Alternatives to vet med

[noitsnotteatimeyet]

A lovely family member was hoping to apply for vet med next year but after disappointing (for them) AS grades is wondering if there's any chance now and is considering alternatives. Works very hard, is very empathetic and caring, very good with animals and people but is unlikely to get A* s next year - probably looking at ABB or BBB (which I know are very good results but possibly not good enough for vet med). What could the alternatives be?

Look at the courses offered by the Royal Veterinary College in London, quite a range of options and due to setting even their biological sciences course will have a very heavy zoology focus.

E.g. This bioveterinary science course could have entry requirements of BBB depending on the subjects she's doing (I'm assuming biology and chemistry if she wanted to be a vet) and would be very interesting, looking at the medical sciences needed to support the work of vets. www.rvc.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/bsc-bioveterinary-sciences#panel-a-levels

ABB for Surrey:
Surrey

Thanks - v helpful. Yes, doing bio, chemistry and English. I think the idea of vet med has been the focus for so long that the idea of other, linked degrees hadn't arisen

Veterinary nursing and practice management is a good alternative to the full vet course.

Is the family member male or female?

Bio veterinary science is good, you can get into the vet med course once you've completed it I believe.

I would say vet nursing is a very different career path if you wanted to be a vet so I wouldn't advise it.

Animal Welfare and Behaviour (clinical) Degree or maybe Animal Sciences Degree ?

Harper Adams university have a selection of animal based degrees. Have a look on their website.

Maybe get some proper careers advice before applying. Psychometric testing and wider consideration of their options.

I did a BSC in analysis science and now work in a good job in the animal welfare sector. I had good results (A's and B's) but wasn't an outstanding student. It has worked well for me.

Should say animal science

Veterinary Nursing is offered as an honors degree at many places. RVNs are able to run their own clinics, perform minor surgery, take blood samples, take x-rays, administer complex mess, set intravenous routes and many more things. If the proposed reforms of the veterinary surgeons act goes ahead they will be able to have many other skills too.
It is a registered profession with a good career path now and excellent alternative option.
Quite frankly if I had my time again I would not be a vet I would be an RVN, the pressure (from multiple sources) is considerably less. You still get to build relationships with clients in fact more do.

Human medicine? Generally easier to get into than veterinary.

With those a levels any of the biomedical/biochemistry type courses are open.
However, choose wisely... there's a HUGE glut of graduates in this field. To be competitive you need to be on the more practical side - drug development, biostatistics etc.

Oh yes and there is a massive shortage of RVNs in them U.K.

What is it about becoming a vet that interested them in the first place?

My alternatives were joint honours Psych/Zoo courses (there weren't so many Animal Behaviour/Welfare courses around back in the day) and alternative careers I've considered at low points have been paramedic, psychologist or nutritionist. If it's more the science-y side then perhaps fields like pathology, pharmacology etc.

Unless they up their grades significantly, human medicwpuld not be an option.

Don't want to give too many details as it's not my child ... it's the caring side that interests rather than the science side.

The school is pretty rubbish with careers advice so getting some proper careers counselling will be the next step I think.

Lonecat will there still be such a big pay gap between vets and vet nurses after the reform? One of the vet nurses at a large cal practice has to supplement her income with shifts at Tesco which is a bit off-putting...

A friend's son is doing veterinary medicine in Warsaw in Poland, on a course taught in English. He had to do entrance exams in biology & chemistry but got in despite having lower A level grades than are required in the UK. The degree is recognised by the RCVS in the UK.

I'd suggest vet nursing and practice management degrees too. Especially if they are genuinely interested in caring for animals. The big pay gap between vets and VNs isn't as big as you'd think. Senior nurses or those in practice management earn into the late 20k and early 30k - vets rarely earn much more than early- mid 40k unless they own their own clinics - something that VNs can also do if they wish to pursue the business side of things.

BioVeterinary sciences is a biological sciences degree marketed at people who didn't get onto the vet course, and leads on to nothing specific profession-wise. If they want to do science they'd be better off with a good science degree rather than a cleverly marketed 'failed vet' degree.

I'd advise that they investigate specific jobs e.g veterinary nursing, biologist, etc rather than jumping on a 'similar' degree course that leads nowhere

They might also want to consider other aspects of the career - vets have 4x the national average suicide rate and a massive drop out rate from the profession. Have they done extensive work experience?

Vet pay is stagnant so in real terms is falling, RVN pay is rising. RVN's can own practices so the 60K plus salary is possible. Average starting salary is 21K very similar to any other graduate.
I would say an RVN having to top her pay by working in Tesco is unusual and a reflection on the individual practice, rather than the profession as a whole. None of my nurses have second jobs and the all own their own home in the South East.

It is worth considering also that after Brexit European veterinary degrees may not all be automatically recognised by the RCVS. It is entirely possible that either schools will have to become accredited or the that graduates will need to take the MRCVS examinations to be entitled to work in the UK?

Thanks everyone - I'll pass all the info on

Veterinary Physiotherapy is a degree course now, and I suspect a growing field.