Category Archives: careers

Pick Me, Pick Me….. Application Tips

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If you’re reading this then it means you’re either interested in applying to vet school in the future or are in the process of preparing to do so this year. If the latter is you then absolutely read on.

 

The UCAS application used to be the only bit of application ‘paperwork’ that prospective new vet students had to do, with all the info that the vet schools needed included within it’s various pages, the most important of all being the hallowed Personal Statement. How, pray tell, is one to distill down the Essence of Awesomeness that is you and your compelling case for being awarded access to the fabled halls of epic that are the vet school of your choice sufficiently to fit on 47 measly lines of text?! It is indeed a challenge but like any good challenge there is a good way to approach it and a bad way.

 

Bad way = wing it, writing it in one sitting without editing, spelling and grammar checking or proof-reading, and then hit send. That’s a really good tactic to ensure it takes the least amount of time out of your busy life but it’s also a foolproof strategy for getting your application to head straight into the trash can.

 

Good way = prepare, prepare some more, plan, write, review, edit, proof-read, get someone you trust to proof-read, make any suggested amendments, proof-read again, get that person you charmed before to continue helping you, give a copy to your reference writer, think “am I done?” for enough time to actually feel confident in your answer, and then…… hit SEND.

 

If you’re an incredibly disciplined person then you’ll have most of this covered already and may even be drafting your masterpiece as we speak. If you’re like most of us, however, then you may benefit from a little expert guidance when it comes to what to include, how to structure your statement, what NOT to say, etc. It may also be helpful to have a little inspiration from, say, a bunch of people who have been exactly where you are right now and who made it in with their statements. Even great, original artists took inspiration from others – NOT copying as that is plagiarism and is quite rightly rejected for the bad thing that it is. Being inspired, on the other hand, can be instrumental in cutting through all the ‘me-too’ sameness that vet school applications can suffer from and help craft the ultimate ‘I’m your candidate’ message!

 

Remember some of the important basics:

  • Get your application in on time – the deadline for applications to the vet schools is 15th OCTOBER. Best to get yours in BEFORE that date.
  • A number of vet schools request supplementary information that is sent to them directly. For example, Edinburgh and Glasgow both request a work experience survey be submitted. Make sure you leave sufficient time to collate all the information needed and get these additional bits of admin completed.
  • Referee report – don’t expect your referee to be able to drop everything and turn around an awesome reference at the very last minute just because you couldn’t get organised in time. Who knows, they may even have a life of their own?! Start talking to them well in advance of the deadline and provide any useful info that they might need to be able to talk in a glowing, affirmative manner about you.

 

If you do feel as though some additional help could be useful then look no further than Vet School: Book 1, as it has a whole chapter devoted to this very subject. Alternatively, if you’re feeling like you want to invest in yourself and get the very best help there is then you might want to take a peek at the UPDATED Personal Statement Success service.

 

Whatever you decide and however you go about completing your application, good luck and give it your very best 🙂

Welcome to the Profession – A Few Tips For The Newbies

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You’ve done it! Five, or even six, years of lectures, practicals, placements, projects, rotations, deadlines, exams, and, of course, a whole lotta fun and here you now find yourself. Graduating, finally, as a fully qualified vet. Hoorah! It is most certainly the end of a MASSIVE chapter in your life and the start of, some would argue, an even BIGGER one. Now I don’t profess to be the font of all wisdom or to be able to bestow upon you the ultimate guide to be awesome as a new vet – to claim to be so would be both horrendously arrogant and plain wrong – but what I can offer to do is pass on a few tips that I have learn’t – often the hard way – along the path from newbie vet to older, more grizzled vet with less hair than I started with.

New Vets, Top Tips

TIPS:

  • Take some time off after graduation/ finishing vet school – I remember loads of people in my year rushing out and starting work the very minute they got their paws on that degree certificate only to hear many of them state later that they wish they had taken more time off post-graduation to just enjoy, well, being free. Free from the stresses of studying, revising, being examined and assessed all of the time, free even from competing with one another, which admit it or not is exactly what we do throughout university – it’s in our ‘high achiever’ DNA. Save for taking a sabbatical between jobs, which many vets do after a few years, often to travel the world before ‘finally settling down’, this is one of THE best opportunities to just kick back, relax and take some stock of what it is you have actually achieved over the past half a decade. Granted it is getting more competitive in the veterinary job market and, true, loans do need to be paid off but we have not yet got to the tragic state where ALL the best jobs will have been snapped up immediately and student loans only actually start getting paid back once you are earning over a certain amount (other loans, such as professional development loans, may, it is fair to say, come with different repayment terms but generally speaking there isn’t as much of a pressing imperative for you to rush out and jump into the frays of work that you might imagine). So simply ENJOY!

 

  • Be selective about your first job – this kind of follows on from tip number 1 but is something that too many new grads forget, or just don’t even consider. Jumping into the very first job that is offered to you may well get you practicing, and thus earning, faster BUT it is a really smart long term career move to ensure that you accept an offer from the very best job that you can attract. This doesn’t simply mean the highest paid. No. What it means is picking a practice, a team, a culture in which you will be more likely to thrive as a new grad and grow and develop into the top veterinary surgeon that you surely have the potential to be. Regardless of what you might feel, or believe, immediately post-graduation you are not the fully formed product. Nay! You are, or certainly should be, ‘day one competent.’ There is a reason that you are expected to complete the PDP (Professional Development Phase) after graduation and that is because there are still loads of things you will NOT be anywhere close to fully competent at doing. And thats ok. It’s normal. It’s expected. So, with this in mind I am sure we can agree that accepting a position to run a solo branch clinic as a fresh-faced newbie with little to no support or meaningful guidance from the older, more experienced vets, does not necessarily lead to a smooth learning curve towards year one competency. What it almost certainly does guarantee is the mother of all baptisms of fire and if you are the kind of person who feels that they learn best by jumping into the ring and just start swinging, or find the whole ‘Sink or Swim’ philosophy appealing then a sole-charge position may be the one you do want. My first job, whilst being part of a larger clinic and technically not 100% solo, did see me mostly based out in one of the group’s satellite clinics, where we had a more limited set of diagnostics tools, a piss-poor surgical set-up and probably THE worst X-ray machine and processor ever that made me actually hate any case that required an X-ray to be taken (that’s a lot of the standard caseload!). Whilst I coped, relying on what I did know, what I could pick up along the way from books, online and colleagues, I know now that I would have developed into a far more competent, well-rounded, omni-skilled vet – and, if truth be told, enjoy my job more – had I spent my really formative years working in a truly multi-vet environment, with high clinical standards, equipment and staff to meet them. Well run practices that think long-term recognise the true value in developing their new grads properly and invest time and resources into them. They will often reap the rewards down the line when that same new grad starts, as second nature, to work cases up properly, fully utilising a range of skills and knowledge to maximum effect for their clients, patients and the clinic. So it might take a little while to find this kind of practice but trust me, it is worth the wait. The alternative, which a lot of people opt for, whether they actually realise it at the time or not, is to take one of the first jobs offered, struggle for the first year and then quit, moving to another clinic, often a little more jaded about being a vet. And that is just sad. The other reason to really be selective is to ensure that you also choose somewhere where you’re going to enjoy living. Having a good salary doesn’t make up for living somewhere crap!

