Ask a Vet Med Student

Hi, I'm resitting my A-levels (didn't achieve the grades for my vet med offer last year) and I was wondering how lenient is Liverpool with regards to their entry requirements? I've firmed Liverpool but I'm worried about missing the entry requirements for my offer due to how grades are being given this year. My offer for Liverpool is A*AA in any order which I felt comfortable achieving if I was sitting exams but not so much based on exams being cancelled.

Furthermore, I was wondering where are first year lectures held? I got to attend a tour of some areas of the campus after my interview but I wasn't able to attend the offer holder day that I had booked to attend as it got cancelled due to COVID-19. I've looked at the virtual tours but virtual tours only show you so much. Additionally, where are lab sessions held? I know there is the clinical lab in the teaching suite and there's also the two rooms that can each hold 85 students and be combined into a single room that can hold 170 students but are there more labs on the second level of the teaching suite?

Finally, how many guys are in each year (approximately)? I know the course if female dominated but from what I've heard Liverpool has more guys in each cohort in comparison to other vet schools and I just wanted to know if this is somewhat true.

Thanks. I apologise for all the questions.

Firstly I would say universities and exam boards alike are definitely taking into consideration the possibility people - especially resit students - will be disadvantaged by the proposed use of predicted grades. I would say you have no harm at all in contacting the uni and mentioning your concerns. Similarly does the place you are sitting your resit examinations believe you were likely to attain A*AA? - if so you've likely already got the predictions required! They are more likely to be lenient than harsh if you were close.


Lectures for the pre-clinical years are typical held in the Thompson Yates building - with the odd deviation from this where they are held at alternative lecture theatres, though this is clearly indicated in your timetable. Lectures for fourth years are held at the onsite lecture theatre at Leahurst. Dissections and 'wet lab' work is typically in the Clinical skills lab in the upstairs teaching rooms. The year is split into smaller groups with the same session given to each meaning all get hands on experience. The microscope work (histology/parasitology etc.) is done in the life sciences labs (opposite Crown Place)


Every year is different and there is definitely no quota to ensure a set ratio but roughly most years tend to have about 160 in them and around 25-30 of which are guys. From my experiences with other uni's this has been pretty much the same across all of them

Thank you for replying, it is greatly appreciated. I should be on target to achieve the grades required for Liverpool as I've done well in my class tests, mocks etc but I'm still worried based on the fact that I majorly screwed up my exams last year and achieved BCD (practically CCE based on the marks I achieved). I do have extenuating circumstances for this year and I know my sixth form have contacted Liverpool about these extenuating circumstances but I wonder if it would be helpful for me to contact Liverpool as well.

I thought majority of the lectures would be held in the Thompson Yates building but I've only been into the common room area so I didn't know if there were any lecture theatres within the Thompson Yates building or not. I also thought I'd heard that some lab work was done in the life sciences labs but I wasn't sure how much of it so that's helpful to know.

25-30 guys out of a cohort of 160 doesn't sound too bad. I must confess that I didn't apply to Liverpool first time round and I decided this year to withdraw from the place that I firmed last year so I've been trying to find out as much as possible about the university and the vet school. I absolutely loved Liverpool when I attended my interview and I also really like the city so I think I've made the right choice by firming Liverpool and I'm hoping that even if I do miss the grades required for my offer that I'll be accepted on results day.

I would say so long as the email/phonecall you have is respectful of the fact COVID-19 has massively impacted the university and vet school and appreciate that they are under a lot of stress and a high workload right now it can do no harm. Explaining your circumstances, and that you feel you are on track based on class tests and mocks could only work in your favour - I would also include the details of your school/head of admissions so they can contact them to verify information. As you said I would come results day regardless of what the conversation is prior to this I would phone the university, it is not common but not as rare as you think for people to be given places if they narrowly missed their targets.

The lecture theatres are upstairs above the common room

Liverpool is a cracking city for a night out, I have never been on better ones than at university and the veterinary society (LUVS) put on an amazing freshers week and events throughout the year.

Happy to contribute as well if anyone has any questions about Bristol (final year vet student here procrastinating on elective coursework hard)

Hi I have a couple of questions about Bristol:

1) Are lectures recorded so you can watch them back later if you want to?
2) I also remember being told that for the final years you have to live within a certain distance of Langford - how far away is the limit?

Thanks for your help!

1) Yes, all lectures are recorded and uploaded onto Blackboard (our online learning portal).
2) Kind of. When you are on call, you have to be able to get to Langford within 20 minutes. I will say, I know people who've lived further away than that (for example stayed in Bristol for final year) and just crashed on people's sofas when they're on call. It's not something I'd recommend doing, so I'd just say it's much easier to find a house within 20 minutes of Langford as that's a pretty wide area!

Hope that helps

Hi, thanks for doing this. I'm looking to apply to Liverpool for 2022 entry.

My concern is, I'm a parent and I know that vet medicine is an incredibly intense course, what is your work/life balance like?

Also I'd be commuting in each day, what is parking at the university like? Very important question, are there decent coffee shops nearby 🤣

Thanks 😊

It’s different for everyone but I personally find that the workload is very manageable. I tend to study during the day until 5 on weekdays and a few hours on the weekend and then i’m free the rest of the time (bar going to my job etc). I’ll be straight, it will probably be more difficult with a child but you can definitely do it! The university have a lot of measures in place as well so they will be able to provide you with the additional support you may need

In terms of university owned parking there isn’t a lot of space, but there’s plenty of privately/council owned parking areas within a 5 minute or so walk (check out places on Brownlow hill and the Met cathedral car park).

Hahaha there’s plenty of coffee shops. Closest ones to vet are starbucks, costa and cafe nerro on campus but there’s bold street and hope street nearby if you prefer independent ones ☺️

Thank you for replying, I'm glad that the workload is manageable, that has put my mind at ease a lot. I just have a few more questions.

Do you have many mature students on the course?

Is the cohort supportive of each other, ie if you're struggling to understand something do you help each other out?

Are the tutors approachable and easy to get hold of if you need them?

I've heard that Liverpool is quite equine heavy, which I'm fine with I'm a horsey person, but do you feel there is a good split across all areas of veterinary medicine?

I'm a bit late in joining this thread😂 but happy to contribute as I'm a current Nottingham first year (September cohort)

Thank you for replying, I'm glad that the workload is manageable, that has put my mind at ease a lot. I just have a few more questions.

Do you have many mature students on the course?

Is the cohort supportive of each other, ie if you're struggling to understand something do you help each other out?

Are the tutors approachable and easy to get hold of if you need them?

I've heard that Liverpool is quite equine heavy, which I'm fine with I'm a horsey person, but do you feel there is a good split across all areas of veterinary medicine?

Hi! So I have chosen my a-levels so that I can go on to do veterinary medicine, but I am really concerned that my grades will fall, especially with all this time off we are having, because I haven't got the help of my teachers to explain anything I don't understand in more detail. I am currently achieving As and Bs in any tests we are doing, sometimes Cs.

How lenient do you think the universities will be for people in my year who have had this time off but obviously have to do our exams next year? And also, when I am hopefully a vet, I want to specialise in the equine field, and I was wondering how much longer would you add on to your studies to specialise in a specific field?

Thank you!