The Student Room Group

Veterinary Gap Year

I am starting to consider a gap year and reapplying as my prospects for getting into Vet Med this year have gone. I wondered what people would suggest I do in that time. Work experience doesn't count if it is planned after the application usually so is it worth spending the entire year focusing on vet work experience or not?
I also wondered if anyone could suggest anywhere I could get a job that might also look good for a reapplication into veterinary as I would rather get paid...
Original post by AmyElizabeth99
I am starting to consider a gap year and reapplying as my prospects for getting into Vet Med this year have gone. I wondered what people would suggest I do in that time. Work experience doesn't count if it is planned after the application usually so is it worth spending the entire year focusing on vet work experience or not?
I also wondered if anyone could suggest anywhere I could get a job that might also look good for a reapplication into veterinary as I would rather get paid...


Do things relevant to your course or from which you will gain relevant skills. If you're reapplying next year you will have done your work before submitting the application.
I am on a gap year. I used all my summer and up until October doing work experience. As I am preparing for an exam, I have since started to prepare for that, whilst doing one week of work experience at least every 6 weeks. I continue to do it cause I love it!
The work experience you do now would count for this upcoming Octobers application so as much as possible will be very beneficial, however if the reason for reapplication is grades then focus on those too as all the work experience in the world won't change those. Personally I worked on a farm and in a kennel for the years I took between studying A levels and applying and a management position I held at one of these establishments was a strong talking point in one of my interviews.
Some vet practices you have done work experience at may be willing to take you on as an unqualified helper (think the title is auxillary nurse but I could be mistaken) which would provide you a lot of relevant experience but anywhere working with animals would be beneficial.
Original post by VMD100
The work experience you do now would count for this upcoming Octobers application so as much as possible will be very beneficial, however if the reason for reapplication is grades then focus on those too as all the work experience in the world won't change those. Personally I worked on a farm and in a kennel for the years I took between studying A levels and applying and a management position I held at one of these establishments was a strong talking point in one of my interviews.
Some vet practices you have done work experience at may be willing to take you on as an unqualified helper (think the title is auxillary nurse but I could be mistaken) which would provide you a lot of relevant experience but anywhere working with animals would be beneficial.

My grades aren't the issue as far as I'm aware as I applied with 3 predicted As.
I already have a part-time job you see and I don't want to give up an income so I guess I need to balance work experience and my work. Can you get work as an auxiliary nurse without any animal management qualifications?
Also how did you get work on a farm it was something I have always struggled with due to a lack of contacts in the industry?
Thanks
Original post by AmyElizabeth99
My grades aren't the issue as far as I'm aware as I applied with 3 predicted As.
I already have a part-time job you see and I don't want to give up an income so I guess I need to balance work experience and my work. Can you get work as an auxiliary nurse without any animal management qualifications?
Also how did you get work on a farm it was something I have always struggled with due to a lack of contacts in the industry?
Thanks


I believe you can as it is an 'unqualified role' with the aim of people going on to study nursing through it.
Personally I have always found farmers by far the easiest people to work for. Turning up is normally the best bet as they tend to be a little slow via emails and its easy to mislay a phone call when you're working all day. Almost all farmers I have done work experience with have either offered or insisted some payment and work at the end of the placement if I wanted it - try them and you will see they're often the most realistic clients of the profession :wink:

Quick Reply

Latest