To think I can go to Uni to become a Vet

[Lilt1992]

Im mid twenties in a dead end job. I was brought up on a council estate with nothing, never had anyone to look up to, never took school seriously but I had potential, all my teachers kept telling me. I left with fairly ok GCSE's. Signed onto benefits by 18 years old and then went into full time work. Now that I have money behind me and I'm older, I'm regretting not going to Uni and getting a career. My dream would be to be a vet and I'm considering studying Veterinary medicine, a 6 year course. I've been doing a bunch of research but my next step is to speak to a Uni or vet surgery to get an idea of how I'll get accepted. However, part of me feels stupid to even consider myself good enough to do it. I'm having these constant doubts. Family have told me that anything is possible. Has anyone else got any experience with something similar?

Yes do it op. Definitely. You're still young. Find out what qualifications you need to get into vet school and do them.

Hi, sorry to be negative but truthfully, it's an extremely competitive course to get onto. There are only a few unis in the country that offer vet medicine, and the places are always quite limited. You will need top grades at A levels (usually 3 A's, with two needing to be in biology and chemistry) and unis will expect to see some kind of relevant experience. Some unis (RVC) are offering a gateway year for student that don't meet the normal requirements, so may be worth looking into these.

I would advise looking into animal care assistant jobs, or gaining work experience (which might be difficult at the moment with Covid) local to you, to gain some knowledge in the industry first. If you do think it is right for you, you will need to look into gaining a levels.
In my experience (17 years as a Veterinary Nurse) lots of people think they will like the job, but the reality is very different to what lots of people imagine. It is a very stressful and intense course, leading to an extremely stressful job. Although it can be a very rewarding career, job satisfaction can be low esp in new grads. For the hours worked and the level of education/responsibility, it is not a very well paid career, when comparing to other professions eg dentistry/medicine/surgery/law.
All that being said, obviously I love the job, enough to have stayed in the industry for so long!
Good luck with whatever you choose to do, it's never too late to try something new!

In theory it’s not too late, but it is insanely competitive, it’s offered by a very small number of universities with tiny intakes, straight A/A* is usually required.

If you put a long time of hard work in then of course go for it! But be aware you will likely need all A* to B GCSEs and likely science or maths A levels at A grade to get on the course

You are still young. Go for it. But you will almost certainly have to do science A levels first. Good luck.

The least you could do is try. If you don't get in then you may find something else just as fulfilling but related.

All the best

As above you won't get in with GCSEs and will need excellent grades in A level as well as lots of practical experience so you'll need to volunteer along side studying hard. Places are limited and very very competitive. I do cover shifts at a university veterinary hospital and hadn't realised quite what a long process it was with internships after finishing the formal quals etc, and there are lots of students from abroad fighting for those places too. Vet nursing also has a degree course as well as vocational ones. I could apply and be accepted on a human nursing course tomorrow but I'd need to do a few more exams before I could do the vet nursing degree as the requirements are higher. Not to put you off in any way but just a heads up about how competitive places are. (Ours is an extremely popular one though - maybe it's easier in other places)

Fine to do as a mature student but it really sucks as a job now. There's a massive retention issue in the profession, DH is 20 years qualified and we've seen so many colleagues move on from being vets in practice. Most at around 3-5 years after qualification.

Long term pay is a but rubbish too, unless you can buy into a practice as a partner or do a 4/5 year post-grad qualification at a university you're topping out at around 55k as a clinical director of a branch at a corporate (who will have unattainable targets and ongoing pressure to upsell). Straight out of uni more like 22-25k, pay rises are minimal unless you can get into clinical director positions (and these are generally either "surviving" vets from a practice or a massive poisoned chalice).

It's also a very information heavy degree - you need a good visual memory to get through the anatomy for lots of different species, plus parasitology and histology...

Also why vet? It's actually a much more people/customer focussed field than the more surgical side of human medicine - most similar to a GP with some opportunity to do surgery as well. I know a number of vets retraining as doctors. Particularly because you have to take a history from the owner and partially because it's private therefore owners have a choice of provider... Also, in the UK there's a real issue with perception of vets being money grubbing because human medicine is mostly free at point of use.

24 is definitely not too old. But you will need to be intelligent enough to get A grades in chemistry at a level, plus get several weeks work experience. That might take a couple of years to do.

Vet isn't as competitive as it used to be - there are more places offering it, and they have all massively increased their intake in recent years. Last year they were actually needing to advertise to get decent candidates. But you still need to meet the basic requirements.

Two things to be aware of - it's a stressful job with low wages compared to other professions with an equivalent level of training. You need to be a people person. Do you enjoy working with difficult people and solving their problems? If you have worked in retail or in a call centre you will know what I mean!

