Veterinary Medicine Applicant thread 2025 entry

Original post by domag123

Hello. Thank you for creating this thread. My daughter is hoping to study veterinary medicine in 2025. She has started her application preparation already by attending work experience placements. This has been very difficult to arrange. How has anyone else found it?

Current vet student here and I’m always happy to help on these threads!! If you have any questions or need specific help let me know. It is hard to get placements but there’s definitely ways to do it. What does she want to get and what has she got?

Reply 3

Original post by flamingolover

Current vet student here and I’m always happy to help on these threads!! If you have any questions or need specific help let me know. It is hard to get placements but there’s definitely ways to do it. What does she want to get and what has she got?

Hi. She has secured placements at 2 local veterinary practices. Will be working on a mixes livestock farm lambing and caring for cows. Just wondering what else we should look at thank you.

Reply 4

Original post by domag123

Hi. She has secured placements at 2 local veterinary practices. Will be working on a mixes livestock farm lambing and caring for cows. Just wondering what else we should look at thank you.

That’s brilliant so far! Definitely on the right track! The 2 vet practices are brilliant. Are they both small animal? If so I would aim to get a horse or farm (so basically just a large animal vet) If at all possible but this is not neccisarily. Mixed farm is fantastic!!! I also recommend a riding school or local yard. Riding schools tend to love an extra pair of hands but I would recommend phoning as they are often busy. I also recommend a kennels or cattery for small animal husbandry experience again they always want help. To stand out and have a really good understanding of the veterinary world I recommend an abattoir (I only got a day) and an animal research lab (I got 3 days).

Reply 5

Original post by flamingolover

That’s brilliant so far! Definitely on the right track! The 2 vet practices are brilliant. Are they both small animal? If so I would aim to get a horse or farm (so basically just a large animal vet) If at all possible but this is not neccisarily. Mixed farm is fantastic!!! I also recommend a riding school or local yard. Riding schools tend to love an extra pair of hands but I would recommend phoning as they are often busy. I also recommend a kennels or cattery for small animal husbandry experience again they always want help. To stand out and have a really good understanding of the veterinary world I recommend an abattoir (I only got a day) and an animal research lab (I got 3 days).

Thank you for your suggestions. I think she may be able to get some experience with large animals at the practices. Going to look at the equine side and kennels etc. Abattoirs and research laboratories maybe more difficult not many within the area.

Reply 6

Original post by domag123

Thank you for your suggestions. I think she may be able to get some experience with large animals at the practices. Going to look at the equine side and kennels etc. Abattoirs and research laboratories maybe more difficult not many within the area.

I stayed a night at a hotel with my mum near Bristol and went to the abattoir on the university campus and was with 5th year RVC students on rotation! My nearest lab was 30 miles away so it was a bit of a trek! I definitely recommend getting husbandry at least in kennels or a cattery though! I also did a lot (4) farm parks which had a range of pet, farm and exotic animals (one had camels and zebras for some reason!)

(edited 2 months ago)

Reply 7

marti3x

Original post by Elizabeth200

Use this as an opportunity to chat with your fellow veterinary medicine applicants!

Hello! I am a 2025 vet med applicant, I am an IB student studying HL: Biology, Chemistry and English Lit & SL: Economics, Spanish B and Math AA. I attended RVC's Pre-Vet Summer School last summer and absolutely loved it, I would highly recommend it! I am a UK citizen living in the EU and I am most likely applying to RVC, Surrey, Liverpool and Bristol. I would love to talk to more students looking to apply in 2025, so send me a message any time! :smile:

Reply 8

Original post by marti3x

Hello! I am a 2025 vet med applicant, I am an IB student studying HL: Biology, Chemistry and English Lit & SL: Economics, Spanish B and Math AA. I attended RVC's Pre-Vet Summer School last summer and absolutely loved it, I would highly recommend it! I am a UK citizen living in the EU and I am most likely applying to RVC, Surrey, Liverpool and Bristol. I would love to talk to more students looking to apply in 2025, so send me a message any time! :smile:

I got offers from Surrey, Liverpool and Bristol (and Nottingham) so if you need any help let me know

Reply 9

Original post by flamingolover

I stayed a night at a hotel with my mum near Bristol and went to the abattoir on the university campus and was with 5th year RVC students on rotation! My nearest lab was 30 miles away so it was a bit of a trek! I definitely recommend getting husbandry at least in kennels or a cattery though! I also did a lot (4) farm parks which had a range of pet, farm and exotic animals (one had camels and zebras for some reason!)

