how do you become a veterinary surgeon and is it necessary to have A-level Chemistry?

thank you

cara

Hi, Cara,
You have to attend a university with a veterinary school whose degree standard is acceptable to the Royal College of Veternary Surgeons,(WWW.rcvs.org.uk) There are 6 in the UK - Bristol, Cambridge, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool and London. Also Dublin and the Univeristy of Granada in the West Indies is taking British students.
Differen schools Have different entry requirments, though I beleive that Chemistry A level at A or A* is essential toghether with Biology and Physiscs at A.
Your Careers Adviser at School should be able to advise you.
Walter

Disappointed MRSA thread has been shut down.Why is this a subject vetclick doesn't want openly debated?. Walter over to you. Perhaps a homeopathic vet would mask and gown up so as to minimise infection risk, before operating. Perhaps a homeopathic vet would, use barrier nursing methods, perhaps a homeopathic vet wouldn't squeeze pus filled wounds. Perhaps a homeopathic vet would immediately refer a seriously ill patient to a referral clinic. After all vets who practice homeopathy are fully qualified vets before realising that maybe treating patients holistically, has some advantages. Soap and water, through cleaning of surfaces is this homeopathy?,using a washing machine to wash gowns and draps sterilising instruments is this homeopathy?. Overuse of antibiotics?

There isn't such a thing as a homoeopathic vet........ there are qualified professional veterinary surgeons who use homoeopathy. Samuel Hahnemann, the originator of homoeopathy (and a medical doctor) did emphasise the importance of other factors in keeping good health - good diet, cleanliness etc.

So, yes, a 'homoeopathic' vet would (I hope) do all the things that William Jones mentions. Those of us using homoeopathy are not against the use of antibiotics per se, or any conventional treatment if it is indicated. But we are worried about the overuse of antibiotics because of the risk of resistance...cue MRSA!

In answer to Walter's question before the thread for MRSA was closed - if all vets used homoeopathy, MRSA almost certainly would not exist! However there are some encouraging results in treating MRSA with natural remedies - especially Manuka honey.

Richard Allport BVetMed, VetMFHom, MRCVS

Why was the MRSA thread shut down ?

Glad you came back Richard and I agree with you William Jones
why is this subject being curtailed

Walter ?

MRSA thread is open again. There was a glitch in the code. This has now been fixed. VetClick encourages open debate.

Woried owner, put the Feldmar Formula query onto this site 21st July 04, Richard Allport found query and replied 9th April 05. Welldone on that, its good to read different opinions from different vets. So I think the worried owner who asked the question,if they ever used Feldmar Formula,( would it have harmed?),or not. Perhaps thats why the vet was struck off?. I thought vets could mix up any old concoction, if they don't have a VMD approved equivalent in their cupboard, at that time.Though the use of illegal veterinary products is regarded as so serious that the VMD actively pursues legal proceedings where appropriate. Walter did this happen to the struckoff vet who regularly prescibed Feldmar Formula?. A Dairy farmer in Wiltshire was recently April 05 successfully prosecuted for illegal use of veterinary medicines. Fined £1,500, with costs £2,600. Did the dairy farmer actually harm any of the animals he used illegal veterinary medicines on, do you know?. So that the RSPCA are now going to prosecute?. Why was the original thread closed?, it always seems to coinside with homeopatic vet Richard Allport commenting. Is that right that vets shouldn't contredict or comment on each other?. Its a disciplinary offence.

The original MRSA thread was closed accidentally by a glitch in the system and almsot immediately re-opened. If you go to the MRSA site you will see that that is the case.
Vets CANNOT 'mix up' any old concoction ( except perhaps for 'alternative' therapies).
The prescribing of veterinary medicines, particularly for 'food producing animals' is rigourously controlled. Whether or not the product used actually harms the animal is irrelevant - it is the human being who connsumes the meat/milk/egg at the end of the day who is seen to be at risk and is being protected. The RSPCA has no role in these circumstances unless there is evidence that the animal has been harmed, either by intention or by negligence.
So far as threads being closed when Richard Allport chooses to comment, I do not see any evidence of that.
Veterinary surgeons may and do disagree, but we are considered to be a 'learned profession' and any dirrences of opinion should be expressed in a professional manner. I am not aware of any veterinary surgeon being taken before the RCVS Disciplinary Committee for disagreeing with a colleague.
Walter

It was the 'my lovely dog' thread that has been closed. Because Richard Allport MRCVS homeopatic practioner ( 'alternative' therapist? who mixes up any old concoction?,definition of alternative please.) found a old thread asking what Feldmar Formula was?.
Prescribing of veterinary medicines to farm animals is rigorously controlled. In 2003 VMD said that antibiotic use had increased by 90%, 45 tonnes of antibiotics being fed to livestock in 2001, up 87% on 2000. Antibiotics used in food production,in pigs and chickens to increases growth for the table.
Would there be a link between increased use of antibiotics in our food chain, for people and via pet foods ?. That superbugs like MRSA is a result of antibiotic overuse, as POMs in food production is so carefully regulated.
As for veterinary surgeons not being disciplined for expressing differing opinions. It always the reason vets give for not commenting on 'difficult questions', its still in RCVS professional guidelines.
Do you think it a great pity, that Feldmar Formula wasn't used on farm animals, maybe its use would have been stopped long before so many cats/dogs suffered its consquences.

PLEASE - THIS THREAD STARTED WITH A QUESTION ON VETERINARY EDUCATION - QUESTIONS/COMMENTS ON MRSA, FIELDMAR FORULA ETC ARE NOT APPROPRIATE TO THIS THREAD.
IT IS CLOSED HEREWITH. ANY FUTURE CONTRIBUTIONS SHOULD BE MADE UNDER THE APPROPRIATE HEADING