Go for it, op. More power to your elbow!

You also need to be very realistic about what the job is. It isn't all saving the lives of people's cute pets.
Vets work in abattoirs, overseeing slaughter for example. It's a requirement to have a vet for certain things in the slaughter process.

Industrial farming can be brutal. Animals are discarded when no longer productive and their lives can be pretty unpleasant (although meeting legal requirements). Vets will work in and for industrial farming where animals are a commodity, and not an individual life

Plus - it's a private business. You won't have the resources to be saving any random stray left on your doorstep - vets needs to make a profit.

The pay is not brilliant - 25k on graduation and not great progression in earnings for many (you need to become a partner in a firm to earn big money) This might sound a lot if you are in a dead end job but you will have spent six years studying - you could do maths/computer science in three year degree and earn a lot more money in finance/programming/etc.
Pay progression much better for doctors for example.

So you could work towards it - but it would be a lot of work because despite all the bad sides I mentioned, lots of people want to do it!
So you would need to ace your A levels or Access to Uni course as well as get work experience.

But you need to be super realistic about what the job is.

Being a vet nurse is not "settling" and is more likely to be a role working with cats/dogs/horses and other pets. If the attraction of the job is working hands on with animals, vet nurses do most of that - they take care of them, feed them, nurse them, exercise them, calm them down etc, the vet swans in and does the surgery/prescribes the drug and then moves on to next patient.
Ongoing interaction with the animal is much less for a vet than a vet nurse.

You can look at apprenticeships to be a vet nurse which wouldn't necessarily require you to do a levels etc first or do an access to science course and go via the uni route.

OP, vet med is very competitive- there are two applicants for every available place at the seven unis in the UK offering the course. You would need 3 science A levels, pref at straight A grades.
If you have the commitment and the ability, then you would need to start by getting those A levels, then applying as a mature student. University fees are around £9,000 a year and it’s a five year course, so you would need some way of funding yourself, or you would graduate with a sizeable debt.
I’m not trying to dissuade you, but you need to look at whether this is achievable and practical. Do your background research - check out the vet school prospectuses, contact them and discuss their arrangements for mature students/access courses etc.
If you want to go ahead, then best wishes for your success, but if you decide it isn’t feasible, there are other careers with animals that are less arduous to get into - everything from dog groomer/walker to zoo keeper! Or you could volunteer at a wildlife rescue or cat/dog charity while still doing your current job. Lots of options out there. Good luck.

It's a 5 year course. 4 if you have a previous degree.

You'll need strong science A levels and minimum of 6-8 weeks work experience. This also helps in understanding the reality of being a vet. Why do you want to be a vet?

It can be a great career choice but often involves long hours for relatively limited pay. Suicide in the profession is a problem and there's significant moral stress, plus pressure from corporate practice. Plus everyone thinks you're a super rich money grabbing arsehole who should work for free because you love animals.

It is insanely competitive.

You will probably need to do an access course or sitnA levels (I'd say maths and chemistry wouid be most important, just as they are for human medicine, but you need to check with the universities where you are interested in studying.

Catching up your qualifications is the easy bit.

You need work experience and shadowing. You need to demonstrate real interest, ideally over a number of years. This is where you might have an advantage. What have you been doing with animals over the last few years?

Large and small animals. Maybe kennels, stables, rescues, farms, shadowing a vet and an environmental health inspector. Try the main animal charities, like PDSA, to see if they do placements.

As it'll be hard to start new activities during Covid restrictions, look also at relevant courses from providers like Future Learn and Open Learn (both free offshoots of the OU). Not to try to preplace ot get ahead in the classroom leaning that'll be ahead of you, but to demonstrate your interests and attitude to learning. Choose things that really interest you, so you can talk about your interests and what you have taken from the course (insights as well,as actual learning).

I’m a vet. Age wise not an issue but be totally sure it’s what you want to do. Why do you want to do it? What do you think it will be like? Have you ever done any work experience at a vets?

I’m having a slightly tough day today (there are many of these) so I may come across a bit negative here but you need to know the warts and all! Can you cope with the long hours, nights, weekends, staying late (for no extra pay)? Can you deal with high stress situations? Can you work under pressure? How would you feel if you can treat someone’s pet but they can’t afford to pay for it? Do you have kids? How would you feel about consistently missing bedtime (most vets work 8.30am-7pm)? Do you realise that 90% of the job is dealing with people?

I love my job and wouldn’t do anything else but it’s hard and often relentless. I couldn’t count how many times I’ve been called money grabbing, heartless, had abuse thrown at me. The majority of clients are lovely but the ones that aren’t can be truly awful. The patients however are wonderful. Every single one of them. I honestly love them all.

