Foundation Animal Science Degree

Re: Foundation Animal Science Degree

Katie Mansfield — Tue, 03 May 2011 07:56:13 GMT

[quote user="Christina83"]I don't have a clear background with animals I don't stand much of a chance,[/quote]

My only experience before I started was owning hamsters as a child! Don't panic, get yourself some animal work experience - anything; kennels, cattery, rescue, walk people's dogs etc before you start asking vet practices.

K x

Re: Foundation Animal Science Degree

Christina83 — Tue, 03 May 2011 01:29:51 GMT

Ooh thanks, I never knew there was a Veterinary course in Bridgend.

The only problem I have is I don't drive, which makes it hard for me to get to practices :( So I am going to start learning soon and hopefully then get a car. Though I'd take a train to Bridgend.

I never realised how hard it would be to get into veterinary nursing, plus because I don't have a clear background with animals I don't stand much of a chance, but I'm going to try to gain more experience.

[quote user="Catherine Raymond"]

I am down in Pembrokeshire, after many many years I managed to get a training position with a local practice, but had to travel once a week to Bridgend. I know quite a few of the other practices use Hartpury.

When I first started looking I sent letters all along the M4 corridor (days before email!). Sometimes you need to be prepared to move to a practice area and be prepared to travel whichever college they use for theory provision.

Sounds scary to move to another place/area but it can be quite an exciting prospect. Did a stint in Windsor years ago, and was wonderful place to be.

[/quote]

Re: Foundation Animal Science Degree

Catherine Raymond — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 11:48:50 GMT

Sounds scary to move to another place/area but it can be quite an exciting prospect. Did a stint in Windsor years ago, and was wonderful place to be.

Re: Foundation Animal Science Degree

Katie Mansfield — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 07:20:31 GMT

Think they used to. I go there now (FE) just checked website, it's welfare and conservation now. May be I should have a nag at the HE staff!!!!!! Shame cos that would be so easy - I know all the lecturers, the college and its only half hour up the road. Still I've got 5 yrs, they might do it again :)

Re: Foundation Animal Science Degree

Louise B — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 08:59:33 GMT

Hi, doesn't Writtle college offer a behaviour & welfare MSc? I don't know anything about the course though. There is a VN on here that does though. Nieky Van Veegel (spelt something like that, check my friends list) graduated from this course a little while ago (I think - I am most reliable for having an unreliable memory).

Re: Foundation Animal Science Degree

Katie Mansfield — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 07:40:38 GMT

[quote user="Princess Ophelia Hermione MacBeth"]Edinburgh University. http://www.link.vet.ed.ac.uk/animalbehaviour/ It is a good course and well respected if you want to use it as a stepping stone to welfare work or a higher degree. If you want to become a behaviour counsellor though there are courses that are more focussed on companion animals. For example, Lincoln University's. [/quote]

I'm like Christina in that I'm stuck where I am in Essex cos of family and animals. Lincoln I think is the closest uni offering behaviour MSc but not combined with welfare. Good job I can drive .... As it is more counselling I'm into, I'll probably do that but I also want to study welfare. Oh well guess I'll end up doing two MScs!!!!! (Can you do that??? Not sure - and anyway we are talking 5-6 yrs time here!!!!)

K x

Re: Foundation Animal Science Degree

Katie Mansfield — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 07:34:08 GMT

[quote user="Christina83"]

I just thought that by being on an animal science course and being on a placement some vet may well take notice of me working hard an offer to train me as a VN in the practice.

Argh, not sure what to do, I really want to give up.

[/quote]

From expereince - sadly not. We have to do 300 hours work expereince on the animal management diploma I'm on at the mo and I contacted so many different vets to ask for a placement I went dizzy. The answer over and over again was that priority went to VN degree students. I was very lucky to get my placement at the PDSA cos I know the vet - generally they only take vet students at the hospital I'm on placement at; there are a few that take VN students from CAW.

Don't know how the correspondence course would work out for you - think you would have to be in practice because you need a minimum of 60 weeks experience to qualify plus you have to take practical exams.

