Work experience advice!

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Horsespog

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So I aspire to be a vet when I am older, but specifically intend to put my mind to working in a large animal practice/farm animals, including equine. However, I live in the Mansfield area, and there are minimal practices that have equine units, there is one called Park Hall, however I have tried this previously and was informed only college students were accepted to Park Hall. I am still at school, and the work experience will be next year, however I want to plan in advance. Due to having limited time in a morning I cannot travel far, as I will have to rely on my parents as transport. Any ideas will be appreciated. If I am unable to find one, I will be okay to settle for small animal practices:) thank you in advance. No nasty comments please:)
 
To stand a chance getting into vet school you need as broad practical experience as you can acquire. This does not mean all vet work so you need minimum:

To work in a vet practice (small animal, mixed or equine)
Lambing experience
Cattle experience, milking and beef
Equine yard work. Try riding schools and livery yards.
Kennels and cattery

Extras to stand out

Abbatoir
Wildlife rescue
Zoo
Marine

So in answer to your question, yes small animal practice is fine, see if you can get a Saturday job in one as well as a few weeks experience. This shows commitment and dedication as well as a good reference!
 
Ella19 said:
To stand a chance getting into vet school you need as broad practical experience as you can acquire. This does not mean all vet work so you need minimum:

To work in a vet practice (small animal, mixed or equine)
Lambing experience
Cattle experience, milking and beef
Equine yard work. Try riding schools and livery yards.
Kennels and cattery

Extras to stand out

Abbatoir
Wildlife rescue
Zoo
Marine
Click to expand...

Yeah I know, however at the end of my school year, I get 2 weeks work experience, as it's a necessity for my whole year, so I mean generally for this two weeks what large practices there is within my local area :)
 
I've had many friends going for vet places

1. You need to stand out! Find something really different e.g. Zoo keeper to do, and document your experiences from it
2. Discuss this with you school.... I think all uni now require certain amounts of work experience in certain places e.g. Farm with sheep, cows. Also make your school HIGHLY aware of what you are aiming for!!!
3. All need small animal of at least a week....some up to 4 I believe.
4. They do not like you 'specialising' at this point.... Don't just focus on big animals....gain most work experience with small animals!
5. Try to find a weekend job working with a type of animal..... A friend had a job at a vets cleaning out cages at the weekend..... An animal rescue would work just as well.
6. Gain as much work experience as you can, in as many different areas and take something from every bit!

Good luck!

edit from your post above..... I would not even be considering anything large animal right now! Go for small animal as this is what most unis want...... If you are yet to stand in on surgery you may yet change your mind! It changed mine!
 
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TandD said:
I've had many friends going for vet places

1. You need to stand out! Find something really different e.g. Zoo keeper to do, and document your experiences from it
2. Discuss this with you school.... I think all uni now require certain amounts of work experience in certain places e.g. Farm with sheep, cows. Also make your school HIGHLY aware of what you are aiming for!!!
3. All need small animal of at least a week....some up to 4 I believe.
4. They do not like you 'specialising' at this point.... Don't just focus on big animals....gain most work experience with small animals!
5. Try to find a weekend job working with a type of animal..... A friend had a job at a vets cleaning out cages at the weekend..... An animal rescue would work just as well.
6. Gain as much work experience as you can, in as many different areas and take something from every bit!

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thankyou:), I'll make my school aware. Any ideas of how to get a Saturday job, I was under the impression you had to be 15(I'm not 15 until next year) so not sure if I can start yet?
 
TandD said:
I've had many friends going for vet places

1. You need to stand out! Find something really different e.g. Zoo keeper to do, and document your experiences from it
2. Discuss this with you school.... I think all uni now require certain amounts of work experience in certain places e.g. Farm with sheep, cows. Also make your school HIGHLY aware of what you are aiming for!!!
3. All need small animal of at least a week....some up to 4 I believe.
4. They do not like you 'specialising' at this point.... Don't just focus on big animals....gain most work experience with small animals!
5. Try to find a weekend job working with a type of animal..... A friend had a job at a vets cleaning out cages at the weekend..... An animal rescue would work just as well.
6. Gain as much work experience as you can, in as many different areas and take something from every bit!

Good luck!

edit from your post above..... I would not even be considering anything large animal right now! Go for small animal as this is what most unis want...... If you are yet to stand in on surgery you may yet change your mind! It changed mine!
Click to expand...

I'll take it into account:) I do intend to do work experience at both small and big, I just wanted to experience large animals initially for the school arranged one, I think I may have to settle for a small practice for now.
 
Hoofing-it said:
Have you considered volunteering / seeking work at somewhere like Whitepost Farm?
Click to expand...

I have, but I was intending to do that over next summer as opposed to the allocated slot for school, I was thinking of doing experience at a vets first, just to ensure it is the career path I want to follow.
 
Hi my daughter is doing work experience next year. I struggled to get her anywhere equine based apart from a local riding school, presumed a lot of it was down to h & s ?
In the end she is going to one of our local Vet Practices it is still animal based but all small animals, good luck x
 
pansy said:
Hi my daughter is doing work experience next year. I struggled to get her anywhere equine based apart from a local riding school, presumed a lot of it was down to h & s ?
In the end she is going to one of our local Vet Practices it is still animal based but all small animals, good luck x
Click to expand...

