Vets are not very well paid. Go on the RCVS website (governing body 4 vets) so the most reliable stats. they will tell u that the average starting package for a vet is really not that great, especially when u consider the 40k + debt they are in before they even start.
people are under the impression vets earn a bomb because you are charged 60 quid call out, but when you think how much medicine actually costs its quite fair (you have to pay staff, electricity, equipement etc- ultrasound scanners are about 40 grand, endoscopes around the same). The average wage for a vet with 10 years experience is some where in the low 40 thousands, which is about the startin wage for a junior doctor according to bbc news the other day and an average GP earns 112k. not too shabby eh?!
dont forget, GPs earn a lot but above them are the surgeons who earn a lot more, whereas a vet fills all these roles! vets are dentists, GPs, surgeons, even therapists who deal with animal behaviour! if your child was being naughty and pissing on the carpet you wouldnt take him to a GP would u?!
plus vets do so much over time, and they dont drive fancy cars like the docs do. they also have the highest suicide rate out of ne profession... a lot of vets are changing careers for some thing less stressful and more worth the time and effort. there were only 6 vet schools till nottingham opened and that was after the foot and mouth when they needed more vets about. Surgeons only keep the prices as high as they need to be, for a 30 pound consult a vet will get roughly 2 quid. not even exaggerating. if there was no NHS and you were living in USA youd realise how much medicine actually costs and you would be paying for a check up at the doctors or when you were smaller and you needed braces (which cost about 2 grand).
but after all this slagging off ive done its still what i want to do, because at the end of the day you need to ask yourself which you can see yourself doing for the next 40 years. people or animals? altho vets still need people skills to deal with the horse owners!
hope you make your mind up!
xxx
oh btw its not up to your school to organise work exp for u! dont think that would sound great at your interview when they ask why you dont have as much!
i did 2 weeks dairy, 2 weeks vets, a life time with horses and a day at an abbatoir, and i dint have much in comparrison to some of my mates! good luck xx