 

  • Sign up to SPVS to get the annual veterinary salary survey, and READ IT – make sure you actually enter the veterinary job market knowing your market worth and start your professional life on the best footing you can. For many of us the very idea of negotiating our salary, including ‘perks’ or extras such as the level of CPD allowance, is more terrifying than a 3am GDV (only marginally, mind) and most new grads will simply not attempt it, instead just accepting what is offered. It is rare that you will take a salary cut as your career progresses, unless you change to a part-time position or change direction entirely thus dropping down several rungs on the old career ladder, so why not do yourself a favour and try and start a little higher up the greasy pole? Knowing what the market generally says you are worth paying via salary surveys is a good starting point in any job hunt. Whilst we’re on this topic it wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world to maybe use some of that post-graduation downtime to read some good books on subjects that might not seem immediately relevant but that will actually pay dividends many times over. Books on topics such as negotiation, sales and basic psychology are not only interesting reads in their own right but will equip you with some highly valuable soft skills that can be applied to job hunting and can make your transition into a working professional smoother and more productive.

 

  • Be Confident of Your Worth – this naturally follows from the previous point but relates more to knowing why we charge what we do for our services and having the faith in your, and your profession’s, worth to avoid apologising to clients for it. It is a fact that you will be made to feel time and time again that you are a member of a “money-grabbing” profession who simply cares about profit over animal welfare. This charge, often spat at you when you are feeling at your lowest ebb, will come from clients who may well be frustrated, for whatever reason, legitimate or otherwise, but who have zero real appreciation for what it costs to provide top-class medical care and the fact that YOU are ridiculously highly trained and DESERVE to be paid reasonably for your skills, knowledge and service. I am as guilty as anyone of starting out in this game withering under these kinds of baseless attacks and finding myself nervously, awkwardly apologising for our prices being “expensive,” before feeling under pressure to cut costs, discount and generally acquiesce to unfair pressure. I have since developed a much tougher skin and fully appreciate both my worth and the worth of the profession, and of the wonderful service we provide. Business fact: without profit there is zero incentive to keep a business running, and veterinary clinics are no different. Having a building, medicines, surgical facilities, a skilled and dedicated team that is on hand round the clock to ensure animals, and their owners, have access to superb healthcare, does not happen by magic. Someone has to pay for it. If you believe that you should practice simply for the love of it then that is all well and good – go and work for a charity – but if you value the investment that you have made in your own training and the value of the service we provide then do NOT be bullied into apologising for what you do and what you charge to provide the service that you do. Of course some people will find the Gold Standard of care prohibitively expensive and may not have the luxury of insurance, or any other variation on the theme of not being able to meet the costs involved. We are, as a profession, sensitive to this fact and that is why as a professional you should be prepared to discuss all of the available options, including referral to charities, looking at less pricey (but often less effective) treatment options or, in the event of ‘treat or the animal suffers’ cases, offering euthanasia. As hard as it will be to remember this fact, it is NOT your fault or responsibility if the owner in question does not want to entertain any of the other options offered and still insists on the Gold Standard but without wanting to pay. You are not a money-grabber. You are not a bad person. You are not disinterested in animals. Quite the contrary – every one of us could have gone off and earned multiples of what we do in different industries and probably with less stress. You simply have confidence in your own worth and that of your profession. It is worth noting at this point that the vast majority of the clients you meet will appreciate and value the good work you do. That cannot and should not be understated.

 

  • Be nice to nurses – well, you should be nice to everyone, obviously, but especially nurses as they very much hold the power to make your life as a vet, and especially a new grad, either awesomely awesome or miserable. They will know loads of super useful things way beyond the academics of being a vet, such as how to actually, safely hold a cat for you to examine, blood sample or the like without sustaining injury, and will be able to let you in on those little tips and tricks that are specific to the clinic in which you actually work and that can help to smooth the flow of the work-day. Aside from just being a decent person, polite, respectful and all that obvious stuff, you might find that mucking in and making the odd round of teas or actually cleaning out that shitty kennel that you happen to be the first person to see, rather than walk past and pretend you didn’t, will go a long way to ingratiating you as a genuine member of the team. In fact, just remembering the old adage “behave as you would want others to behave towards you” is a simple way of putting it.

 

  • Develop interests/ a social life OUTSIDE of work – one of the biggest culture shocks to most new vets is the fact that we all go from being part of a pretty sizeable family, getting to see your mates every day, to often finding that you live miles away from both them and your family. Throw in the inevitable stresses that accompany starting work and the fact that you are now professionally responsible for what you do, plus lengthy working days and it is easy to see how one can quietly slip into a bit of a social rut or depressing cycle of ‘work-home-bed-work.’ Ensuring that you have an interest, hobby or social outlet outside of the clinic and that can serve as a healthy outlet for the stress et al of a vet’s working life will keep you sane, balanced and happy. Vets have an alarmingly high rate of depression, alcoholism (often started at vet school if my observations are any guide) and suicide, with the fact that the job can be quite isolating and lonely on a lot of occasions. Coupled with the sudden change in circumstance from being part of a big, social group of like-minded people to being out there in the world on your own can contribute to a deleterious cycle. Whether it be sport, or music, or art, or a whole host of other activities and interests, please do either continue to pursue them or develop one as soon as possible after moving to your new home.

