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what work experience do i need?
Work experience is a necessary part of your application and every single university asks for a slightly different amount.
Here are some examples of where you could get some work experience:
- Riding stables
- Cattery
- Kennel
- Rescue Centre
- Local veterinary practice (dogs and cats, horses, farm animals etc)
- Dairy farm
- Lambing in the spring on a sheep farm
- Zoos
- Abattoirs
- Laboratories
- Pathology services
Work experience is a chance for you to experience life working with animals and what your life may be like as a vet in the future. Plan your holidays well in advance to make sure you can accommodate your placements.
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how to get a work experience placement:
It can be daunting reaching out to businesses, particularly if you do not know them very well.
Email them and make sure your email is polite and professional. Explain you are a student who is considering a career in veterinary and would like to spend a week shadowing them. If you have had any previous animal experience, state this as well.
If you have no response, give them a call or go in face to face.
Remember to be smiley and enthusiastic!
Once you have secured your placement, remember to ask what time you should arrive and if there is a dress code you should adhere to.
If you are in a rescue center or veterinary practice, trousers and a polo shirt with your hair tied back is always a good place to start. If you are on a farm, full water proofs and wellies is recommended.
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what to do on your placement:
- Arrive promptly, you don't want to be late or get lost on your first day to your placement.
- If you are at a vets, your day will most likely consist of shadowing the vets in their consults and you may get to watch some of the routine operations that happens throughout the day.
- If you are on a farm/ kennels/ cattery, you will most likely be helping the staff with their day to day jobs like cleaning out, feeding the animals and checking them over.
- Be friendly and enthusiastic and enjoy your placement. This could be you in the future!
- Ask lots of questions. Did you see something new? Why not ask the vet what is it?
- Keep a diary of what you saw on your placement and what you learnt.
- Cake is always greatly appreciated on your last day.
- Remember to get a reference to prove that you have attended the placement. You will need these when you apply to vet school.
