Daughter wants to be a vet

jackieblack

My daughter has recently graduated and qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse. It's still a competitive course to get on but is offered by more Unis and is only 3 or 4 years (depending on whether the degree is FdSc or BSc) including the RCVS required placements.
She has a special interest in anaesthesiology and, having done all her placements (60+ weeks in total) in small animal practices, has just started working as a theatre nurse at a big referral practice/animal hospital.

Vet Nursing could be a good option for your daughter to consider if her Maths/Sciences aren't A* level and she wants to work with animals (as opposed to earning a vet's salary). There is a shortage of vet nurses and more jobs available as vet practices need more Registered Veterinary Nurses than Veterinary Surgeons.

(Also, my daughter didn't do A levels, she did an Extended L3 Diploma in Animal Management as there was a practical 'hands on' element to the course and the grade she got gave her the reqired UCAS tariff points.)

https://animalowners.rcvs.org.uk/veterinary-careers/i-want-to-be-a-veterinary-nurse/

chiefie

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Artytarty

I believe good veterinary nurses are worth their weight in gold, particularly for anaesthesia, at least that's what a vet told me.
What is the average vet salary , just in a first opinion practice? Not talking partner or specialist.

MallyGirl

ELLA wrote: »

Thanks everyone for all your comments, she is going to ask our local vets for advice and see if you can volunteer, I believe he would have to apply to our local council for a work permit for her as she's under 16, nothing's ever simple :-)

My daughter, age 15 and just going in to year 11, is hoping to be a vet. Work experience is essential for applications but can be challenging to get for under 16s. She was lucky that her granddad lives in the depths of Dorset and he managed to get someone he knew to take her under his wing afor a week at Easter. She did 2 days lambing, a day at a small animal vet, a day with an equine vet, plus some beef exposure and an afternoon of milking. It completely confirmed that she wanted to do this. Since then school got her a week in a vet for work experience- not all practices have a 16 year old minimum. She is doing another week at a different vet for October half term (still age 15). She has written to the farmer in Dorset to see if she can do some more lambing next Easter but will have to limit it due to those pesky GCSEs coming up.
She has started occasional riding lessons and will join their kids club to learn stable craft and muck out etc in exchange for points towards free lessons.
We walked dogs together (that under 16 rule again) for The Cinnamon Trust for her DofE bronze volunteering.
None of the local rescues here will take an under 16, but they all said come back once she is 16 - as did our own vet.
Maths is not essential at A level as long as she gets a good GCSE grade. A level requirements are Chemistry and Biology, some say that the 3rd A level should be Physics or Maths but others don't mind what it is as long as it is a proper one (not general studies, critical thinking, plus a few others). She will need to be aiming for AAA - A*AA for Cambridge and a couple might offer AAB but mostly it is 3As.
Many of the vet schools have recently changed their work experience requirements- Liverpool used to ask for 10 weeks!!! Now it is lower in volume but more focused on variety so you can't count any one placement for more than 5 days. Some are also now only counting experience gained in the 3 years (18 months in one case) prior to the application in yr 13 so not getting experience before 16 is not the end of the world. If you can find any it does, of course, show determination.
If she really wants to go for it there are ways forward but GCSE grades are the first hurdle - her best 8 need to be the equivalent of As and Bs, so 6/7/8/9 in the new world and that must include English, Maths and at least double science.
As you might be able to tell, this is a big thing in our house so shout if there are other questions that I might be able to help with.

MallyGirl

Artytarty wrote: »

I believe good veterinary nurses are worth their weight in gold, particularly for anaesthesia, at least that's what a vet told me.
What is the average vet salary , just in a first opinion practice? Not talking partner or specialist.

Probably start on around £27k after a 5 year uni course (or 6 years at Cambridge)

ELLA

Hi, we are in Dorset too but in the Bournemouth area x

han_nah95_2

Definitely the best grades possible.


Also EXPERIENCE is a must. I am a Veterinary Nurse and experience will win if 2 interviewees have the same grades.

Try and get her foot in the door - I helped at the vets I work at now since I was 15 (evenings and school holidays) got the qualifications and they offered me a apprenticeship when I left school. Anything she does put on a CV when she gets it too.

The Veterinary industry can be who you know not what you know

Another Veterinary Nurse attended Sparsholt College, passed the Animal Management Diploma and carried on to do their Veterinary Course.


Check out "Young Farmers" and if there is a club nearby. You don't need to be a farmer but it'll be great for her to meet people in that industry, maybe get some lambing experience, working on a farm anything is great I am a member of Young Farmers in the New Forest and its great and have met some amazing friends.

Good Luck and I wish her all the best xx