 

  • Treat yourself when you get your first salary payment – there is no sweeter feeling than being able to buy yourself something that you’ve always really wanted and that you can now afford. A big TV? A new car, perhaps? Or a holiday? Whatever it is that you will truly enjoy splurging on now that you can afford to enjoy doing so when you get your first payslip. It’s wonderful and screams out “I have arrived!” Savour the feeling of spending power and throw caution to the wind before you have to become all grown up by moving onto more responsible attitudes to your money.

 

  • Save & Start a Pension – yes, yes, I know. I have actually typed those words and have instantly turned myself into a granddad in your eyes! Well, if thats the price I have to pay for offering really good advice then so be it. And it is awesome advice. Probably some of the best advice you will ever get. As much as you will not want to think about it the inescapable truth is that you will age and you will eventually want to do such things as retire, or maybe buy a house, or get married. You know, the kind of things that old people do but that you will end up doing too before you’ve had time to realise it. I am sure that you want to have a great standard of living when you finally stop working – I know I do – and that the likelihood of there even being such a thing as a state pension by the time we get there is pretty much zero. As such, you NEED to make provisions for your latter years and the truth is that the earlier you start the sooner you can begin to take advantage of one of the most powerful forces there is: COMPOUNDING. I won’t go into an in-depth definition of what compounding is here – you can Google it – but suffice to say that it is awesome and can be the difference between you eating baked beans everyday as a pensioner or living the good life. The key with compounding is time and so the earlier you start saving, and especially contributing to a pension scheme, then the more you will benefit from it. Establishing good habits – and we all know that saving IS a good habit – early can quickly lead to them becoming just that: habits. As in something we do without really giving it much thought. As in automatic. If you’re anything like me then without making a conscious, early decision to put aside a certain, fixed percentage of my salary automatically and regularly, I would probably just feel it burning a hole in my pocket and be the proud owner of even more Apple products than I already am! The fact that a set amount just disappears out of my account as soon as it lands in there and goes towards something with long-term benefit to me, means that I essentially do not even miss it because it was as if it was never really mine anyway. As such, my monthly budget is based on what I keep and it is amazing how I have adapted to this smaller amount quite happily. Having money saved regularly also means that should you wish to make a larger, discretionary spend, such as an awesome holiday, or maybe even need some ready cash in an emergency, it is already there courtesy of your good, early habits. That is incredibly liberating. So, start a regular savings plan as soon as you start earning and as much as it will feel like it is something that someone of your age has no place doing book an appointment to speak with a pensions advisor. (NB: I really, really wish we could change the word and use something other than ‘pension.’ It just has certain automatic connotations that I strongly believe serves to put young people off the very idea).

There are doubtless many more bits of advice that will see you sail smoothly from the life of an aspiring student to that of hard-working professional so feel free to suggest your own below. In the meantime, enjoy your success and good luck with whatever is next in this insane journey we call life.

Get Results. Get Coached.

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I am a big fan of good coaching. I have seen the results first hand in both my sporting and professional lives, with the majority taking place in the athletic and outdoor pursuits areas of my life.
This week sees me take on the A-race of my current 2015 triathlon season: Challenge Dubai, a half-iron distance race that follows on from the event I attended in December in Bahrain. I had a great race in Bahrain, posting a significant improvement on my time from the race before. I know that some of the improvement came about as a result of simple environmental factors but most of the improvement I am certain was the direct result of having heeded the advice and guidance of my triathlon coach.
Another fine example of the power of skilled coaching in bringing out positive change was experienced when I recently indulged in another of my favourite activities: skydiving. I had gone out to the drop zone early one morning with the basic plan to do a couple of jumps before cracking on with the rest of my day and in a bid to chip away at the 100-jump target that I am tantalisingly close to reaching. Following purchase of my lift tickets and thinking of what I wanted to achieve from the jumps I thought that simply falling solo, as would have been the case if I am honest, just for the sake of doing the jumps, seemed like a wasted opportunity for growth and development. I could pay a little extra and enlist the expert direction of a coach in order to actually work on improving my skydiving skills.
Thankfully I was in luck and experienced freefly coach, Stefania, was available to teach me, with the emphasis on tracking, a discipline that I had touched upon with friends the month before, but that I had been somewhat frustrated by as I didn’t seem to be able to fly as well or in close proximity to the others as I’d have liked. Something could clearly be improved.
Almost immediately the benefits of the coaching became apparent as the ideal body position for effective tracking was explained to me and a plan made for the first jump, which I was both excited and a little apprehensive about, not really expecting to pull anything particularly special out of the bag on the first go.
Coached tracking jump over Dubai

Coached tracking jump over Dubai

The jump couldn’t have gone better! I was first out of the door at 13,000 feet, remembering Stefania’s advice about body positioning as I stepped out and instantly adopted the tracking pose, banking sharply left to enter a smooth, stable and comfortable track. I quickly spotted Stefania, who was flying just to the right and slightly below me, with her camera trained on me and issuing instructions on direction and body position tweaks. The theory that we discussed before the jump, and the visualisation that I spent time doing in the plane during the climb to altitude, really helped as I found myself adopting the tracking position, which is counter to what we learn when flying belly, with the difference between my jumps the month before and this time plain to see and feel. I loved it! Nothing comes close to the true feeling of flight as we soared across the Dubai skies, turning at will and feeling as close to being Superman as I can ever hope to.

