Hi,
I'm 15 and in Year 10 at Secondary School. I have always loved animals, especially my pets (guinea pigs and a cockatiel) and equines. I have also always been interested in Biology, and always wanted to become a small animal pet vet.
Being 15, I haven't started applying to colleges let alone Universities, but I was wondering what can I do now to give me the best possible chance of getting accepted into Vet school and becoming a veterinarian? I am hoping to try and get experience over my summer holidays, although most places don't allow under 16's. Should I perhaps see if I could go to a vets every evening of a weekday? Will experience now count, such as going to a vets in my summer holidays for as many weeks as possible? I was thinking of either a date log of what I did each day, or an overall review of what I saw, experienced and learned, or even a scrapbook? Or would it be best to do something like 2 weeks pet shop, 2 weeks vets? Or one week my local boarding kennels and cattery (all one place), one week pet shop, one week veterinary? Or 4 weeks veterinary! And has any vets found that carrying on to the Silver Duke of Edinburgh will help a lot to get you into vet school? (P.s. I don't mind animal experience at all- it's just finding the time and getting the perfect place and the proportions right)!
Here's what I currently do:
Grades:
I haven't sat any GCSE's yet (besides IT coursework), but I am in the top set for all of my subjects and roughly predicted A's. I'm working hard in revision and in class and think I could pull of some A*s. My most strongest subject is English, and I'm also quite strong at Biology too! I have done a exam (not a mock though) in Physics and I got an A*, and in my English controlled assessments I am reaching the top band and got full marks in one! In my mock RE GCSE I got an A, and I got a Merit in IT which I've been told is equivalent to an A apparently.
Subjects:
I'm in the top set for all of my subjects. I do Chemistry, Biology, Physics, English, Maths, PSE, RE, and my options that I picked are Spanish, Business Studies and History.
Volunteering/ work experience:
-Year 10 Work experience: Booked in at a small animal veterinary practise for 5 week days.
-Every Saturday I spend all day at a local stable, mucking out sometimes but particularly working with horses in brushing, tacking up and leading in lessons. I also have my own riding lesson at the end. I have been doing this for about a year, and continue to do this.(I do love horses)!
Extra:
I am just finishing my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award. (Physical= improving my horse riding, Volunteering= Helping out at the stables- though I have been doing this long before DofE, Skills= Learning 2 new languages). I'm also volunteering as a peer reader for year 6's after school each week, and applying to be a prefect and possibly a head girl.
Other places i.e animal rescue centres I have spent hours researching and looking into, but all either have special requirements e.g.have to be over 16, or are hours away!