Don't give up - just be patient. Someone at a pratice near you will qualify and move on / leave / go on maternity leave etc, etc and then they'll have a vacancy. And, I guess, in the meantime taking the animal science course wouldn't hurt cos it'd give you a grounding in A&P etc for when you eventually do the VN course :)

K x

Re: Foundation Animal Science Degree

Christina83 — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 01:51:18 GMT

Thanks for all your replies :)

I'd love to be able to move away but I can't at the moment, I have pets and some elderly and disabled family that I need to be close to.

When I searched for veterinary nurse courses in Wales there wasn't any, however there is a home study course. I just thought that by being on an animal science course and being on a placement some vet may well take notice of me working hard an offer to train me as a VN in the practice.

Argh, not sure what to do, I really want to give up.

Re: Foundation Animal Science Degree

Louise B — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 23:46:40 GMT

[quote user="Katietaz"]

[quote user="Princess Ophelia Hermione MacBeth"]since qualifying as a VN I have gone on to do a degree in animal science, a masters degree in animal behaviour/welfare and a PhD[/quote]

Where did you do your masters? I want to do behaviour and welfare MSc when I've finished my VN degree. What was it like?

K x

[/quote]

Edinburgh University. http://www.link.vet.ed.ac.uk/animalbehaviour/ It is a good course and well respected if you want to use it as a stepping stone to welfare work or a higher degree. If you want to become a behaviour counsellor though there are courses that are more focussed on companion animals. For example, Lincoln University's.

Re: Foundation Animal Science Degree

Katie Mansfield — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:05:21 GMT

[quote user="Princess Ophelia Hermione MacBeth"]since qualifying as a VN I have gone on to do a degree in animal science, a masters degree in animal behaviour/welfare and a PhD[/quote]

Where did you do your masters? I want to do behaviour and welfare MSc when I've finished my VN degree. What was it like?

K x

Re: Foundation Animal Science Degree

Louise B — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:39:40 GMT

Truthfully, I would say don't bother with the foundation degree in animal science. It might make you more attractive to employers (debatable) but it won't be a substitute for doing the VN training. If you are going to pay the £9000/pa fees to do the foundation degree in animal science you might as well do the foundation degree in veterinary nursing and end up qualified so that you can walk into a QVN job at the end of it. I echo what the others said. Be prepared to move. I had to move 200 miles from home for my first SVN job but it was one of the best things I ever did (training as a VN, not that specific job which was awful!).

Employers want practical skills/experience - since qualifying as a VN I have gone on to do a degree in animal science, a masters degree in animal behaviour/welfare and a PhD (finishing it at the moment) and, at all points, the solid practical experience gained from actually working as a VN was what set me apart from the other candidates for jobs/masters degree/PhD and got me the job/onto the course. I have friends who qualified from the undergrad degree and the masters degree with better grades - but who are still looking for an animal job. Too many people now accumulate qualifications that, without the practical experience (voluntary work okay, solid paid work experience much better - shows you are good enough to be paid!), are either meaningless or may actually make it more difficult for you to get a job (you want a job commensuarate with having a degree, the potential employer sees someone with zero established practical skills).

Re: Foundation Animal Science Degree

Sal the 1st — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:38:35 GMT

[quote user="Katietaz"]

Difficult as it is I think you may have to consider moving if you wanted to get into vet nursing.

[/quote]

Would second that - when I started out over 20 years ago the situation was the same its never changed. To get what you want you will have to expand your horizons

Re: Foundation Animal Science Degree

Katie Mansfield — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:22:57 GMT

Difficult as it is I think you may have to consider moving if you wanted to get into vet nursing. The uni I'm going to (RVC) does blocks of teaching and placement - they find your placement for you and if you ask they will try to find it as near to your home as possible. If you were to do the course there it would mean being away at college living in halls for 12 - 18 weeks twice a year. I don't know your situation so don't know if that would be possible - do you have kids or animals you couldn't leave?

On the plus side if you go ahead with the animal science Fds you may be able to transfer onto a graduate diploma in VN once you graduate - I haven't looked at the entry requirements though, so can't say for sure.

Other than that it's the work based level 3 route, and waiting until the vets locally to you have a SVN position come up.

So, no magic answers,

K x