That single jump was the only one that was possible that day, as the winds whipped up and grounded the skydive centre, so I was so glad that I had invested in a coached jump and absolutely cannot wait to get back in order to pick up where Stefania and I left off, working further on tracking and getting even more out of my sport. With a good coach you see faster results. You feel progress being made much more rapidly and you actually gain significantly more enjoyment out of whatever it is that you are doing. We’re all achievers and enjoy the feeling of development and progress. Coaching, I believe, adds to this enjoyment in exponential terms and is worth the time, effort and money. I could have jumped ten times in a row on my own, or simply in a social capacity with other fun jumpers and I would not have made anywhere near the progress I did in one single coached jump.
I guess the takeaway from this little tale is to urge you to consider seeking the right person to help you, even if it means making a real investment in both time and money, if there are areas in your life where you wish to progress and see real, tangible improvements and results. Once you go the coached route I assure you that you’ll not look back.

Dr, Dr…. Does it make any difference?

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In December 2014 the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in the UK launched a consultation with it’s members, of which I am one, on the subject of whether UK-trained vets should be able to use the courtesy title ‘Doctor/ Dr.’ The main reasons, it is proposed, are that there is the risk of confusion among the public about the level of qualification of vets given that many non-UK trained vets do routinely use the ‘Dr’ title whereas we do not, and that people incorrectly assume that someone going by the title of Dr is clearly far more qualified than a professional who does not. The second reason is simply one of aligning ourselves with our fellow professionals internationally, most of whom do work with the title of Dr, as do I now that I practice in the UAE.
The issue of whether or not vets should, or should even want to, be addressed by the title of Dr raises questions of what exactly the benefits of doing so are. Does it confer any benefits to the holder? Would it be expected to change the professional standing or day to day life of UK vets if they were to suddenly be entitled to introduce themselves as “Dr So-and-so”? This is where the real interest lays in my opinion. The initial, knee-jerk response to the question is “well, of course we should! We ARE doctors!” But we’re not. We’re surgeons, which is traditionally why we never adopted the title. Look at our colleagues in the medical profession who do tread the surgical career boardwalk. They cannot wait until they qualify as surgeons and are able to shed the ‘Dr’ prefix. There seems, apparently, to be a certain degree of prestige associated with NOT being a doctor. Strange.
On the subject of whether it really makes a difference to our clients I question how much, if any, it really does. If the title were restricted to practitioners of the clinical medical sciences then fair enough, although it would still not differentiate between dentists, medical doctors and vets, or indeed any other practitioner who might make use of the prefix. The fact is that you go to physically seek out the services of one of the aforementioned, which then provides the strong clue as to what brand of ‘Dr’ you are getting – it is a context-dependent differentiation. If people are really that confused and that bothered – which I daresay they are not – then surely we should be proposing to make it really obvious that they are in fact dealing with a vet by adopting the professional title ‘Vet’ instead of ‘Dr.’ It would leave very little doubt in the mind of a client that you were in fact a qualified vet if you started your interaction with “Hi, I’m Vet Chris” as opposed to “Hi, I’m Doctor Chris.” To be honest, the fact that they were standing in my consult room in a vet clinic, probably with a sick animal in tow, might mean they get it regardless of the title used. Then, of course, there are all of the other non-medical peeps who are entitled to band about the ‘Dr’ title on account of having completed a doctorate at university. PhD in Political Science? You’re a doctor. Completed a thesis in Financial Modelling? You too are a doctor. Now that’s confusing!
Has it made any difference to me as a vet being able to introduce myself as a doctor? Personally, no. There was perhaps some initial feeling of pride at being able to do so and some clients do seem to respond to me and my colleagues with a degree of deference and respect that could be attributable to the title but my gut instinct says that these same clients would behave politely regardless of whether I was a Mr or Dr. They’re just nice, polite people who respect us for the professionals we are. I still get my fair share of difficult and downright rude and dismissive clients regardless of being known by the ‘Dr’ title. I suspect that my experience would mirror that of any UK colleagues, doctors or not.
So, are we really that bothered with the idea of being able to refer to ourselves as doctors? Sure, it’s fun in a smug, lets impress people at social gatherings, kind of way for a short period of time but it soon becomes just another unimportant thing that ultimately makes zero meaningful difference to our day to day professional lives. I would thus suggest that there are other more important things that we as a profession, and the RCVS as our governing body, could be devoting their time, effort and our money towards. For example, addressing the ongoing issues surrounding breed-related problems in dogs, or putting their weight behind campaigning for a fair milk price, or even just working more on educating the general public about what it is our profession does and it’s worth to society. Whether we call ourselves doctor or otherwise is not going to make these other issues go away. I have completed the RCVS consultation survey and made my views known. It will be interesting to hear the collective thoughts of the profession and general public in March, when the survey closes.
If you would like to read more about the proposal and offer your own point of view then you can via the RCVS page here: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/about-us/consultations/our-consultations/use-of-the-courtesy-title-dr-by-veterinary-surgeons/

US Vet Schools

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Colleges in the United States of America offering Veterinary courses

Veterinarians in the US train by completing a 4 year (different to the UK where undergrad vet courses are typically 5 years) DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) course. This is a post-graduate training program which is, again, different from most UK vet training.

The following colleges offer veterinary courses in the US:

USA vet schools

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PDF version with clickable links to websites

No Offer, No Cry

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A question that gets asked a fair amount is what the options are for those who have applied to vet school but are ultimately unsuccessful in either attracting an offer of a place or who do not meet the entrance requirements to take an offer up. Needless to say either scenario is not one that is expected to be pleasant as none of us particularly enjoys rejection, especially when applying to vet school is necessarily such an all consuming endeavour. Anything other than a place at vet school is understandably bound to feel like a failure of truly epic and devastating proportions. The first piece of advice, therefore, is to accept that you’re going to feel utterly miserable and dejected for a period of time. Although I was fortunate enough to receive a vet school offer I do empathise with the feelings of intense disappointment, on account of my intercalation. I studied biochemistry and in spite of really knuckling down, working hard and revising my socks off the exams went terribly and I finished with a disappointing 2:2 in the degree. This was against the backdrop of all of my other friends who had intercalated in other subjects all achieving 2:1 classifications or better. I was crushed for several weeks but ultimately shook myself off, accepted that which had occurred, sought to learn lessons from the experience and examined how best to move on from and even capitalise on the experience. This is ultimately what you will need to do yourself if unfortunate enough to find an offer out of grasp. Sadly we cannot yet turn back time and alter the past – that would be an epic power – but what we can, and should, do is reflect and then formulate a new, revised plan based on the experiences and results up to that point. Still won’t stop you feeling rubbish though so expect and embrace a certain period of ‘mourning.’