I’ve been qualified 15 years and I earn just over £40k so don’t expect to make big bucks, live in a fancy house or drive a nice car. I’m still paying off my £35k of student debt and will be for many many more years.

When I went to uni you needed minimum 3 A’s at A level including biology and chemistry. I’m not sure about access courses now but the course is academically tough so be sure you can do it.

If you’re still interested then go and do some work experience and see if it’s what you really want.

Just to echo the PP who have said it is a very competitive course to get on to, so yes I would speak to the admissions people and see what they are looking for - experience would also really help here. Good luck!

Have you checked on the student room? I’m sure at least one person on there has gone into veterinary with a similar background to yourself.

It's harder to get into than medicine....ok GCSEs will not be enough. Plus you need experience

I got advice from a vet when my daughter was interested. She said get LOADS of work experience and not just with cute kitties....go to farms and help with lambing...go to abbatoirs, etc. This is to secure the place at uni. You need to show you have a realistic idea of the job.

You need to be realistic about your abilities.
Are you capable of getting 3 As at A level at least two in science subject? Are you good at maths? Or an equivalent access course.

Are you prepared to put in the commitment to do relevant work experience - at least 12 weeks but the more the better. For example shadowing in a vets, looking after cows or horses for a week or two, lambing, working in a shelter?

Can you demonstrate excellent communication and people skills? Do you volunteer/work in a role that supports people?

If the answer to all those is yes, then go for it. You might want to think about a Uni with a foundation year. I would check out their websites and go from there.

No personal experience but my children have a couple of friends who are or want to be studying vet medicine. One has a parent who is a vet, which I think they would acknowledge gave something of a head start in terms of accessing work experience etc, and the other has no connections to the profession. Both have all A at GCSE and the one who is currently already at University got 4 A A levels. The other is predicted similar. They were expected to be able to produce a log book demonstrating a lot of volunteering and work experience- academic prowess is not enough. The 2 I know are also fantastic all rounders - playing sports at County level, grade 8 on several instruments, involved in multiple school societies etc etc. I don't know how they find the hours in the day to be honest.
Your idea is not impossible and I'm not saying don't try, but you do need to be aware that there are very few places available and you will be competing against a lot of extremely able candidates. There probably are different access routes for mature candidates so it is worth exploring but you are going to have to work hard to show that you are really committed. Voluntary work in an animal rescue, wildlife haven or something like that would probably be a good place to start. As well as improving your chances of success, that will give you more insight and may also give you ideas of other related careers that you haven't yet considered.
It is always difficult to know what the best advice is when someone's dream is something that is very hard to achieve. On one hand, you have to be in it to win it, but on the other, you need to be realistic, and there are far, far more applicants for vet medicine courses than there are places. What I have always told my children (my eldest is about your age) is to aim high, but always have a workable plan B. There's a saying that goes something like "aim for the stars and you may land on the moon" or maybe its the other way around. Either way, aim high but don't consider not getting there as failure. For example, my DS really wants a professional sports career. He is very good, but honestly, probably not good enough to be one of the very few who "makes it". But I will support him as much as I can to have his best shot, as long as he continues to work hard at school and has a workable fall back plan. So his plan B is to still work in sport, maybe as a coach, physio or sports scientist and he is getting volunteering experience and will start to take his formal coaching qualifications as soon as he is old enough. He's aiming for the stars but knows he will be happy on the moon. I would advise a similar approach for you. Hope that makes sense, and good luck.

If this whole crazy time we’re living in right now has taught me anything, it Carpe Diem! Go for it.

Id further the vets upthread - it is hard and both vets and vet nurses have to do 24 hour work - so quite normal to do a 12 hour day and then a 12 hour 'on call' working all night and then still go to work the next day - its that kind of mad job, like doctoring a definite vocation! Vets are like in the highest suicide / depression category because it is incredibly tough and not a good work/ home balance so something to be aware of if you have kids. Definitely the place to start is the RCVS and the BVA websites and getting volunteer experience in a vets - thats the way to know if you want to do it and if you do good luck and enjoy it!

Go for it ! My DD is hoping to start vet new this year so know a little bit. As you already know you are looking at the Gateway courses which require very different things than the 5 year course. Most require to you qualify for widening access so check your criteria for that. Here is RVC & Bristol to get you started. CCC at A level required for RVC & BBC at Bristol.

www.rvc.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/veterinary-gateway#panel-a-levels

www.rvc.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/veterinary-gateway#panel-a-levels

Being a vet is nowhere near as competitive as being a professional sports player so don't let that put you off. And you definitely don't need to have grade 8 in musical instruments, a d of e award or take part in debating societies. Just decent grades, some work experience (universities specify exactly what) and good communication skills.