Work Experience-
First of all you must recognise that the requirements for the quantity of work experience vary depending on the vet school.
Some Vet Schools no longer require any work experience, other vet schools require a set amount of weeks at varied locations undertaking jobs with a varied range of animals.
It is also worth noting vet schools usually only consider work experience that has been completed during 2 or 3 years prior to the date of your application.
Admissions committees at veterinary schools seek candidates who have demonstrated a genuine commitment to the field. They look for individuals who have actively engaged in relevant experiences, as these candidates are more likely to understand the genuine hardships of being a vet that could turn people away.
Example requirements for recent entries: ( We advise strongly visiting the schools website for up to date requirements)
Nottingham Vet School
You'll need a minimum of 5 weeks work experience. Work experience can be done over varying hours and days and should include:
A minimum of 3 weeks of animal handling
Up to 2 weeks of either customer facing and/or teamwork experience
Up to 2 weeks for the completion of the virtual work experience free online course.
Edinburgh vet school
They do not ask for specific types or number of days/weeks for work experience. However, the broader the experience, the better, but you should not gain experience to the detriment of your academic studies. You should however gain both veterinary practice and animal work experience.
"You should gain as much and as varied practical work experience as possible, which could include time spent:
Seeing veterinary practice, both large and small animal if possible
Livestock farms - dairy and lambing are particularly useful
Other animal establishments, such as zoos, kennels, catteries, wildlife centres, pig farms, poultry farms and stables
A day at an abattoir is recommended but not demanded
We encourage experience gained in veterinary or medical laboratories to help you appreciate the scientific basis of veterinary medicine
We will also take into consideration the online courses as detailed above"
Bristol Vet School
As of 2023 the requirement for set work experience was removed therefore Bristol does not have any specific work experience requirements for entry. Instead, within
the Supplementary Assessment Questionnaire you will be asked to draw on your relevant experiences to support your answers.