Once you’re over the acute disappointment what next? Well, the options depend on your specific set of circumstances but are, in general:

 

Call the vet schools. Like right away!

Although you don’t have a place or may have not met the requirements for a conditional offer you’ll be basing your next move on mere assumption and we all know what assumption does. Call the schools, especially those that you had offers from, to clarify exactly their position. Who knows, they may have loved you so much at interview and couldn’t imagine teaching without your cherubic presence that they’re prepared to overlook the slight discrepancy that is your missing the offer requirements, especially if you were close. Clearly it would be a tad optimistic to expect this to be the case if you wind up missing the grade by a long way but a single grade slip-up might not necessarily mean game over, so ask.

If you don’t even have any offers then calling the vet schools is basically a massive long shot but you never know: fortune favours the brave and if they have to fill spaces for which they don’t already have candidates (unlikely) then your prompt, enthusiastic, enquiring call (from you, by the way, NOT your mum/ dad/ gran/ dog etc) may just result in a miracle.

 

Take up your ‘Insurance’ Offer

You may well have taken advantage of the option to apply to a non-vet course as part of your UCAS applications and so may have an offer from that course that you can take up. Whether you do so or not is up to you, and I guess that if your plan is to reapply to vet school then it will be irrelevant that you have a ‘backup’ course, although quite why you’d have bothered applying in the first place if this were the case is a valid question. Completing an initial degree in a relevant non-vet subject can certainly lead you to vet school eventually and if you’re prepared for the path to veterinary status to be longer and more expensive than you initially hoped then this can be a good option.

 

Apply through Clearing

If you don’t have any backup offers and the idea of not going on to university this year is not one you wish to consider then there is always clearing, the process by which universities open up places to courses that have to that point been undersubscribed. You can learn more about clearing via the UCAS website and the same potential for entering the veterinary course as a graduate as above is there.

 

Take a Gap Year & Reapply

With the number of places at vet schools limited and the number of applicants in excess of this figure it is inevitable that many perfectly good future vets will be unfortunate and not secure a place on the first application. The decision to take a year out and reapply, either with secured grades that meet the basic requirements of the vet schools, or with the intention of retaking some or all subjects is one that needs careful consideration. For a start, there is no guarantee that you’ll be any more successful at the second bite of the cherry and although some students do persist and prove the naysayers wrong by reapplying more than once, the chances of success are very slim and there is a strong case to be made for using your time (life) most effectively and exploring alternative options. If you do reapply then ensure you have a solid plan for doing so and aim to improve on what you submitted or did before. A greater variety of work experience? Better grades? An interesting hobby or project? A focus on nailing your interview technique and knowledge of the profession and issues relevant to it? There are so many ways in which an extra year can, and should, be used and failing to do at least something positive and proactive with the time will only serve to let you down. Even if you are not then successful the second time around at least you will have grown and improved as a person, with new or improved skills and knowledge and a better base from which to then kick start your next move. I would, personally, dissuade anyone from choosing to reapply more than twice as the chances of success are so slim and the years so precious. Rather do all you can to improve your application for one reapplication and then if it doesn’t work out look at options to move on. Remember, you can always come back to veterinary down the line if you still have the burning desire to become a vet in the years to come.

 

Do Something Else

If you either don’t plan to reapply, or if perhaps you already have and this is the second or third time of being unsuccessful in your applications then you may well opt to change tack completely and pursue other career options. Again, what you do is a personal choice but the possibilities are endless and I am sure you will choose wisely.

Work Experience – The Cornerstone of Your Application

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Work-experience is still the most reliable way of being sure that training to be a vet is what you really want to do, as it lets you see and experience first-hand exactly what you’re letting yourself in for by choosing a veterinary career. In spite of the challenges associated with securing placements, it is a vital part of your vet school application and should be taken as seriously as your academic work. This means careful planning, determination and showing enthusiasm at every stage. If you really have your sights firmly fixed on a place at vet school then you’ll relish the challenges and opportunities presented by work-experience, and have a lot of interesting experiences to discuss at interviews.

Do the vet schools really care?

In a word: Yes. Yes, they do. Training a vet is a lengthy and expensive process, and with the competition for places the vet schools really do have their work cut out differentiating between all those students who eagerly submit applications each year. They need to feel confident that those applying to study veterinary really truly know what it is they are letting themselves in for, as the commitment from both sides is HUGE! Seeing that applicants have completed a broad range of practical experience goes some way to reassuring the admissions tutors that the student they are reviewing has given the idea serious considered thought and knows, to a lesser or greater degree, what being a vet and working within the profession actually entails. Of course there will still be aspects of the job and career that one cannot possibly glean from a relatively short period of time ‘seeing practice,’ but the surprises should be far less marked than if people simply decided to apply to vet school on a whim convinced that the job simply involved petting puppies all day.

So…… What type of Work Experience should you do?

Excellent question. The answer is a broad range of different placements is best as opposed to weeks and weeks of one type. For example, two weeks spent at a small animal practice, a week at a dairy farm, another at a riding stables, and another couple shadowing a large animal vet or doing some lambing will be far more informative and useful experience than spending 8 weeks following around the world’s greatest small animal surgeon. At the end of the day the vet schools are not looking to offer places to students who already know all there is to know about veterinary – there would be little point in trying to educate such accomplished people anyway! Seeing evidence of understanding across a broad spectrum of professional functions is the key, as this will enable applicants to speak about their experiences and lessons learned with conviction.

