A-levels for Veterinary Medicine?

Hi

I'm a successful Vet Applicant of this year Got 3 offers.... so I know my way around the admissions process some what

First thing is what do the vet schools want: entry requirements

Bristol - Chemistry, Biology and one other academic subject

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/vetscience/undergraduate/bvsc/requirements.html

Cambridge - Chemistry and then two of: Biology, Physics and Maths

http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/vetmed/

Edinburgh -Chemistry, Biology and then an approved subject (see their link)

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/vet/studying/uk-eu-school-leavers/entry-requirements

Glasgow - Chemistry, Biology and another academic subject

http://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/veterinarymedicine/

Liverpool - Chemistry and Biology and then any other subject

http://www.liv.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/veterinary-science-bvsc/entry-requirements/

Nottingham - Chemistry, Biology and then any other subject

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/vet/prospectivestudents/undergraduate/admissions.aspx

RVC (London) - Chemistry, Biology and a third subject

http://www.rvc.ac.uk/Undergraduate/BVetMed/EntryReqs.cfm#a2


So as you can see Chemistry and Biology are a must, which you have - so far so good

However, photography and media studies are not (unfortunately) considered academic subjects. One of them would be fine as a 4th AS subject however one of Maths or Physics would be strongly advised. With Vet Med being the third most competitive course (I believe don't quote me on it) you need to pick subjects which won't count against you.

If you decide not to apply for the "normal" 5 year course, you might try your hand at the Gateway courses or similar that some of the vet schools run. Be warned though they are extremely competitive as there are as few as 5 places on each course.

Work experience wise you need at the absolute (and I really mean absolute) minimum is 6 weeks work experience between now and when you apply. It needs to cover the basics of: 2 weeks Large Animal practice, 2 weeks Small Animal practice, at least a week on a dairy farm, at least a week of equine and then very helpful additions are; horse vets, pigs, poultry, kennel and lambing (if you can definitely do lambing.)

If you want any more advice or a second opinion, go to the Vet Med area

Peace

Hi

I'm a successful Vet Applicant of this year Got 3 offers.... so I know my way around the admissions process some what

First thing is what do the vet schools want: entry requirements

Bristol - Chemistry, Biology and one other academic subject

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/vetscience/undergraduate/bvsc/requirements.html

Cambridge - Chemistry and then two of: Biology, Physics and Maths

http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/vetmed/

Edinburgh -Chemistry, Biology and then an approved subject (see their link)

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/vet/studying/uk-eu-school-leavers/entry-requirements

Glasgow - Chemistry, Biology and another academic subject

http://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/veterinarymedicine/

Liverpool - Chemistry and Biology and then any other subject

http://www.liv.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/veterinary-science-bvsc/entry-requirements/

Nottingham - Chemistry, Biology and then any other subject

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/vet/prospectivestudents/undergraduate/admissions.aspx

RVC (London) - Chemistry, Biology and a third subject

http://www.rvc.ac.uk/Undergraduate/BVetMed/EntryReqs.cfm#a2


So as you can see Chemistry and Biology are a must, which you have - so far so good

However, photography and media studies are not (unfortunately) considered academic subjects. One of them would be fine as a 4th AS subject however one of Maths or Physics would be strongly advised. With Vet Med being the third most competitive course (I believe don't quote me on it) you need to pick subjects which won't count against you.

If you decide not to apply for the "normal" 5 year course, you might try your hand at the Gateway courses or similar that some of the vet schools run. Be warned though they are extremely competitive as there are as few as 5 places on each course.

Work experience wise you need at the absolute (and I really mean absolute) minimum is 6 weeks work experience between now and when you apply. It needs to cover the basics of: 2 weeks Large Animal practice, 2 weeks Small Animal practice, at least a week on a dairy farm, at least a week of equine and then very helpful additions are; horse vets, pigs, poultry, kennel and lambing (if you can definitely do lambing.)

If you want any more advice or a second opinion, go to the Vet Med area

Peace

This post just took the words out my mouth and I shall be giving you a rep as soon as I post this :').

As AngryCucumber has stressed very much throughout their post, Veterinary is so incredibly competitive. I know a girl who did Biology Chemistry and Maths (with I think Psychology to AS), did an immense amount of work experience, had her heart and soul set on it and made an incredible effort to get great AS grades and extra amounts of work experience, and she got rejected from all 5 courses. She was absolutely devastated, and my friends and I truly could not believe it. We felt so awful for her. We genuinely thought "Oh my goodness, if she can't get in then the applicants that did must have done even more/better than she did" (and she did a LOT so they must have been absolutely brilliant, as Angry Cucumber obviously is - congrats btw).

You've got the Chemistry and Bio spot on, but the Media and Photography will do you no favours, as Angry Cucumber points out explicitly. You need good, first choice, academic subjects. And by your defensive post about not wanting to do another academic subject, it tells me this is not what you want to hear at all. But it is the truth of it so I'd encourage you to take this information on board.

You need to be choosing from this list to give yourself the best chance, if Vet Medicine is your true ambition:

Art History
Biology
Chemistry
Chinese
Classical Civilisation
Economics
Engl Lit
French
Geography
German
History
Irish
Italian
Japanese
Further Maths
Latin
Maths
Music
Philosophy
Physics
RE
Russian
Spanish
Welsh

Although some of those are obviously better adapted to Medicine than others (deducible by common sense, but not factually true, just my opinion). Eg Maths more than Music.

Source:http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=810355

As you can see, under normal circumstances Media is suitable as a 3rd choice and Photography as a 4th choice. But Vet Med is not a normal course in the sense of it is so incredibly competitive and quite literally, only the absolute best are selected for entry. If I were you I'd listen to Angry Cucumber and choose from the above list of strong subjects.

I am going to start Sixth Form next year and I want to pursue a Career as a Wildlife Veterinarian, I am stuck with what to choose for my A-levels, I am thinking of doing:

Chemistry
Biology
Photography A2 ( As the world is becoming more advanced technologically, it would be useful in utilitising photographic knowledge, e.g. understanding aperture.)
Media Applied ( Purely as a choice of interest to set me apart from the stereotypical candidates)

I am also going to do work experience hopefully in Zoo's, Sanctuary's and Vet Clinics. Also I am 15 years old and I am in High School and I am studying Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, English Language, English Literature and Photography A Level.

I am going to start Sixth Form next year and I want to pursue a Career as a Wildlife Veterinarian, I am stuck with what to choose for my A-levels, I am thinking of doing:

Chemistry
Biology
Photography A2 ( As the world is becoming more advanced technologically, it would be useful in utilitising photographic knowledge, e.g. understanding aperture.)
Media Applied ( Purely as a choice of interest to set me apart from the stereotypical candidates)

I am also going to do work experience hopefully in Zoo's, Sanctuary's and Vet Clinics. Also I am 15 years old and I am in High School and I am studying Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, English Language, English Literature and Photography A Level.