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Veterinary Science…for all walks of life

‘Veterinary Science… for all walks of life’ launched on the 8 May 2008 aims to better promote the range of opportunities across the veterinary profession to a broader group of school leavers.

The project has been jointly funded by Defra, The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and six of the seven UK Veterinary Schools as part of the Higher Education 'Gateways to the Professions' initiative, which raises the profile of access to the professions across the UK.

Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, Alick Simmons, joined colleagues at the launch:

“Defra has been delighted to contribute to this project. We wanted to provide profiles of veterinary roles in government, research and in veterinary practice which show how vets make significant contribution to protect human health through safer production of food and better animal disease control. Many school leavers won't recognise that this is an important aspect of any veterinary career.”

The event also highlighted the veterinary contribution to protecting the economy, their roles in conservation, protection of animal welfare as well as in supporting humanitarian activities. The potential business and entrepreneurial opportunities of being a vet were also showcased at the launch.

Chairman of the project’s steering group, Professor Phillip Duffus, said that the majority of the veterinary candidates in the UK were now white, middle class females which follows a trend seen in many other professions:

"Our students all make excellent vets. But the profession recognises that we will be missing out on some potentially excellent candidates simply because they have limited opportunities either because of their background or because they have misconceptions about what the profession is about. In many cases students are put off even applying for a  veterinary course. We want to show that the profession really is for people from 'all walks of life' and we welcome greater diversity in the profession.”

The project has put together a series of video modules which are available on a single DVD as well as a booklet which explains just some of the range of opportunities a veterinary career can bring. Hard copies of the DVD and Brochure are available from Defra's Government Veterinary Surgeons Programme Team. More information about the launch is available on the RCVS website.

Defra's representative on the project, Megan Power, said:

“We would like to thank all the vets who were willing to be involved in the project, particularly Richard Irvine from VLA, Lévon Stephan from Animal Health and our colleagues in the Ministry of Defence. These profiles demonstrate the ongoing importance of the veterinary role to protect the public and safeguard animal health and welfare in a range of different areas.”

 

 

Page last modified 14 May, 2008