.
However again, you are expected to complete 12 weeks of 'husbandry EMS' (work experience) in your GEP year, or the first two years if doing the 5-year stream. Then 26 weeks of clinical EMS in the remaining years (3rd through final year). So vacation time is often taken up with this.
-Vet school is 4 years if you already have a degree.
-Most schools offer yearly or even term/semester payment options (eg the yearly amount split into 2 or 3 payments throughout the year). It is extremely difficult for a graduate student to get a loan, as I understand it (aka pretty much impossible, or that has been the experience of some of my friends, other than a very small bank loan that didn't even cover the first year). Also, do your research on what the job prospects are, what average salaries are, and what loan repayment options you may have. Because you will potentially be graduating with A LOT of debt (for me, over 100,000 GBP between tuition, costs of living, etc. etc) in a field with allegedly declining job prospects and not the highest salaries, compared to other 'professional' degrees.
Looking on the R(D)SVS website, the only GSCE requirement is a 'C' in English. However, you'd still need A levels or Scottish Highers I believe. I don't know about the other schools. Here are some things I suggest.
-BEFORE you commit to the expense, long hours, heartache etc. etc. of this degree, GET EXPERIENCE IN VET HOSPITALS. Get LOTS! Many people THINK they want to be a vet, but once they get stuck in realize it is not for them. Also, I really don't think most schools will look at you without SOME experience in a vet practice-again, they don't want to put their resources into you only to have you burn/drop out.
-Consider taking a year out and doing your A levels, and/or just taking a gap year, if you are not ready to leave home. Or even if you were, I'd still recommend this.
-Think seriously about whether you will EVER be ready to leave home, if you don't force yourself to. Truly not being ready happens, is very fair, and good on you for recognizing that about yourself before you get yourself in a bad situation. However, some people do need that little 'push'.
Good luck!
-graduate entry can still be very competitive, yes. I applied to it 5 years ago from Canada, so I am not entirely sure how to convert my grades/requirements or even if they could be directly translated. I would recommend contacting the universities that offer this program and asking what their admission requirements would be, if you can't directly find it on their webpage.
In addition to the academic side, there is the work experience side. For 'school leavers', it is generally recommended to have 10 to 15 weeks of work experience, and most will have 15 in order to be competitive. This includes dairy farm practice, lambing practice on a farm, kennels experience, stables experience, and ideally both small and large animal vet practice. Plus whatever 'extra' or 'additional' you can get, like other farm experience (though my experience/understanding is that dairy and lambing are the biggies). For a graduate applicant, I would not be surprised if the standards are even MORE than 15 weeks, as in theory you have had another 4 years to get more experience (yes, while doing a degree BUT you will have to balance your school work with work experience/"EMS" while in vet school so why not now?).
From the R(D)SVS booklet (just happens to be where I went): "Mature Students
The Admissions Committee aims to select mature candidates from a variety of
backgrounds to further enhance the diversity of the intake. Although mature applicants
receive consideration, there is no relaxation of programme entry requirements. In order
to be considered you would, therefore, have to achieve the normal minimum entry
requirements. Normally candidates must attain these grades in the one sitting and at
the first attempt. However, if you are not able to study full time (if, for example, you are
continuing to work) you would not necessarily be expected to gain the grades at the one
8
sitting but you would certainly have to attain them at the first attempt.
Mature students are encouraged to contact the Admissions Office providing further
information on both school and further education examination results to discuss their
qualifications on an individual basis prior to making a formal application."
-Vet school for me was 5 days a week, except in clinical years when I was on ICU in which case it was 24/7 for a week or two. 5 days a week, and anywhere from 5 to 8 hours a day. Plus, they do expect quite a bit of self-study, especially in the first year since you are essentially covering two years of vet school (first and second year of the 'school leaver' degree) in one. After the GEP year, you enter "3rd year" of vet school, alongside the 5-year degree students. With labs, I was generally going from 9am to 3:30 to 5pm, with 1 hour for lunch and potentially the odd 'free period', during my GEP year, if I remember correctly. Plus self study. I believe you are expected to commit 40 hours + per week, but I don't remember for sure, perhaps someone else can comment. For your graduate entry year, at R(D)SVS you start in August and go to the first or second week in June, with time off at Christmas and Easter. I believe that is fairly standard, but again, perhaps others can comment. After the GEP year, it is end of Sept. to June.
However again, you are expected to complete 12 weeks of 'husbandry EMS' (work experience) in your GEP year, or the first two years if doing the 5-year stream. Then 26 weeks of clinical EMS in the remaining years (3rd through final year). So vacation time is often taken up with this.
-Vet school is 4 years if you already have a degree.
-Most schools offer yearly or even term/semester payment options (eg the yearly amount split into 2 or 3 payments throughout the year). It is extremely difficult for a graduate student to get a loan, as I understand it (aka pretty much impossible, or that has been the experience of some of my friends, other than a very small bank loan that didn't even cover the first year). Also, do your research on what the job prospects are, what average salaries are, and what loan repayment options you may have. Because you will potentially be graduating with A LOT of debt (for me, over 100,000 GBP between tuition, costs of living, etc. etc) in a field with allegedly declining job prospects and not the highest salaries, compared to other 'professional' degrees.
