The big and shiny work experience bible

Scroll to see replies

look up the VLA, or google diagnostics labs in your area.
Before getting things that stand out it is important to get the basics done first - kennels, farms, stables, LA and SA vets etc

Reply 301

hannah_vet

vet_leanne

Im in year 12 and trying desperatly to get as much work experience as possible before i have to apply next year. I have done One week in a veterinary surgery, two weeks in a zoo, i have got a saturday job at another veterinary surgery which i will be starting soon, i have applied for vet medlink and an animal first aid course and also a careers with animals day which sounds quite interesting. I read somewhere that i should try and go to a research lab??! Where would those be? Is there anything else that would stand out?

what you've got so far is good, as for the research lab, look on the VLA website to find your nearest one - or alternatively ask the vet that you'll be working is where the nearest one is.
with regards to other work experience, try and get some farm work (ie beef/dairy or both), plus some equine (horse) at stables or a stud farm etc. You will need more weeks at veterinary surgeries, and if you can spend some time at some kennels or a cattery too then you'll have plenty of work experience :smile:

good luck

Reply 302

Emily99

All the Zoo's round me either don't take work experience pupils who aren't members of their affiliated colleges or only for a minimum of 2 months work, which although i know i would get so much from such a placement i just can't commit to spending that much time away from work etc when i would have to pay out for B&B and travel on top :frown:

Reply 303

x_Bex_x

abbatoir is another stand out, and for me far easier, nearest abbatoir, 1mile, nearest lab 60miles you get my point, but concentrate on the basics too, and make sure every placement counts: if you cant get quantity get quality, ask questions, learn as much as you can so that you can talk about it in personal statements and PS's, and try and get return visits booked, (if you feel you would get more from them by going back)

Reply 304

netiswaycool

looking at the amount of work experience people have done is starting to scare me!

I've done 4 1week placements at small vet clinics, 3 in england and 1 in ireland
1 week on a stables with an equine vet some of the days
1 week calving (ireland)
1 week with a farm vet (ireland)

i live in Reading which isn't the most rural of areas and the 'local' farm vet wouldn't take me on as i'm under 18, insurance etc. the nearest abbatoir to me is over 30 miles away, as is the nearest pig farm, which is why i've had to go to ireland where my family live for large animal experience

is my work experience enough? i've done over the 6 weeks required by most unis but compared to other people it looks like a bit of a pathetic attempt.

thoughts please?

Reply 305

netiswaycool

the nearest vet path lab was about 30 miles away too, so i'm lacking in that area although one of the more advanced surgeries i worked in had excellent pathology facilities

Reply 306

surfait

I'm not a vet student, so I couldn't really make a definitive judgement, but I'd say your W/E isn't too bad. You have a lot of varied practice which is good.
You say you've done calving...dairy or suckler herd? Could you get some dairy work? Maybe even as a relief milker for a couple of months to show commitment? Bit of lambing maybe, at Easter? (Look in Farmer's Weekly, Farmer's Guardian etc.)
Also, small animals...kennels, catteries, pet shops, RSPCA, bird sactuaries, aquariams, wildlife sanctuaries etc. I think 1/2 of those placements could strengthen your application.
Maybe something long-term. Even if you volunteered say, Saturday mornings somewhere for a couple of months.
Other than that I think you're OK. The uni's will understand if you've found it hard to get placements 'cos of location etc. At elast you've shown comittment by going to Ireland and stuff.

(Also, the vets where I work at has a mini-lab thing on site. One of the girls I work with has been here for a couple of months so ran bloods, did biochem etc. and the uni's were really impressed, even though she hadn't been to a proper vetty lab. So the vet lab thing sounds a good idea if you can get it).

Good luck!
xx

Reply 307

netiswaycool

it was a dairy herd, so i was milking morning and night too!

its so frustrating though, i've sent off letters to absolutely everywhere animal related, followed them up with phonecalls and still the majority don't reply! it especially annoys me with vets as i'm sure they were in our situation once!

anyway thank you for the advice :smile:

Reply 308

surfait

Yeah, just keep trying! It annoys me a bit as well, although vets are busy people. :wink:

Best of luck.

Reply 309

steph_v

I have a pathetic amount of work experience compared to most people.
Only 1 week at a small animal vets (although I've just started doing saturdays which I intend to do for a year or so)
4 months + at kennels (i have a part time job, which I will carry on for as long as possible)
2/3 years at stables
1 week at Brinsbury Animal Care Unit
3 days Wildlife hospital (with view to do more)

Abattoirs won't take me on, the nearest lab is 3 hours away but I do have lambing/foaling at a stud line up (fingers crossed). I have just found out about a large animal vets in the area, so HOPEFULLY they will take me on for a few weeks.

I'm so worried I haven't got enough.

Reply 310

Emily99

Oooooooo Which Wildlife Hosp and Large Animal Vet are you at? Could poss be where i've been /going...?

Reply 311

LDVet

Hi guys, I'm new here. :biggrin:

I've applied for Vet Med this year, and I have to say, I'm really quite nervous about this. I just wanted to post my experience here to see what you guys think.

2 weeks Riding School
1 week Mixed Practice
2 months Cattery
8 months Wildlife Rescue Centre
1 week Lab Work (Scottish Agricultural College)
2 weeks Dairy Farm
2 weeks Small Animal Practice (an ongoing thing, I go there once a week).

I also went horse riding for a year or two, but that was a while ago (*sob* it got SO expensive.).

It's been pretty difficult for me to get experience in my area, since a few people have been reluctant to hire anyone under 16 and I only turned 16 in February this year. Ah well, let me know what you guys think.

Laura xx

Reply 312

ashefbjhsdab

LDVet

Hi guys, I'm new here. :biggrin:

Thats an impressive amount, I'd reccomend getting some lambing work this spring. A day at the abattoir looks good as well but I imagine you'll have to be over 16 for that.

Reply 313

LDVet

OllyH

Thats an impressive amount, I'd reccomend getting some lambing work this spring. A day at the abattoir looks good as well but I imagine you'll have to be over 16 for that.

Thanks very much. :biggrin:

Oh, I actually have some lambing/calving organised for this spring, but as for the abattoir, the one nearest to me doesn't let students in and the other one, which does allow people to gain experience there, is very far away. Plus the vet that works there has just come back from holiday, which apparently mattered. I'm going to look into it further and, if it's possible, bring these things up in my interviews if I get any.
Out of interest, would you say I have a good chance? Haha, sorry to nag but as you can probably tell I'm a little uneasy about the whole thing. xD

Reply 314

ashefbjhsdab

LDVet

Thanks very much. :biggrin:

Where have you applied for?
Its almost impossible to asses someone's chance of getting in, obviously each vet school will think differently.
The best thing to do, is check you have all the minimum requirements from each school and hope you impress them at interview. :smile:

Reply 315

LDVet

Ah yes, I see what you mean.
Well, I've applied for Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol and Nottingham. :biggrin:

I think I have the minimum amount of work experience at least, so just fingers crossed I can get an interview in the first place and then I can think about impressing them. xD