Hi Thank you for your reply. We have now hopefully manages to secure placements at an alpaca walking business and a local animal rescue. Have emailed a couple of abbatoirs awaiting replies. Can I ask your advice on a separate matter. She achieved a Grade 5 in English Language. Did not want to resit. Do you think this will stop her from applying to RVC Liverpool etc that say its a requirement. Many thanks

Reply 10

Original post by domag123

Hi Thank you for your reply. We have now hopefully manages to secure placements at an alpaca walking business and a local animal rescue. Have emailed a couple of abbatoirs awaiting replies. Can I ask your advice on a separate matter. She achieved a Grade 5 in English Language. Did not want to resit. Do you think this will stop her from applying to RVC Liverpool etc that say its a requirement. Many thanks

That sounds great! If she doesn’t meet the requirement I would advise that she doesn’t apply there. Veterinary medicine is very competitive and if they reject her for not meeting entry requirements that’s a waste in my opinion. What I would do is get her to email the unis with a higher English requirement and ask for their advice directly

Reply 11

Original post by flamingolover

That sounds great! If she doesn’t meet the requirement I would advise that she doesn’t apply there. Veterinary medicine is very competitive and if they reject her for not meeting entry requirements that’s a waste in my opinion. What I would do is get her to email the unis with a higher English requirement and ask for their advice directly

Thank you will do that.

Reply 12

Original post by domag123

Thank you will do that.

Sounds good! Alternatively you can see if she could resit now.

Reply 13

Elizabeth200

OP

9

Original post by marti3x

Hello! I am a 2025 vet med applicant, I am an IB student studying HL: Biology, Chemistry and English Lit & SL: Economics, Spanish B and Math AA. I attended RVC's Pre-Vet Summer School last summer and absolutely loved it, I would highly recommend it! I am a UK citizen living in the EU and I am most likely applying to RVC, Surrey, Liverpool and Bristol. I would love to talk to more students looking to apply in 2025, so send me a message any time! :smile:

Was the pre-vet summer school in person or online?

Reply 14

marti3x

Original post by Elizabeth200

Was the pre-vet summer school in person or online?

It was held in person (2 week residential) for the first time since covid last summer. If you have any more questions about it feel free to pm me!

Reply 15

icebear05

8

hey I am hoping to study vet med in 2025 but I feel very behind on work experience as I only have a week at small animal clinic and help out at a horse riding centre but in the summer I do have a farm work experience lined up. Please let me know how many more hours/weeks I need and what type of work experiences I should apply for

Reply 16

Elizabeth200

OP

9

Original post by icebear05

hey I am hoping to study vet med in 2025 but I feel very behind on work experience as I only have a week at small animal clinic and help out at a horse riding centre but in the summer I do have a farm work experience lined up. Please let me know how many more hours/weeks I need and what type of work experiences I should apply for

Don’t worry! I only have 2 weeks total at the minute, I plan on getting most of my experience during the summer. From what I’ve heard, I’d try to get some lambing experience or a day in an abattoir. A lambing placement is something you’ll need to work on getting now, as the season will be starting in the next few weeks. Experience with both large and small animals is crucial so try to ensure your work experience is varied. Maybe find a kennel, cattery, animal rescue or dog groomers. I’m going for a minimum of 8 weeks, but each university has different requirements so you’ll need to double check that. It’s generally recommended that you have well above their minimum work experience requirements.

Reply 17