Looking on the R(D)SVS website, the only GSCE requirement is a 'C' in English. However, you'd still need A levels or Scottish Highers I believe. I don't know about the other schools. Here are some things I suggest.
-BEFORE you commit to the expense, long hours, heartache etc. etc. of this degree, GET EXPERIENCE IN VET HOSPITALS. Get LOTS! Many people THINK they want to be a vet, but once they get stuck in realize it is not for them. Also, I really don't think most schools will look at you without SOME experience in a vet practice-again, they don't want to put their resources into you only to have you burn/drop out.
-Consider taking a year out and doing your A levels, and/or just taking a gap year, if you are not ready to leave home. Or even if you were, I'd still recommend this.
-Think seriously about whether you will EVER be ready to leave home, if you don't force yourself to. Truly not being ready happens, is very fair, and good on you for recognizing that about yourself before you get yourself in a bad situation. However, some people do need that little 'push'.
Good luck!
Just a short reply - Tarnia has pretty much hit everything, so will try not to repeat, but wanted to ditto a couple of things.
It is competitive as a grad - if you have money for fees of circa £22,000 per year, it's easier. But if you are applying to the places that have lower grad fees, it is very competitive - it's do-able, but you'll be up against people with masters, years of experience etc.
Bear in mind things can change in the time you are doing your first degree. People who started grad programmes last year would have started their first degree expecting fees to be £3000ish per year - then they went up massively. The same could happen, or other things could change. Would you be happy if things like this happened and meant you couldn't afford it, to settle with the degree you have?
Wanted to clarify what Tarnia said about length of course - some uni's (NOT all) offer a four year grad course. Some places you have to do five years still, even with a degree. And places with the four year, decide if it is relevant enough. Biovet Sci, Animal Sci, tend to be. Zoology can be - some people with that have been asked to do 5yr course due to modules etc they have done. So be careful with what you pick.
Basically - vet med as a grad is expensive, time consuming, financial stress can massively increase the stress on an already difficult course....so it is not an easy route to head down without thinking about.
If you dont feel ready to move away from home yet - how about a gap year, and get some life experience and confidence in that - jobs, go abroad on your own for a couple of weeks, work experience....will massively improve how confident you feel moving away (and remember, everyone is in the same boat!)
It is competitive as a grad - if you have money for fees of circa £22,000 per year, it's easier. But if you are applying to the places that have lower grad fees, it is very competitive - it's do-able, but you'll be up against people with masters, years of experience etc.
Bear in mind things can change in the time you are doing your first degree. People who started grad programmes last year would have started their first degree expecting fees to be £3000ish per year - then they went up massively. The same could happen, or other things could change. Would you be happy if things like this happened and meant you couldn't afford it, to settle with the degree you have?
Wanted to clarify what Tarnia said about length of course - some uni's (NOT all) offer a four year grad course. Some places you have to do five years still, even with a degree. And places with the four year, decide if it is relevant enough. Biovet Sci, Animal Sci, tend to be. Zoology can be - some people with that have been asked to do 5yr course due to modules etc they have done. So be careful with what you pick.
Basically - vet med as a grad is expensive, time consuming, financial stress can massively increase the stress on an already difficult course....so it is not an easy route to head down without thinking about.
If you dont feel ready to move away from home yet - how about a gap year, and get some life experience and confidence in that - jobs, go abroad on your own for a couple of weeks, work experience....will massively improve how confident you feel moving away (and remember, everyone is in the same boat!)
I know liverpool do a year zero programme intended for those with who haven't got A levels, which would then allow you to go onto the 5 year degree after that if you pass the exams. Perhaps look into this.
Sorry thanks Kookabura did mean to mention that. ADMISSIONS decides whether to credit you for your prior degree and put you in the accelerated course, it is not a guarantee. I think most people with a biology, zoology, animal bio etc. degree do get credited, but again, NOT a guarantee. I personally know someone that thought she would get it for an arts degree where she minored (or something like that) in bio, and was quite upset and put out that they didn't.
The point of the accelerated degree is you are expected to already know a lot of the 'preliminary' material, so you cover it faster/in less depth, IF AT ALL. So it is to your own advantage as well as the university's to screen people accordingly.
The point of the accelerated degree is you are expected to already know a lot of the 'preliminary' material, so you cover it faster/in less depth, IF AT ALL. So it is to your own advantage as well as the university's to screen people accordingly.
Original post by SilverstarDJ
I know liverpool do a year zero programme intended for those with who haven't got A levels, which would then allow you to go onto the 5 year degree after that if you pass the exams. Perhaps look into this.
The Liv website states that the programme is not designed for A-Level students, School Leavers or Graduates. So I don't think he'd be able to apply?
Original post by Delenelie
The Liv website states that the programme is not designed for A-Level students, School Leavers or Graduates. So I don't think he'd be able to apply?
I don't know the exact entry requirements. I just know someone who did this as they didn't go down the A level route and did some sort of other diplomas and then got into the foundation year at Liverpool.
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