Vets have a hard life. I have witnessed the long hours, the difficult, but appreciative, clients and the mountains of paperwork. Yet I want to do it all, because I have also seen the influence, the dexterity and the myriad of rewards and opportunities open to a vet. Undertaking over twenty weeks of work experience has given me an invaluable insight into veterinary life. Nevertheless, I was only able to fully appreciate the challenging and rewarding life of a vet when I found myself standing in theatre as I watched a vet perform a corneal graft. I marvelled at the dexterity and at the general teamwork involved in aiding treatment and recovery; utterly captivated by the scope of opportunities as I watched the vet who had spayed a rabbit not long before. Working part-time at a dairy farm for the past year, I was taught to identify and treat cows with mastitis, developing my awareness of regulations in recording conditions, drugs and the link to public health, thus alerting me to the importance of hygiene and good practice. Experiencing a day at an abattoir provided me with a harsher picture of veterinary life but confirmed that I can separate my emotions from the matter at hand. I found the process fascinating, particularly identifying the presence of fluke in the liver. I was able to connect this to my school work in biology by examining the parasitic lifestyle in greater depth. I also enjoyed my time on a beef farm recognising commercial welfare and BVD testing. My lambing placement involved a range of husbandry duties and the tolerance and resilience demonstrated by the on call vet resonated with me immensely. The stud and livery stables was a new environment to me, however I quickly grew confident in handling and caring for the horses, to maintain their general health, by picking out feet and maintaining a healthy frog in order to prevent infection. Whilst there, I saw a mare being scanned to measure the size of her ovaries and identify the peak ovulation time for her to be inseminated, highlighting the vet's role in skills and diagnostics. For the past 18 months I have also worked seasonally at a kennels, improving my handling and restraining skills, learning to read behavioural cues and being trusted to medicate dogs. With my own dogs, I was able to monitor a pregnancy from start to finish and care for a litter of XXXX pups. I also was able to see first-hand the benefits of chemotherapy in treating lymphoma which has promoted my interest in oncology and has become one which I hope to explore further, knowing that veterinary medicine will enhance my career development. Balancing my studies and extracurricular undertakings has been enjoyably challenging. In my free time I help manage a small beef herd and work with my family's flock of sheep where I have been able to use essential skills, such as injecting and suturing, which were enhanced when attending an invaluable Reach summer school for veterinary medicine. I am also a keen cyclist and have completed two cycle trips for charity; this has given me great confidence in communicating as a team. I enjoy participating in Young Farmers' concerts and playing both the accordion and fiddle, all of which contribute to the completion of my gold Duke of Edinburgh award. At my local XXXX club, my role as Junior Handicraft convenor has developed my communication skills which I then employed further when competing in debates, as an elected school prefect and when chairing the Yearbook Committee. These experiences have prepared me to some extent for my future career, as communication with animals and humans has emerged as the central dogma of the veterinary profession. I am amazed how much of our lives depend on our animal companions and vice versa. Carrying out varied work experience has helped me realise a vet's dedication and influence and has served only to strengthen my resolve to better the lives of animals and human clients wherever possible.
Universities Applied to:
- Glasgow (Veterinary Medicine) - Offer (BB) - Firm
- Liverpool (Veterinary Medicine) - Offer (AA) - Insurance
- Nottingham (Veterinary Medicine) - Offer (AA)
- Surrey (Veterinary Medicine) - Rejection (No Interview)
- Glasgow (Veterinary Biosciences) - Offer (CC)
Grades Predicted (on UCAS):
- Biology (AH) - A
- Chemistry (AH) - A
Grades Achieved:
- Biology (A2) - B
- Chemistry (A2) - B
Work Experience:
~24 weeks when applying
