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Students at The University of Nottingham and the Association of Veterinary Students (AVS) have joined forces to ensure the welfare of the next generation of UK vets.
Working alongside a wide range of charities, veterinary organisations and School staff, the Nottingham AVS Welfare Day held on Wednesday 24 October, has been organised to raise awareness of the huge support network in place throughout the five year course.
Junior AVS Rep for Nottingham, William Bayton, explained: “Veterinary medicine can be a very stressful profession. The long-hours, busy schedule and difficult decisions can all build up to really impact the individual, which is why stress and depression is so common among vets.
Support network
“The same can be said for vet students; sometimes it feels like your whole life is a combination of exams and lectures, which is why it is crucial that the students here are aware of the huge support network in place to get them through any issues.
“Veterinary medicine is a fantastic course, we get to do some amazing practical’s and learn really interesting skills so it would be a great shame if this was impacted by feelings of stress or isolation. Hopefully that is where AVS can help.”
After the chance to speak to the Samaritans, the Students’ Union’s LGBT network and Financial Support, students will be able to try their hand at yoga and hear a talk from the AVS president, a mental-health support worker and a representative from the charity Vetlife.
School backing
Members of staff from the Veterinary School have also supported the initiative and will be on hand to highlight the welfare services which they provide throughout the year.
Ahead of the day Student Support Officer Jane Ackling explained: “From personal tutors to support staff, we are aware of the pressures faced during what is an intensive and demanding course and work to encourage students to recognise when they need support and to ask for it — a skill which will be invaluable during their professional lives.
“The veterinary course itself also includes modules designed to prepare students for life after graduation, from financial management to striking a work-life balance, while students also have access to workshops on managing stress, anxiety and perfectionism. These messages can only be helped by fantastic initiatives such as the AVS Welfare Day, which the School is delighted to support.”
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Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham has 42,000 students at award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia; according to the Sunday Times University Guide 2012, ‘Of all the British universities, Nottingham has embraced internationalism the most.’ It is also one of the most popular universities in the UK by application numbers, and ‘the world’s greenest university’. It is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 75 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and the QS World University Rankings.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise. The University aims to be recognised around the world for its signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy & sustainability, and health. The University won a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in 2011, for its research into global food security.
Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest ever fundraising campaign, will deliver the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. More news…