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Vet Students: "Here we are!"
SWAP met up recently with Vet Med students David, Lauren, Jade & George to hear how their learning experience has been so far ...
SWAP: Let’s start by asking what you were doing before starting on the SWAP Access to Medical Studies programme?
Lauren: I was doing the SWAP Life Sciences programme. I was a really good 1st step for me before coming onto the Medical Studies programme. I lived in Brechin so needed to move to Edinburgh for that.
Jade: I was a personal trainer but always wanted to be a vet. But I had given up the idea because I didn’t have the grades from school; then I heard about SWAP.
George: I was in the military before. I had always wanted to be a vet but I was terrible in high school, had no chance of getting in and had given up on it until a friend showed me the SWAP course. I did the level 5 course beforehand which was the right decision as I think I would have struggled with the content if I’d gone straight into the Medical Studies.
SWAP: How did you find out about the SWAP programme?
Jade: I googled it!
David: I was browsing the University of Edinburgh website and almost fantasising about getting into the Vet Med degree when I read about the access programme at Edinburgh College. At first, I was thinking of how to become a Vet Technician or a Vet Nurse – as I thought Vet Med was way too high for me to achieve.
SWAP: How did you find returning to study?
David: All great! To come back into education, to be learning all this amazing stuff, to be surrounded by people who are likeminded and love the same things as you. It was fantastic, I loved every day of it.
Lauren: Challenging – but I loved being challenged and when you overcome it and learn it, it is so rewarding.
George: It was a culture shock coming straight from being in the army and then being responsible for myself, taking responsibility for my own learning, with no-one telling me what to do 24/7. Callum (the course tutor) was a great help.
SWAP: What was the application process for university like for you?
Jade: I was initially positive about it all, but then stressed about not hearing back quickly from the university.
Lauren: I was initially on the waiting list but booked to do lambing for March/April nevertheless.
Jade: I went on the Edinburgh University summer school (before the access programme) which really helped. It was a week long. We had a taster of different classes – anatomy, pathology, a visit to the Zoo. I had a meltdown in the Maths class but got support from Guru (from the Dick Vet School) to keep going. I would recommend to anyone to do that.
David: I found the REACH seminar (conducted by Edinburgh University for widening participation students, including SWAP) which went through the interview process, really important and really helpful.
Lauren: I found the tour of the campus, which included advice about the interview process, that Edinburgh University gave SWAP students really helpful.
George: I enjoyed the MMIs (Multi Mini Interviews) at Edinburgh. I felt 10 mins was time enough to get the opportunity to talk about different things to different people. There were 7 stations which included a practical task.
SWAP: What were the main differences that you found between college and university?
Jade: There is a lot to learn at university but we have more time to do it. At college it was constant and a lot less time given to learn everything.
George: I felt a lot more spoon-fed at college whereas here at university it was “well it’s all up to you now”. We were tested on each individual units at college but at uni there are fewer exams. One exam might be on the entire animal body. So, a lot less spoon-fed and a lot less specific. At college there was more to learn for each test and harder to cover everything. Now you need to know a little about everything, not focus wholly on a small number of things.
George: The assessment method at university is similar to college but we didn’t get orals there. The spot test, to describe what you’re looking at, was fun.
Lauren: I felt more connected to the lecturers at college because of the smaller class groups. And everyone is a lot younger here.
Jade: I struggled initially with being around all these young people who were going out and doing young people things! Definitely an adjustment was needed by me and an acceptance that I’m an older person now! It was great to have David, Lauren and George around – people my own age is definitely important.
Lauren: The “vet family” set up at the university is good – someone in years above you to support you in your exams, to give you advice on certain kinds of things, like course work.
SWAP: Have you had exams?
All: Nothing before Christmas apart from a couple of interviews and some course assessments.
David: The 1st exam AB (Animal Body) 1 was in February. Exams were in the central campus, otherwise everything has been on this campus (Easter Bush).
SWAP: What was the 1st term like for you?
SWAP: What was the 1st term like for you?Jade: AB1 was cell biology & anatomy and Histology and also animal life – it was quite hard to focus on such a big area and I was worried over how much I needed to know in each of the subjects for the one exam that would follow. It was quite tough. AB2 in the 2nd term is better.
