Vet Medicine 2020

[3catsandadog]

Hi a new thread with DC applying to Vet Med next year or for anyone with DC already studying who could pass on some words of wisdom!

My DD is looking to apply to Cambridge, Surrey, Nottingham and Bristol.
She has a fair amount of work experience arranged already and we will do the open day circuit next year.

That’s rubbish @Bati. If everything is online she’s probably better coming home if she’s not happy. As @mumsneedwine suggests perhaps she could try again in January, or see if moving flats is a possibility? Does she have a personal tutor she could talk to? Have you met up with her at all - perhaps a walk together in a park might help? My dd goes into Tier 3 tomorrow but she seems very happy so far. Her non-vet flatmates all had reading week this week and went home which surprised me as I didn’t think that would be allowed. I am worried that they won’t be allowed back after Christmas if things don’t improve.

Crossed posts - it seems awful that she’s having so little face to face, my dd is having a weekly dissection and an animal handling session. I would definitely suggest she talks to her personal tutor to see if there is any way of meeting other vets. Dd can use study spaces with other vets which gets her out of her room for a change of scene.

@Scottandcharlene almost same for DD (when she can escape). Weekly dissection and study spaces if wants to work together (which they have done a few times as Uni have set group tasks within halls). Visiting farm later in term and horse practice.
Liverpool should be doing more to help. I was so impressed on offer day as they seemed so lovely. Emailing tutor might be an idea. Does she have vet parents to contact? (DD missed her family meal this week 😞).

Tier 3 is awful but I blame apart of the situation on liverpool uni.
Even before liverpool went into tier 3 the university had cancelled everything and put it all online. What cant be put online which is all practicals etc they have completely cancelled for this year.
It seems it was cancelled even before they started as this was told to them during freshers week.
She has friends in other universities having some face 2 face lectures and doing practicals.
If i had known what it was going to be like i would have encouraged her to go elsewhere.
The way the university is running things is not healthy and i think by christmas they are going to have a lot of people with mental health issues if they dont do something soon

That’s good @mumsneedwine. How long until she can escape? I’m not normally someone that complains but I think I would be demanding better from Liverpool. The mental health of the students is at real risk if they are not getting any support or social contact. The allocation of flatmates is pure luck and there will be a lot of students who have ended up in miserable situations which the university should take some responsibility for.

No vet parents either - there is litterally nothing.
I know covid is bad at the moment but surly this is wrong.

@Bati that is wrong. Uni have a responsibility to help students - group work has helped DD meet others, even if over zoom. She has several group tasks to do every week. And was playing vet netball - hopefully restart that next Weds.
@Scottandcharlene should be 'out' on Monday. Think the flat are planning on running round the courtyard at 1 minute past midnight - it's become a ritual for isolating flats. The rest of the hall cheer them on - flats all overlook an internal courtyard.
I have offered to go get her when she's been down and if she was fed up I'd drag her home. This term is going to get worse as we get towards Xmas. I don't care about rules or tiers. She's my baby.

I wonder if dd can transfer to another uni x

Mumsneedwine - I totally agree with you.
I dont care if my dd is in tier 3, if she wants to come home she can and as far as I am concerned the sooner the better.

@Bati can she come back for a week ? Recharge and get some tlc. If she's in flat not meeting anyone she has already done her isolation. Might help her know what she wants to do if at home and comfy.
DD has had regular zoom calls with school friends, all at different Unis, and this has helped as they can share horror stories. Most of her friends have had it now - several still have no taste. Flatmate eats onions dipped in hot sauce to keep them entertained 😳
A good cuddle and some home time can help at any time.

@mumsneedwine not long to go then, brilliant. Dd1 had to isolate because she had symptoms and took a test, She works in London and is in a flat with 3 others so they all had to self isolate. It took 6 days before she got the result which was negative. She said it felt like Christmas morning when she finally got the ok to go out!
@Bati I don’t know if you can change unis but it might be worth looking into as there is bound to be some drop outs this year. Liverpool has a great reputation so if she does stick it out she will probably have a wonderful time eventually, it’s just hard to see that at the moment.

@Bati, these are the official regulations regarding 'meeting up with others' in Tier 3 areas:

You may continue to see friends and family you do not live with (or have formed a support bubble with) in groups of 6 or less in certain outdoor public spaces, such as:

parks, beaches, countryside, forests, public gardens (whether or not you pay to enter them), allotments, outdoor sports courts and facilities, and playgrounds

When you do so, you must not meet in a group of more than 6. In England, this limit of 6 includes children of any age.
www.gov.uk/guidance/local-covid-alert-level-very-high

(There are specific extra regulations for the Liverpool City area, but they refer to businesses which must not open).

Perhaps your DD and her friends should ask the university for sight of the specific request from PHE that students should not be accorded the same freedom as the general population to meet up in outdoor spaces?

@marchingfrogs thank you.
I will speak to her today and try and put a plan together with her so she can start meeting people.

Sorry to hear about your DD @Bati Hopefully things will look up and Liverpool has a great reputation.

We have had some really sad news today I had to have one of our cats put to sleep. It was heartbreaking as we only found out he had a brain tumour yesterday but he went downhill very quickly.

I went on my own due to Covid but the vet and nurse were so kind and lovely and he passed away very quickly and peacefully. He was 11 years old and a lovely cat and I will miss him very much.

@3catsandadog I am so so sorry. We lost our 9 year old cocker spaniel in DD1s first year and she was so upset.
Now have 2 rescue dogs. Poor DD2 not met the new one yet due to isolation.
Sending you very big hugs xxxx

Thank it was the right time for him but it was not long for us -hugs accepted.

I changed my user name.

Sorry about your cat @lovecatsanddogs, my dogs have helped me so much over the last few months - they are more than just pets.

Thanks@Scottandcharlene I know it's heartbreaking when they leave us.

@3catsandadog so sorry to hear about you cat.
Pets are part of your family and its truly heartbreaking when they pass away 😢

Thank you @Bati The house is not the same without him :(

How is everyone getting on now? I hope your dd is happier @Bati. My dd has bought a hamster! I questioned if it was allowed and she said loads of people have them! She is looking for a house for next year and coming home on 9th December. She is absolutely loving it there and I feel so lucky that she’s had such a positive experience. I can’t believe it is nearly the end of the first term. The news seems so optimistic now that it really looks like their first year could be almost normal by Spring. This time last year the first offers and interviews were trickling in - what a 12 months it’s been.

Hi @Scottandcharlene glad your DD is having a good experience. My DD is really liking the course so also thankful for the positive experience. Is testing weekly for Covid and so far has been lucky. I know she had her Surrey interview about a year ago this week!

That’s good to hear @lovecatsanddogs, my dd is tested regularly too and they haven’t had any cases on campus for some time now.

Mine is having fun and doesn't really want to come home early on 9th. But they have to. She's been looking at houses and can't wait to manhandle some cows and sheep this week. Wouldn't it be great if things were normal by Easter ?
Still waiting for a lambing placement so if anyone knows any sheep farmers 😊

That’s really good @mumsneedwine, mine doesn’t want to come back early either! I’d offer our sheep to your dd but after the awful time we had this year we’ve made some changes and have handed over our lambing to someone else next year. It takes a global pandemic to make a farmer change!