Placement Types:

  • First Opinion (small animal, farm, equine) – time spent shadowing and working with both vets and nurses on the frontline of clinical care is an essential. Expect to pitch in with some of the less glamorous jobs such as cleaning kennels in addition to getting the chance to see some very interesting cases.
  • Farm placements – whether calving, milking, lambing or working on a pig farm, time spent on the farm is very important. Large animal vets interact with farmers and their livestock on a daily basis and are instrumental in establishing and maintaining long term animal health.
  • Stables – shadowing a horse vet will permit some experience of working with horses but the very best way to learn more about their husbandry, health and handling is to spend some time helping out at a stable.
  • Kennels & Catteries – again, as far as gaining vital animal handling and husbandry knowledge and skills, both options are fantastic.
  • Laboratories – from quality assurance to genuine research and development labs, time spent gaining an understanding of laboratory practices is useful and could certainly help set you apart from others applying at the same time. Vets play a vital role in both disease detection and surveillance, and also in original research, all involving laboratory time.
  • Specialist Veterinary Placements – if you fancy getting your teeth a little more into veterinary then there is no better place to look than specialist, or referral, clinics. Vets will be much more specialised and focused on a narrower area of expertise, meaning that time spent at this kind of placement will certainly see you at the cutting edge of the profession.
  • Zoo/ Exotic – generally very hard placements to secure but can be fascinating. With more people keeping exotic species the demand for vets with such specialist interests appears set to rise.
  • Abattoir – vets play a vital role in ensuring the hygiene and safety of our food, with abattoirs being their stage. Gaining even half a day at one will be viewed favourably as they are important placements but very hard to secure.
  • Other/ Non-typical placements – these could be considered as the icing on the work experience cake. The type of placements which will help you really stand out from the crowd but which should not be completed at the expense of satisfying the fundamental basic requirements, such as good quality farm work or time spent in a first opinion practice. The placement that I felt helped me stand out when I was applying was the two weeks I got to spend at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket after completing my GCSEs – fascinating and the kind of placement that had I not taken a chance by writing to them and then benefited from a smattering of luck would not have happened.

How to actually secure a placement

Basically by asking. The overused cliched saying of “If you don’t ask, then you don’t get” is absolutely spot on. Do your research on a particular placement provider, for example by checking out their website, and ideally ascertain who it is you need to write to/ speak with that can make the decision as to whether or not you can do a placement with them. It might be the owner, for example, or maybe a junior member of staff who has been charged with the role of work experience coordinator. Find out who you need to contact and please ensure that you know how to spell their name correctly for the purposes of writing to them. A few rules for securing a work experience placement:

  1. Do your research – at the very least look at the website and know the basics about who you’re applying for work experience to and which person you specifically need to direct enquiries. If it is not clear from the website then pick up the phone, call and ask who you need to contact.
  2. Main contact – confirm who it is you should direct your request and ensure you know how to spell their name correctly. A person’s name is a precious thing to them and mis-spelling it can be an easy but sure way to make a poor first impression.
  3. Write a letter or email – my preference is for a letter as emails are so numerous these days that yours may simply get lost in the avalanche of electronic mail that your addressee has to wade through each day. Nicely written letters are such a rarity these days that I believe they make an impactful and lasting first impression.
  4. Write/ apply yourself – trust me when I say you get far more respect when you’re the one to actually write in rather than leaving it to mum/ dad/ auntie/ everyone else. For a start it actually proves you’re interested in the first place as opposed to being a vet simply being an idea that your parents think might be a good one. If you’re unsure of what to write or how to write a decent letter/ email then by all means seek some help but dodging the bullet of actually plucking up the courage to put yourself out there will not stand you in good stead for vet school or life in general.
  5. Follow-up – ok, so you’ve written ten letters and not heard a single reply after a week. Clearly everyone you wrote to is an a*&%hole, right? No, not necessarily. The truth is that they have probably just been so busy with their own jobs and lives to have realised that the nice letter they received from you is yet to be replied to. Do them a favour and remind them, politely of course. There is nothing pushy about follow-up. In fact, it is expected and further demonstrates maturity, pro-activity and a desire to advance. A polite enquiring phone call is usually all that’s necessary, with many placements being booked and confirmed there and then. I would give it at least a week before ringing though as there needs to be some time for your letter to actually arrive, reach the top of the ‘to read’ pile and then have a reasonable chance of being dealt with.

And after placements?

Simple really. Thank them. Again, a well written letter goes a long way to showing your gratitude and is always well received. A decent cake or some biscuits on your last day probably won’t hurt either 🙂 The other key thing to remember to do following your placement is to request a reference to be written, preferably as soon after finishing as possible whilst you’re as fresh in everyone’s minds as possible.

Work Experience is not only an essential part of any serious application to vet school but is also often good fun, so do remember to HAVE FUN and ENJOY YOURSELF.

(Remember to check out Vet School: Part One for an even more extensive look at Work Experience)

Challenges Ahead

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2014 fireworksUnless you’ve been living under a rock the past few days you’ll have been swept up in all of the New Year’s chat and will, I am sure, have your own goals and resolutions, some of which you may well have broken already! 🙂 Whatever your plans for the upcoming twelve months, and I daresay that as you are reading this those plans include applying to and gaining a place at Vet School, it is really helpful to have a firm challenge and set of achievable goals in place. After all, what is point of striving for something if it is easy to achieve? The taste of success would be short-lived and nowhere near as sweet as if you have had to really knuckle down and fight for what you want.

What are your plans this year? Many of you will be looking forward to interviews, whilst some will already have offers in place, whether guaranteed or conditional on achieving some stellar grades in exams later in the year, whilst many of you will be working on your applications, busily beavering away at work experience placements, academic work and extra-curricular pursuits, all in a bid to attract that all important offer. As ever, the best companion for this journey is the Vet School series of books, as they literally do guide you from start to end on this journey you have signed up for.

I too have set myself a serious challenge for 2014. Last year was all about emigrating to the Middle East and this year the focus is of a sporting nature as I train for my very first Ironman triathlon race. There is more on this on my personal blog, the Nerdy Vet, but safe to say that as far as challenges go I have definitely chosen one that will be a struggle to achieve.

So…. whatever your specific goals and ambitions are this year, here’s to hard work, a little luck and success in 2014. Happy New Year to you all.

