Hi there,

I am looking for some advice. I am 33 years of age and I am looking for a career change.

I am currently a secondary science teacher (biology and chemistry - KS4 and physics KS3) and feel after all my hard training my passion still remains with animals. I am researching the possibility of training to be a vet.

What are my options as a mature student?
I have a 2:1 Hons in Sports Science Degree.
Can I train part time?
Can I do home study whilst working? Etc.

There are some websites that are offering home study courses. Are these courses, in the long term beneficial?

I look forward to hearing from you

Kind regards
Claire

Hi, Clare,

To become a vet in the UK you have to have obtained a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery at one of the 7 UK universities which have veterinary schools approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (London, Cambridge, Bristol, Liverpool, Nottingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow). That degree entitles you to register with the RCVS as M(ember)RCVS and work as a veterinary surgeon. The courses are all full time, 7 years at Cambridge, 5 1/2 years at London, 5years at the others.
The pressure on admissions at all the schools is quite high, and you would need to enquire at each one to see if they would be prepared to accept you as a mature graduate student.
There are other courses available in Animal Science at some universities, but these are not registrable with the RCVS, and do not allow you to practice veterinary medicine in the UK.
You have some formidable obstacles to overcome to realise your ambition.

W.

Walter Beswick Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi, Clare,
>
> To become a vet in the UK you have to have
> obtained a degree in veterinary medicine and
> surgery at one of the 7 UK universities which have
> veterinary schools approved by the Royal College
> of Veterinary Surgeons (London, Cambridge,
> Bristol, Liverpool, Nottingham, Edinburgh and
> Glasgow). That degree entitles you to register
> with the RCVS as M(ember)RCVS and work as a
> veterinary surgeon. The courses are all full time,
> 7 years at Cambridge, 5 1/2 years at London,
> 5years at the others.
> The pressure on admissions at all the schools is
> quite high, and you would need to enquire at each
> one to see if they would be prepared to accept you
> as a mature graduate student.
> There are other courses available in Animal
> Science at some universities, but these are not
> registrable with the RCVS, and do not allow you to
> practice veterinary medicine in the UK.
> You have some formidable obstacles to overcome to
> realise your ambition.
>
> W.
Actually Walter it is 6 years at Cambridge and 5 years at the others. The best thing to do Claire would be to ring each one and find out about the fees first, as they differ between all of them and you could come out from doing the degree with in excess of about £50000 debt. Then as you already have a sort of related degree with a good classification, you will be able to think about applying as postgraduate. Just to let you know, you would not be able to work whilst doing your degree, it is very demanding and would take a lot of commitment. Good Luck, and remember to contact all the universities before even looking at applying.
Hannah

Hi there,
I have been thinking about becoming a vet for years now. I am in year ten and have taken the neccessarry subjects for GCSEs. I also help at my local riding stables as I have learnt that this can also help me. My friend has just taken the British Horse Society Stage One. As this costs quite a lot of money, I was wondering if there was any point of me taking it to help me further to becoming a vet
Thanks,
Amy x.

Hi,

I suppose, other things being equal, that such a qualification might help you in an application to get into a veterinary school, but bear in mind that the cost of 5 years (or more) at vet school is considerable, and you might find the money spent to be of more help when you are at university.

W

Thankyou so much for your advice everyone...
All the very best for 2009!