Harry's student experience

Why did you choose to study at Nottingham?

“I really liked the idea of staying in one place. We’re at Sutton Bonington campus for all five years, whereas some of the other vet schools that I went to, you do your first two years maybe in the city, then the next three years at a different campus. I stayed in halls in first year, then moved into a house in second year and I’ve not left! It’s a community, you know everyone, and there’s no moving about.

The other reason I chose Nottingham was the animal handling. I’m quite a practical person."

What was it like starting your course in April?

"Having that six months off after my A levels, I didn’t realise how much I needed that. I just went and worked and it’s probably one of the best things I’ve done. We still get our offers the same time as the September starters, so for me, I had six months of not worrying about uni because I knew I’d got a place. I think the April start works really well.

It’s quite a common theme that the April students tend to be more mature as most of us do work. Everyone takes a bit more of a mature, workplace-based approach, which seems to go down quite well.

Also, in terms of placements, all the vet school students in the UK look for placements at the same time, except for us April starters."

What’s it like being based on Sutton Bonington Campus?

"I really love it. I come from Somerset, so I’m country-based anyway. Everyone knows everyone. To get from one side of campus to the other, it can take half an hour, 45 minutes, because you have to stop and talk to everyone along the way!

I really like it and actually we're not far enough away from the city that we can’t go out to the restaurants, go clubbing. Then of course we have things like the farmers market, which is just a bit different."

Tell us about your experience running the Big Vet Little Vet scheme

"I ran the scheme last year and the year before, as I was the vet society president at the time.

We have a form with loads of questions about yourself - hobbies, pets, what type of vet you want to be - and we send that to the new freshers and the upcoming second years. We then spend hours trying to match people up based on the responses! We always try and match one thing, so at least they've got that in common to talk about when they meet for the first time.

All we require the participants to do is answer messages for academic help. Other than that, you can make of it what you will. It's what works for individuals, which is quite nice. It can be what everyone wants it to be."

Tell us more about the Vet Society, Vet Soc…

"Vet Soc basically run everything! Vet Ball is the main event of the year. Then they run the halfway weekend - once you get to third year, you're halfway through your degree, so they run a weekend away with that year group to celebrate. This year they’re going to the Lake District, doing Go Ape and paddleboarding on Lake Windermere.

They also run a boat party in the summer. They hire a boat out on the Trent and have a three-hour open bar. 

Then the society host things like workshops and talks. 

There's also a Sherwood Forest deer ranger who takes us for a tour of what he does. Every deer they find dead they have to postmortem, so he talks us through one of the postmortems they do.

The society also get people in as well, doing things like cattle feet trimming. It’s stuff that they teach on the course, but it's really hard to do. It’s just about running extra sessions for people. If you can think of it, and it's to do with veterinary, Vet Soc can run it!"

Have you taken part in Vets in the Community?

"I went out with them while I was on final year rotations. As a final year, my job wasn't to treat the animal in any way. My job was to help support. I had a second-year student with me and a first-year vet nursing student from Nottingham Trent University.

I realised that I quite enjoy teaching. It let me approach veterinary practice from a different side. I'd already got the clinical skills, so I could pass my knowledge onto someone else."

What have you enjoyed most about your course?

Other than that, Vet Soc has been really good, especially attending the talks. Vet Ball is also a highlight every year. Our Dean of the vet school is in a band, so he plays quite often. That improves the sense of community, too. It's a very good band. Any opportunity they have, they will try and perform!"

Any staff shout-outs?

"Pamela Oldham from the student experience team. To be fair, that whole team! They put on some great events, like our second graduation over here in final year. We graduate on University Park like everyone else, then have to sign the register to be an official vet back over here. Pam and her team organise all of that.

They do events, but anything else you could want they will fix for you! They also will help with any problem you could have from lost property to signposting to welfare support."

What are your plans for after graduation?

"I'm planning to be a farm vet eventually. I'm actually doing a master’s here next year. It’s about nutrition in ruminants and cows. It’s all paid for, and they pay the tuition and pay me a tax-free stipend as well to do it."