The Waiting Game

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With November here and the countdown to the ‘C’ word set to begin many of you will be waiting for responses from the vet schools to your applications. The annual ‘Waiting Games.’ It is a weird period because it is, as I am concerned, the only time during your applications where you have no real power over the outcome. You simply have to trust that you have done an awesome job with your application and that the admissions tutors appreciate that level of sheer brilliance and follow suit by sending you an invite to interview.
We’re the kind of people, however, who don’t enjoy sitting around waiting idly – it’s not really in our DNA. The good news is that there are still things that you can be doing during this period of time to further enhance your chances of an ultimately successful application. The goal of submitting a UCAS application for most of us is to be invited to interview. The next real challenge thus becomes nailing the interview and this is one major area where you can be very proactive in preparing for the event. There are already some good interview related articles on this blog, in addition to a cracking chapter dedicated to interviews in the book.

Interview Preparation

The famous saying, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice,” is as applicable to vet school applications as it is to becoming a successful performer. Even if you have not yet received an invite to an interview, starting  to prepare is a good idea, as by the time you do then you’ll be firing on all cylinders and ready to absolutely storm the interview as if it is the most natural and laid back activity in the world. If you have read the frankly huge chapter on interviews in my book (if you haven’t then I wholeheartedly suggest you start there) then you’ll already have a good idea of what to expect at interview and how best to prepare, the main method being to get at least one mock interview under your belt.

Read Widely

Vet school interviews will often involve discussion of topical subjects in science and veterinary-related areas such as farming. Having even a very superficial yet broad grasp of some of the key topics is a very sensible idea and if you really are totally committed to securing a place at vet school then it is highly likely that you already maintain an active interest in such news and topical affairs simply because you enjoy doing so. I used to keep a keen eye on the news and with news websites like the BBC it is easier than ever to keep abreast of the key topics. No one will expect you to be an expert on any of the topical issues but drawing a blank when asked about the issues pertaining to the badger cull, for example, will not win you any support from the interview panel. So that’s probably one of the main activities you can be doing during the waiting period: read.

Work Experience Questionnaires & Supplementary Questionnaires

A number of the vet schools quite rightly appreciate that trying to cram all of the pertinent information about yourself into a single UCAS application is difficult and so several will send out additional questionnaires for you to complete. Having the relevant info to hand at the time will make completing these so much faster and less stressful. Ensure you have any work experience references already in your possession and, if necessary, take a look back at any work experience journals or diaries to help jog your memory of the placements.

Use the time to focus on academic pursuits

Needless to say but most of you will be offered conditional offers, meaning that they are dependent on your ultimate grades. I know it’s probably pointing out the unbelievably obvious but just continue to work hard and apply yourself to your studies. This period is a great time to just regroup and focus on those areas that really need your academic attention. After all, there’s little point in getting too hung up on interviews if there is a danger of your grades slipping.

Do something truly altruistic

It’s a nice feeling to do something nice for others and this is as good a time as any to do just that. Why not help out future vets following in your footsteps by giving me the chance to send your school library their very own copy of Vet School. I firmly believe that having access to a fantastic resource like Vet School can, for some prospective vets, be the difference between a successful application and having to look for alternative career options. I want as many future vets to have that chance as possible and school libraries are often one place we all start our career planning.
So…..you can help out your school and future generations of young vets like you by enabling me to send your school a copy of Vet School. There is more information about this here.

No news is good news

Remember that if you have not yet heard from the vet schools then it means your application is still being considered. Therefore, no news genuinely is good news.

Iron Vet – Interview with Adelle Isaacs BVSc GPCertFAP MRCVS

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Adelle Isaacs, Farm Vet & Ironman athleteThere are few challenges bigger or tougher than undertaking an Ironman race, which is exactly what a good friend of mine from my days at Bristol Vet School has just undertaken. Hers is an inspirational story and she is a role model for anyone looking to apply to vet school, juggle athletic and academic pursuits, or simply take on a colossal challenge. The Iron Vet in question is Adelle Isaacs, Junior Partner at Larkmead Veterinary Group, based in Oxfordshire.

 

Who are you? Where did you study? When did you first decide to be a vet and what kind of vet you are now? Where do you work?

I decided that I wanted to be a vet when I was 7 years old.  I loved animals and had a menagerie of small pets. A family friend was a vet and I was lucky enough to be allowed to hang around the practice after school, I never really looked back.  I went to my local comprehensive school, got the necessary grades and studied at Bristol between 2002 and 2007.  I am still in my first job at Larkmead Veterinary Group in Oxfordshire, which happens to be at my foster practice from university. In January I became a Junior Partner in the practice.  I am a large animal vet and spend 90% of my time working with cattle and sheep.

finish line at Ironman Treblant, Adelle IsaacsYou are undertaking your first Ironman race. What drove you to sign up for the toughest event in the sporting world?

I read Chrissie Wellington’s book (for those that don’t know she is one of the greatest ironman athletes of all time).  There was a chapter in the book about a nun who was 80 years old and still competing in Ironman events.  I was reading this book on a flight to Auckland, I was on my way to represent GB at an age group level in the World Championships for Sprint Distance triathlon.  My brother, and training partner (Danny) had also qualified and had read the book.  We had a conversation about this nun in New Zealand and both decided that if an 80 year old could do it there was absolutely no reason why two fit people in their twenties couldn’t do it too. Once we were back in the UK we signed up within a couple of days.  Then there was no going back! We chose the race at Mont Tremblant in Canada as it was late in the season, giving us time to prepare, and the scenery looked beautiful.  We decided we would try to raise some money for cancer charities in memory of our older sister who unfortunately lost her battle with cancer a few years ago.

How did you first get into triathlon? Why?

I was swimming, mountain biking and running to get fit and I wanted a challenge to keep me motivated.  My first race was in 2010 and was a super sprint at Dorney Lake near Eton.  Since then I have competed in all of the mainstream distances (sprint, olympic, half ironman and ironman) as well as a half marathon and a few cycling sportives.  Triathlon is an amazing sport, it is competitive, but for many (including myself and my brother) the most important contest is with yourself and challenging yourself to give the best performance that you are capable of.  Triathlon has a hugely supportive spirit and the atmosphere at races is always really friendly and encouraging.