David: We’re in class 4 hours a day on average each week, including practicals – so roughly 20 hours a week.
SWAP: What have you liked the most so far?
David: The practicals - where it’s hands on – where you’re dissecting or looking through microscopes in a lab or looking at an animal – that’s everyone’s favourite part.
SWAP: Have any of you continued to do any vet related work?
Jade: Yes, we all have to do it. It’s called EMS – Extra Mural studies. We have to do a certain number of weeks each year. In Years 1 & 2 it’s 10 weeks total, and in Years 3 & 4 it’s 20 weeks. You have to do practical work each year e.g., we’re all doing lambing in 2 weeks; I did some winter EMS with cows and then most of us will do some in the summer as well.
David: I worked in a cattery for a week. The first two years are pre-clinical so it’s about going out and seeing how different types of animals are looked after in different kinds of environments. This is called Husbandry which is about caring for animals - feeding, cleaning & maybe milking and/or lambing. Years 3 & 4 are clinical - when we can go out and shadow GPs and diagnose or do minor surgery etc. We’re responsible for booking these EMSs ourselves but the university has a big database with placement opportunities listed that you can use to source a placement. You can also be paid for some placements.
SWAP: It all sounds pretty full-on. Do any of you also work part-time?
George: I have to work part-time. I work as a dog groomer and I have to book time off leading up to exams so that I can completely focus on my studies.
Jade: I work in a restaurant, about a minimum of 14 hours a week. Sometimes I’m in until 1am and then it impacts on the next day, but there’s no alternative, I have to work. I’ve been lucky as I’ve had a couple of grants that I’ve been able to apply for which has helped, but I would definitely rather not have to work. There’s a database that SWAP has on its website which give details of all sorts of grants/endowments that are available to students. It’s definitely worth looking at and applying. There is also a grant that the university has, called Access Edinburgh, which is for £3,000. You have to be eligible for the maximum SAAS bursary to get it.
SWAP: What was your placement experience like?
Lauren: I went lambing in Inverurie before the SWAP access programme. It was only for 3 days and it was back breaking! I’m a bit worried about the lambing that we’re booked in for this spring as it’s two weeks long!
David: I went on a Cattery placement. Each student has a mentor who’s a vet that you’re assigned to. You must set a series of learning objectives e.g., how the cats are cared for, which you then have to reflect on through your experience of being there and say if you’ve met these objectives. The tutor then sees if you’re on track with this and doing the right things. The reflection process is really important and I’ve found it very useful in my learning.
SWAP: Finally, what would you have liked to know at the start of the access programme that you didn’t?
Jade: I was very unsure for a while if this was the right route for me. College was tough and I thought that university would be worse, but it’s not, it’s just different. Now that I’m here, there’s no doubt anymore. At college we had to do stuff that wasn’t specific to Vet Med. Now that we’re here, we’re doing stuff that’s super interesting. I wish I could go back to myself on the access programme and say you can do it and also that you will enjoy it!
David: Any advice I would give is, give it everything. If you do everything you can, then even if you don’t get in, you can’t say that you didn’t give it 100%.
Lauren: I was worried at first that my age would be a factor, but it doesn’t matter. The only thing getting in the way of your dreams is yourself. I never thought I’d be smart enough to do it but it’s just hard work and determination. And if you get an offer, then buy the Dissection of the dog book and start reading it straightaway! There are so many muscles that you need to know! And set aside a small budget to buy all the PPE gear that you need that you need to pay for yourself. It comes to about £300.
Jade: I’d also tell people not to worry about their age – I’ve found that mature students have more mental resilience!
George: Prepare for the interview – do the REACH seminar (during the SWAP year), which is invaluable. We all have different backgrounds but we all share the same passion. If you want it enough, there is an opportunity to do it. And here we are.
SWAP: That’s a great sentence to end on. Yes, you are all here and thriving by the sound of it. My thanks to David, Lauren, Jade and George. Our very best wishes from SWAP to the 4 of you for your future careers as Vets. Please keep in touch!
If anyone is interested in asking David, Lauren, Jade or George more about their lives as student vets, please get in touch with SWAP and we’ll pass on your questions.
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