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Vet placement -struggling to get one

Hi everyone,

Any advise, or has anyone been in this position...I have now contacted 12 vets in my area in liverpool to ask if I could please go on a placement with them, I was all organised...sent a SAE etc..but more or less they have all come to say they are very sorry but dont accept voluntary placement staff - boo hoo...I am about to send letters now to a load more further a field...so fingers crossed.

This is the only area I am lacking in for experience at the moment... and starting to get a little worried as obviously a major experience I would imagine!

Any advice or assistance would be appreciated..

Reply 1

jess-xxx-xxx

Have you tried Leahurst or just look for places further a field near the train station because if they're close to the railway you should be able to travel there alot easier depends where you are in liverpool though!! :cool:

Reply 2

Sarah_V

Just a thought, but I've got a friend at RVC who said if I ever had trouble finding wrk exp to contact her or the uni, because they've got loads of contacts etc... I don't suppose you could contact Liverpool and ask them if they've got anyone who'd take you? Don't know if they'd help, but it's always worth a go - you've got nothing to lose.

Reply 3

Jackinory

Thats a good idea.....I will contact Leahurst and ask them ....thank you very much..I am very flexible as to where I can travel as I have a car .
Do you think it looks bad if I do my placement at Leahurst when I am applying for a place at Liverpool this year? or do you think they just class it as any other placement?
Many thanks for your advice

Reply 4

)(--becca--)(

I don't think they'll mind at all - if anything it'll suggest you really want to go there!

So many vet applicants are familiar with your problem! I wrote to about a million places aswell. Try word of mouth - sometimes that can get you in. Mention it to everyone and anyone! Even if you can just say in your letter that so-and-so reccommended it. Try asking at your other placements - they may be able to suggest you to the vets they use.

Good luck xxx

Reply 5

Jackinory

Oh thats good, im glad i am not the only one struggling to get vet placements....many thanks for your advice..

Reply 6

jess-xxx-xxx

I never write to any of my local vets i get the feeling that they could always just throw it in the bin if they cant be bothered so i rang all the vets and just said that i was interested in a vet med career and how would i go about organising work experience with them luckily two of them didnt require anything more than the dates i wanted to go so i picked them maybe im jus lazy but i didnt want ot go through the whole cv and formal letterf thing. But i would definatly ring first to ask when they can take you then if you write afterwards atleast you know that you've got the right dates and stuff. I realy hope that this makes sense im tired and my writing isn't very understandable at the best of times.

Reply 7

00nay00

Hey, i'm from liverpool, there's a vets in crosby called the mews (think its in the yellow pages) that i did work experience at, i had to ask them on a few different occassions, but they do do work experience (even if they tell you they don't lol), so some places you got in contact may be like that? So just persist! Good luck

Reply 8

)(--becca--)(

Problem is when you ring you often get receptionists just saying they dont take work exp or to send in your CV because its not their job to sort out and theyre probably busy with other things and just want you off the line!Whereas if you send a letter it can be put on the right person's desk for them to sort out when they have time.

Reply 9

Jackinory

Yeah thats true, I found when I had phoned some of the vets up, the receptionists just said nope dont take work placements! I will also try the Mews. thanks for all your help little troopers..

Reply 10

leggielass

Get on your feet, go in and show your face and be a nuisance till they let you in.

Reply 11

steve46

Was just going to say the same thing, go to the vet practise explain your situation, ask to talk to the vet. has always worked for me.

Reply 12

)(--becca--)(

When on the phone ask for the Senior Vet or Head Nurse so you get put straight onto the person who can help. Whats better, try to find out their names!

Reply 13

Annaconda

You said a lot of places rejected you becuase they dont take "voluntary placement staff" , but for insurance reasons (not exactly sure why :s-smilie:

) work experience and volunteer work are different :eek:

. So if it is insurance that some practices dont have, make sure that you ask for both of them because they might take one and not the other, especially depending on age and experience etc. :wink:

Reply 14

Shockley

Annaconda

You said a lot of places rejected you becuase they dont take "voluntary placement staff" , but for insurance reasons (not exactly sure why :s-smilie:

) work experience and volunteer work are different :eek:

. So if it is insurance that some practices dont have, make sure that you ask for both of them because they might take one and not the other, especially depending on age and experience etc. :wink:

Yeah, the PDSA said the same thing to me. For insurance reasons I could only be a volunteer, and not one of the ones on work experience :confused:

Just the other week I thought my luck had come in when I found a rescue kennels/cattery round the corner from my flat, so I went in and asked if they take on volunteers. They said they only needed people at weekends and that I had to send my CV in :eek:

A bit over the top if you ask me.

My advice is to phone everywhere. I used to dish out emails but it took weeks for a reply.

Reply 15

nina_100

Just to second what everyones said-I would DEFINITLY not write letters, they take no notice of them what so ever, it takes ages to get a reply, if you even get one and its usually a big fat no! Ring up, make sure they know that you are going to work hard when you turn up and that veterinary is definitely what you want to do- they don't want some layabout turning up thats going to waste their time! Annoy them, continuously until you get through to someone who will accept you!! Obviously some vets are miserable sods and won't take you unless you have some kind of secret inside contact, so don't pester too much if its obvious they won't change their mind! Most of them, once they realise you're serious, are more than happy to take you! :biggrin: