Alternative careers to veterinary medicine

Hi everyone,

so I'm currently in year 12 and am trying my best to achieve the highest grades and get as much work experience as possible, but despite this I know how high the chances are of rejection and even though I really don't want to do anything else, does anyone know of any alternative career paths or degrees to veterinary medicine?

Reply 1

SilverstarDJ

Original post by katieotter5597

If you can't get the correct A levels, then it will be unlikely that you will be accepted into vet school. You can do another degree and then go onto do graduate entry, but you will still need a good grade from a sciency degree, you wont get a tuition fee loan (ie its very expensive) and it's becoming very, very competitive.

Is there anything you can do to improve your A level grades? Have you talked to your teachers as to what you need to focus on? The reality is that you need to be very academic to finish a veterinary degree, without meaning to sound harsh. It depends if you are struggling with A levels due to insufficient hours / methods or because you aren't very academic in science subjects.

In terms of alternative careers, what draws you to wanting to become a vet? Do you enjoy problem solving? learning how the body works? working with animals? working with people?

If you enjoy animal contact in a medical setting, maybe a vet nurse might be an option? Or if you don't want to long hours or that sort of setting, you can find a job at an animal establishment (e.g. kennels, cattery, farms).

If you are more into the science, perhaps going into research?

And another thing that is worth mentioning, although you really want to be a vet, until you actually get there, it is difficult to know if you really want to be working in practise. Someone once told me (although this is only heresay), that from one vet school only 50% of the students who graduated were working in practise 5 years after they finished vet school. There are more and more vets graduating in the UK whilst fewer people are owning pets.... it is possible that in future people won't be able to find a permanent job, or find one where they will be required to work longer hours for less pay. It's not a nice situation, a huge worry on the profession. I glad I will be getting a job before Surrey students will enter the work force! Sometimes what is meant to be is meant to be - remember when one door closes another one opens!

Hope this perhaps gives you a few ideas :smile: