PA 75/14
The University of Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Science has out-performed the UK’s six other vet schools in every comparison made in the latest survey carried out by the Association of Veterinary Students (AVS), released on March 12th 2014.
When the Nottingham Veterinary School opened its doors in 2006 it was the first new vet school to open in the UK in 50 years. This is the second time the Veterinary School has appeared in the four yearly survey which represents the UK veterinary student population on issues that concern them. In 2008 it was also top in every category even though the school had only been open for two years.
Conducted in the final term of the 2012 academic year, 2,106 of the country’s 4,578 vet students (a 46 per cent response rate) completed the survey which compares personal background, financial support and the quality of the degree course as well as welfare, widening participation and the role of the AVS. The results were released on 12 March 2014.
Professor Gary England, Foundation Dean of the School of Veterinary Science and Medicine, said: “This is a fantastic achievement by all our staff and academics. In some categories, we have not even gained any below average ratings. We have helped to change the way veterinary medicine is taught in Britain and this survey shows that we have the support of our talented and hard-working students.”
Nick Wojciechowski, AVS President 2013, said: “The University of Nottingham is a newly designed and purpose built Veterinary School so clearly has some advantages over longer established institutions. However, it outperforms the other vet schools in every single comparison that is made. This ranges from the Extra Mural Studies (EMS) outside the University and structures to the course structure, content, balance and quality. The establishing of a new vet school with such favourable feedback from students should provide other universities with an opportunity to review and learn from what they are offering.”
Nottingham respondents were more positive about every single aspect of the course than all other universities.
• 96.2 per cent of Nottingham students rated basic clinical skills teaching as good or excellent against an overall average of 65.4 per cent.
• 96.3 per cent of Nottingham students considered the balance between lectures and practicals to be good or excellent compared with an overall average of 65.6 per cent.
• The quality of practicals was considered good or excellent by 94.1 per cent of Nottingham students compared with 74.2 per cent of respondents across all vet schools.
The quality of Nottingham’s teaching programme was recognised in 2011 when it was awarded ‘full recognition’ of the innovative degree course — the highest accolade by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. The School is also top for overall student satisfaction in both the 2011 and 2012 National Student Surveys.