Personal Statement:Veterinary science 13 - The Student Room

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

My route to study veterinary medicine has not been conventional but it is an ambition that has nonetheless dominated my life and no amount of flushing anal glands, late nights and anguished owners will deter me. I am an exceptionally driven person; my passion to become a vet began at just 5 years old when I witnessed the birth of a foal on a school trip to a public farm. Since this event I have been fascinated by animals and continue to be amazed by their incredible complexity, diversity and adaptability the more I understand about their biological makeup and behaviour.

Fulfilling these roles across the diverse, often controversial, animal world in which every case is unique is such an exciting challenge to me, particularly as the profession must remain proactive to combat new strains of disease that are constantly evolving.

I relish the challenge of using the knowledge and practical application gained on a veterinary degree with these skills to promote animal welfare. I am also passionate about using my communication skills to make animal husbandry education as widely accessible as possible, as informed ownership and good animal husbandry are key in preventing ill health.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

I am currently an English Literature BA finalist as although my motivation to study veterinary medicine started young, I was not prepared for the course at the time of leaving school and English is another subject that I enjoy. I continue to be an extremely hard working student and now have the independent study skills and maturity required for the demanding veterinary course.

My degree, extra-curricular activities and experience as a bar manager have greatly developed my communication skills both written and spoken. As a bar manager I often deal with aggressive customers and by remaining calm and informative but authoritative I am usually able to persuade people to take the best course of action. This is an extremely useful skill in the veterinary profession as vets must be capable communicators and inspire confidence in their clients in order to use their skills effectively.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

My work experience placements to date are as follows: 4 years at ***** Riding School; 3 weeks at ***** thoroughbred stud; 2 weeks at ***** Veterinary Clinic (mixed); 2 weeks at ***** Veterinary Hospital (small animal); 1 day at ***** Dog Training School; 2 weeks at ***** Farm (dairy); 1 week at ***** (smallholding).

At ***** I assisted the herdsman in the milking and general care of the herd and as with all my large animal experience found that I really enjoyed the physical aspects of the role. I was also responsible for calf husbandry where I developed handling skills and watched two assisted births. Five calves were born during my visit but unfortunately only two survived. This experience, and the euthanasia cases I witnessed in veterinary practice, reiterated the need for a thick skin in the profession without losing all the emotional involvement that makes the career so rewarding.

My placement also coincided with a visit from the vet and feed advisor and I felt privileged to learn about the science behind the herd’s nutrition from these professionals and watch the vet PD several cows. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience and my enthusiasm and attentiveness was rewarded by the farmer offering me a 5 week lambing placement in April 2011. I have also organised 1 week at an organic farm with pigs and chickens in November 2010 to further my knowledge of the farming industry.

I love the strong sense of teamwork when working closely with people; I have represented my schools in sporting teams and school productions and at university I am a member of several clubs and societies. I am also self-motivated and have represented the South East in fencing in all three weapons at the British Youth Championships, achieving a 3rd place in sabre. I have also achieved purple belt in karate kick-boxing and grade 5 in flute.

Universities applied to:

• RVC (D100)
• Bristol (D100)
• Liverpool (D100)
• Nottingham (D100)

Grades achieved:

• Biology (A2) - A
• Chemistry (A2) - A
• English Literature (A2) - A
• Mathematics (A2) - A
• General Studies (A2) - A
• German (AS) - B
• Philosophy *AS) - B

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

Need help with your personal statement? You can ask a question or get feedback from The Student Room community (and our trained personal statement experts) on the personal statement advice forum.