Personal Statement:Veterinary Science 23

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

The animal world has always captivated me and I have known from a young age that I had an affinity with animals and that I was enthusiastic about becoming a vet. Being a vet has been my lifelong career goal and, in recent years, I have felt more determined than ever to gain a place at vet school. My broad range of work experience in different fields has made me realise just how much I enjoy working with animals and the people who care for them. Communication and teamwork are vital skills that every vet needs, and being able to spend time with vets, nurses, farmers and owners has really improved these skills in recent years.

Having seen both large and small animal practice, I am very open minded about the direction I would like my career to take. However, after seeing a case of Chiari malformation in a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and, after reading articles in Veterinary Times and online about the condition, I feel particularly interested in neurology.

Science strongly interests me and I feel particularly drawn to biology and studying it has given me an interest into how living organisms work. I am amazed by the progress the field has made in recent years and I keep myself up to date with current news and research by reading New Scientist and National Geographic, both of which provided valuable reading for my subjects outside of the curriculum.

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

I have undertaken a broad and extensive range of work experience and these have reinforced my enthusiasm to be a vet. I particularly enjoyed seeing mixed practice at Eastgate Veterinary Centre, one week of which was carried out in April, giving me the opportunity to see the importance of vets during lambing time and in the rural community in general. I was also able to spend two days with an on-call vet and was able to see farm practice and, most interestingly, an emergency caesarean section on a breech calf.

At White Cross vets I was also given the opportunity to help restrain a dog so that a blood sample could be taken and I was then shown how the blood was prepared for a haematology test. Volunteering on Saturdays at the RSPCA has given me a valuable insight into animal welfare issues such the Dangerous Dogs Act and some of the ethical issues surrounding pet ownership and rehoming animals. I have also been taught useful skills such as recognising animal behaviour which is vital when working with animals that feel nervous or threatened. My experience of farrowing at Malton Grange and lambing at Court Green farms also taught me some basic but important skills, such as administering antibiotics to lambs, identifying lame piglets and administering injections.

Completing my EPQ on the economic effects of bovine TB strengthened my independent research capabilities and I learnt about some of the issues affecting farmers affected by the disease and the moral issues surrounding culling animals to control disease and the difficult decisions that many rural vets must make.

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

Volunteering at the Unicorn Centre for seven months in 2011 was a deeply gratifying experience and I found working with disabled children a deeply rewarding experience. Interacting with the pupils and other volunteers improved my communication abilities and my confidence when talking to new people, as well as making me more comfortable working around horses.

I am also looking forward to completing a week’s placement at a dairy farm in October where I will gain hands on experience working with cattle. I will soon be doing my grade 7 for violin after playing for 10 years, as well as being a member of my local youth orchestra. I was also a prefect at school and completed my Sports Leader Award. These activities improved my teamwork and leadership skills, both of which are important skills for my future career.

I have participated in online courses on Future Learn, including an online pharmacology course. I also participated in my college’s chemSTEM club where we were given the opportunity to make medicines.

Before applying, my clinical work experience included 3 weeks mixed practice and 1 week small animal. Husbandry experience included 7 months of Saturdays at RDA riding stable, 1 year of Saturdays at local RSPCA (including vet visits), 4 days dairy farm, 5 days organic dairy, 8 days lambing, and 5 days pig farm. After applying, I completed 8 days organic lambing and 2 months working on a petting farm that is part of an autistic respite centre.

Universities applied to:

• RVC
• Liverpool
• Nottingham
• Surrey
• University of York

Grades achieved:

• AS Physics - E
• AS Geology - A
• EPQ - A*
• A Level Biology - A
• A Level Chemistry - B
• A Level Geography - A*
• A Level General Studies - B
• GCSEs - 1 A*, 9 A, 2 B, 1 D

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.

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