Were you a sporty/ athletic person before and during vet school?

Whilst I was at school I played lots of girls’ football, I absolutely loved it.  I played for our county team and had dreams of going to America (where ladies football is massive) and becoming a pro (I was never really talented enough to do this!).  I tore my cruciate ligament in a game the season before coming to university and had it surgically repaired the summer before I started at Bristol.  Once I was at vet school I kept thinking I would join the ladies team, but it never really happened.  Free time wasn’t really something we had in abundance and I spent more of my time at the bar then exercising and as a result I got really unfit!

bike leg, Ironman, Adelle IsaacsWhat are the challenges associated with balancing training, your work as a vet and a social life?

I am hugely lucky to have an incredibly supportive and understanding boyfriend, and family and friends that are second to none.  My colleagues at work have been amazing also, offering to cover some duties so that I can fit in long bike rides every weekend and just generally encouraging me.  Without these people I could not have even made it to the start line of the Ironman.  Balancing the training and increasingly responsibilities at work has been challenging, sometimes more so than the actual training.  I’ve had to improve my skills of time management hugely and I wasn’t exactly disorganised before.

What have been the highlights of both your professional and sporting lives to date?

The highlight of my professional life is gaining a place a Bristol Vet School, professionally everything else has followed on from here really.  Obviously I am really excited to have joined the partnership at Larkmead Veterinary Group.  In terms of my sporting life the major highlight has to be crossing the finishing line at Ironman Mont Tremblant, the race was pretty eventful and there were times when I thought I wouldn’t make it so it was a very emotional moment.  We also raised over £6000 for Cancer Research and Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and this is something I am hugely proud of. My brother and I also represented the GB age group team for sprint distance triathlon at the World Champs in New Zealand last year, racing in the GB trisuit was a very proud moment and I was so happy to share the experience with my brother.

 

What are your sporting and professional ambitions following Ironman Tremblant?

I want to focus more on work next year, everyone has been very supportive and understanding during my Ironman training but I feel I owe the practice more of my mental attention going forward. Becoming a partner has taken a bit of getting used to, but I am enjoying it and I hope to progress to Senior Partnership within the next 5 years.  I will focus on olympic distance and half ironman distance racing next year as these distances are a bit more compatable with a ‘normal’ life.  I hope to return to Ironman racing in 2015 and maybe even a shot at Ironman World Championship (Kona) qualification in the future.

How was the race?

Eventful!!! The swim started really well but half way through my hat came off which unleashed my hair!  Every time I turned my head to breathe I almost choked on my own hair and it made it very difficult to ‘sight’ and swim in a straight line.  I was pleased to get out of the water and looked like a drowned rat by the time I made it to transition.  The bike started really well, I felt so strong after a couple of weeks of tapering and I was flying along!  This was until then 40km mark when I was hit by another cyclist and knocked off my bike at an aid station! The bike went flying as I landed on my shoulder, elbow and head.  I quickly realised that I ‘wasn’t that bad’ and was relieved to see my bike was fine.  I got back on and although my arm was really stiff I was confident that I would make it through the remaining 140km on the bike and tried not to think about the marathon that awaited.  I got to T2 feeling pretty sick, the energy drink offered on the bike course was slightly different to what they had advertised and it didn’t agree with me!! This really frustrated me as my brother and I had imported some of the advertised product from the USA to try during training to avoid this very scenario.  Anyway, there was nothing I could do, I felt awful and seriously considered pulling out after the bike.  I couldn’t imagine how I was going to make it through a marathon feeling how I did.  I made myself start the run, I couldn’t have lived with myself if I hadn’t even tried to run.  After 2km of running I realised that the energy drink was now making its way through my system, I was having serious stomach cramps and as a result I had to visit the portaloos at every aid station in the first half of the run.  As well as being really painful and disgusting I found this so frustrating as I just couldn’t get into a rhythm and my legs actually felt fine.  Things got really bad at the halfway mark, I could run more than about 50m without doubling over in pain.  I decided at this point to walk until my stomach settled, this took about 30 minutes, during my walk I discovered that my shoulder was actually seriously painful after the crash.   It was just one thing after another! I got really low at this point, but after seeing my friends and family I attempted to start running again.  I felt fine for the first time in about 6 hours.  I ran the last 15km of the 42 km marathon well and finished strong.  Running down the finishing chute felt totally surreal.  I couldn’t believe I had done it.  I knew my brother had finished about 2 hours before me, so crossing the line I knew we had both done it! It felt incredible! I’m so glad I didn’t drop out after the bike, the human body is capable of more than our minds give it credit for!

Adelle Isaacs, Farm vet with patientWhat tips and advice do you have for anyone thinking of applying to vet school? What about any current athletes or prospective athletes?

Achieving a place at vet school is not easy!  It takes dedication, commitment and hard work, but if it is something that you are passionate about and you are willing to put in the effort it is achievable.  Getting a broad range of work experience with many species is vital.  It is important to get some longer work experience placements to show that you have the required commitment, for example, work at a farm every Saturday for a prolonged period.  I would assume that all those applying have similar grades to you and probably similar work experience, so you need to do something to set you apart from the masses.  This is where extra-curricular activities come in handy, whether it be sport, music or drama, anything that demonstrates that you are a balanced individual with a passion for non-veterinary matters will stand you in good stead.  These activities may also demonstrate that you have developed some skills such as teamwork and communication, which are so important as a vet.  If you are lucky enough to be invited for interview, prepare for it meticulously, read up on current affairs and key cases you have seen during work experience.  Prepare for it as though it is an exam and then try to relax during the interview so that you can communicate clearly and allow your personality to shine through.

 If you are an athlete thinking of applying to vet school don’t be put off.  Your skills of time management will probably be more developed than those of people who have applying for vet school as their sole focus, this skill will be invaluable at vet school when spare time is very limited.  Dedication to sport will teach so many of the transferable skills that you will be able to use during the application process, at university and during your working life.  Sport will also keep you sane!