Applying to Vet Med with a disabilty.

I would like to apply to study post-grad veterinary medicine after completing the degree I am starting in September (BSc Chemistry at University of Liverpool, possibly transferring onto either BVetSci or Biochem depending on which may help my application to VetMed the most).

One problem is that in the past my grades at have been effected due to my suffering from anxiety and depression and I have also recently been diagnosed with a learning disability.

When I say effected, I don't mean they have been terrible- I got ABB in my A-Levels in Chemistry, Biology and Law, but they would obviously have been better if not for my mental health issues and my then undiagnosed learning disability. I should now be eligible for extra help with my learning disabilty and this will hopefully be reflected in my degree results.

I was just wondering whether or not I should disclose my learning disability and mental health issues when making an application or whether it may hinder my application? Obviously this is a long way away anyway but its something I have been wondering about.

(Also, any advice on whether or not to transfer courses would be much appreciated!)

Many thanks!

Do not disclose your disability. I have autism and when I made my application to University, I made sure that Student Finance knew that I had a disability. After that, I have been given information about the support you will be given from the universities I applied for.

Why do you recommend that I don't disclose it though?

I would like to apply to study post-grad veterinary medicine after completing the degree I am starting in September (BSc Chemistry at University of Liverpool, possibly transferring onto either BVetSci or Biochem depending on which may help my application to VetMed the most).

One problem is that in the past my grades at have been effected due to my suffering from anxiety and depression and I have also recently been diagnosed with a learning disability.

When I say effected, I don't mean they have been terrible- I got ABB in my A-Levels in Chemistry, Biology and Law, but they would obviously have been better if not for my mental health issues and my then undiagnosed learning disability. I should now be eligible for extra help with my learning disabilty and this will hopefully be reflected in my degree results.

I was just wondering whether or not I should disclose my learning disability and mental health issues when making an application or whether it may hinder my application? Obviously this is a long way away anyway but its something I have been wondering about.

(Also, any advice on whether or not to transfer courses would be much appreciated!)

Many thanks!

Hey,

You have to disclose if you have had a mental illness issue in the past, and for Liverpool anyway you have to have a doctor fill in a form for you, but DO NOT let that put you off applying, they can't discriminate against you for having had a mental illness problem, they actually support you with it, however if you do not inform them of it and lie about it on forms and they find out, you'll then have an issue.
I suffered from depression prior to doing vet med and I was off meds when I applied and I worried about ticking the box on the forms and explaining it but I was told it wouldn't affect my application but it would if I lied about it. I had to have a 'fitness to practice' informal chat with one of the university nurses and she signed me off as fit to practice, my tutor obviously was made aware of my prior problems before uni and she supports me and just checks every so often how I'm doing, so don't worry about it! But please don't lie about it because it'll be worse. I'm a second year now and I've had no problems with the uni over it


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Hi there -
If you don't need any extra assistance at university there is no need to disclose your disability, However, to receive disabled support allowance (if you qualify) you will need to disclose, or if you need support from the university. I am disabled (I'm 96% blind, have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (III) - a collagen deficient connective tissue disorder affecting my joints, skin, internal organs etc, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and some mental health issues (OCD, GAD etc)) and I'm wanting to study medicine - obviously not surgery! :P I will obviously have to disclose for the support I need, but it should be what your comfortable with. Theoretically they should not deny for a disability, as long as you're safe to take part in the course.