work experience help

ive just finished year11 and during the summer holidays ive written to over 15 vets in sheffield asking about any placements they have and all of them have declined. i've applied for volunteer work at a farm and at an rspca shelter but i'm worried that i won't get a placement at a vets and that it might be necesssary :frown:

can anyone offer any advice?! xxx

Reply 1

Annaconda

17

do you know why they declined because if its for insurance reasons then you dont have much hope, but some vets are just reluctant to take work experience students because its such a popular carreer, so they dont want to waste their time on people who have no chance of getting into vet school or arent committed enough.
Try phoning them up as they might feel better if they actually get to speak to you and can find out how serious and committed you are.
If you were asking for placements this summer then it may just be that they are all already booked up and busy.
If you have gotten any experience already it would be good to tell them about that as it will show that you already have skills and theymight be able to contact them to get a reference to fin dout what your really like.

sorry to go on and most of that was probably of no use to you whatsoever

Reply 2

nina_100

12

Ring them up... seriously people don't sit around waiting for replies, go out and make them give you placements!! One of those 15 will be able to give you a placement and are just being akward!! Try and get in via a farm or something- sometimes if you meet a vet whlst at a farm you can mention that you would like experience at a vets, and becuase they can see that your already out and about getting experience they'll be more likely to accept! good luck

Reply 3

Sarah_V

5

I second the above...walk in there and demand work experience!! (politely...)

Reply 4

iccle_kay

OP

they all said that they had no placements but would keep my cv on file :frown:

ill ring them up hopefully ill get somewhere :smile:

Reply 5

Shockley

15

I would suggest walking in to the practice and asking to talk to the practice manager, don't take the receptionist's word. I was unfortunate that the only large animal hospital in my city for miles only took on vet students, which they told me six weeks after I'd sent a written letter. So this meant I had to look further afield but I now have a three day placement with Leahurst to look forward to so its worked out for me. Don't be put off by rejection, and remember you don't have to stick to the local area.

Reply 6

Annaconda

17

they need to be in easily travellable area though which is the problem.

how come everyones placements at leahurst are always three days long?

Is it possible for anyone to make a sricky work exp thread that everyone can use because there are so many of them on here, ltos wit really similar problems so it would save people from having to repeat them selfes and save people time because their answer might already be there.

Reply 7

nina_100

12

I'm on it... but with my ridiculous lack of the time dunno when it will be finished! :p:

Reply 8

iccle_kay

OP

heya yeah thanks i've PM'd you :biggrin:

i think hunters bar is close to the sixth form im going to altho im not entirely sure lol :s-smilie:

Reply 9

Future African game vet

11

can you get into vet uni courses with only one week veterinary mixed practice?

Reply 10

)(--becca--)(

Usually no. But there are always exceptions - it depends what else you have. If you have only 1 week mixed but weeks and weeks of small animal and farm experience and a belter ps you stand a good chance.

But I'd say, try to get more! If you've been there once they should be OK about you coming back.

Reply 11

Future African game vet

11

ok,becca well I've got:
2 weeks kennels,
2 weeks cattery (same place as kennels)
1 week dairy farm,
3 years stables,
1 week mixed vets practice,
1 year RSPCA,
2 years dog walking and dog sitting in the local area
8 years guinea pig handling (at home dont know if that counts! :confused:

and got lambing lined up for easter next year and hoping to get in contact with the vets again and also a Vet lab near my house and a poultry farm who is owned by a friend of the family... phew... so do you think with all that if worst comes to worst 1 week vet will be ok?

I got 4A*, 4 As and a B (in maths) in this years GCSEs! yey :smile:

Reply 12

)(--becca--)(

Hmm you have alot but your vet exp is pretty limited. For Liverpool I think the minimum is 4 weeks and the others I think you need atleast 2 weeks. Try for another week of vet - probably ahead of the lab and poultry farm. Vet exp is the most important for you now.