Yeah I think it is health and safety and insurance purposes, I may be incorrect, but I think they have to take out a different insurance to cover younger people. I think I may have to go to a small practice too and thankyou:)x
 
I was 16 (year 11) when I got mine.....
I actually got my job off the back of the work experience week I did, they were impressed with me that much that in the end they got rid of the other person who had just started and gave me the job!
I wouldn't worry to much about a job till you are in year 11.... It's a lot to throw into the mix along side school work!
Over the summer between year 10 and 11 I'd look to do volunteer work and find a job from September onwards. To find a job it's just about asking around, emailing and phoning!
 
TandD said:
I was 16 (year 11) when I got mine.....
I actually got my job off the back of the work experience week I did, they were impressed with me that much that in the end they got rid of the other person who had just started and gave me the job!
I wouldn't worry to much about a job till you are in year 11.... It's a lot to throw into the mix along side school work!
Over the summer between year 10 and 11 I'd look to do volunteer work and find a job from September onwards. To find a job it's just about asking around, emailing and phoning!
Click to expand...
Yeah I think that's going to be my plan:) focusing on getting experience now, thankyou, nice to hear from people in the same situation:) x
 
I would do your school work experience at the small animal vets and then try and get some summer experience on farms and equine yards, try and help with some lambing in Spring too.
 
Horsespog said:
Thankyou:), I'll make my school aware. Any ideas of how to get a Saturday job, I was under the impression you had to be 15(I'm not 15 until next year) so not sure if I can start yet?
Click to expand...

Hiya, I want to be a vet too (I'm 16) and I've got a Saturday job on a livery yard.

I would just ring up or go in person to any nearby practices/yards/farms/rescue centres with your CV and ask if they need any regular help, even if it's just voluntary (you can't really be picky at this stage!). I've learnt that there's definitely no harm in asking- you've got nothing to lose. Even if you don't get anything you've still put your name out there and come next year, they might realise they need some help and give you a ring.

You're doing the right thing by starting early with work experience, just make sure you get those As in the Sciences and Maths at GCSE and then you'll be well on your way.

If you need any help regarding work experience/CVs/vetty stuff in general then feel free to PM me :)
 
I do think you may struggle with large animal vet work experience. Due to insurance reasons, large animal vet work is considered high risk and most practices will only take on vet students now. Even some small animal can be a bit funny about under 16's or 18's. I work in small animal and my boss will only take on vet students :(

Agree with above if you can then great, but I would agree with above. Try for small animal, or anything in any other area! Be as broad as possible :)
 
Horsespog said:
Yeah I think that's going to be my plan:) focusing on getting experience now, thankyou, nice to hear from people in the same situation:) x
Click to expand...

FlaxenPony05 said:
Hiya, I want to be a vet too (I'm 16) and I've got a Saturday job on a livery yard.

I would just ring up or go in person to any nearby practices/yards/farms/rescue centres with your CV and ask if they need any regular help, even if it's just voluntary (you can't really be picky at this stage!). I've learnt that there's definitely no harm in asking- you've got nothing to lose. Even if you don't get anything you've still put your name out there and come next year, they might realise they need some help and give you a ring.

You're doing the right thing by starting early with work experience, just make sure you get those As in the Sciences and Maths at GCSE and then you'll be well on your way.

If you need any help regarding work experience/CVs/vetty stuff in general then feel free to PM me :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, thankyou:) I'm working on my studies, so determined to achieve A/A*s. I will pm you if I need any help, really appreciate it:)
 
Horsespog said:
Yeah I think that's going to be my plan:) focusing on getting experience now, thankyou, nice to hear from people in the same situation:) x
Click to expand...

Umbongo said:
I do think you may struggle with large animal vet work experience. Due to insurance reasons, large animal vet work is considered high risk and most practices will only take on vet students now. Even some small animal can be a bit funny about under 16's or 18's. I work in small animal and my boss will only take on vet students :(

Agree with above if you can then great, but I would agree with above. Try for small animal, or anything in any other area! Be as broad as possible :)
Click to expand...

Thankyou:) my school have provided us with a list of small vet practices, so I will hopefully gain experience there:) I gathered it would be health and safety/insurance issues, which is perfectly understandable. Thank you for your help, it has been beneficial:)
 
MY daughter did work experience a few years ago at a vet practice. She arranged it herself rather than wait for the school to do something. It helped that we actually knew someone that worked at the vets so that helped her get in. The practice did mainly small animal work but had some large animal stuff as well at a few farms. One of the vets took her under her wing & took her out for a couple of days so she experienced the farm work. The insurance issue was resolved somehow, I can't remember how though.

The work experience was for one week at the vets & for the second week we arranged for her to be with a farrier & he allowed her to remove shoes with his supervision obviously, she couldn't knock nails in etc. She enjoyed her two weeks & it taught her a couple of things.

1. She hadn't got the strength & build to be a farrier, it was hard back breaking work.
2. Too many people were applying for veterinary places at university for the places available & the chances of getting in were not great.

I do however wish you luck. :)
 
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