Pupil Resources
Resources for pupils interested in pursuing degrees/careers Law, Medicine or Veterinary Medicine.
The resources on this page are all freely available resources that can be found online. We have pulled these together into one place for pupils in order to help you develop your knowledge and understanding of your subject area(s). We will continue to add/amend these resources regularly.
This page is intended for any pupil interested in pursuing a career in law, medicine or vet medicine (not just Reach Edinburgh pupils)
General Resources
Regardless of subject, whenever you are undertaking work experience or career exploration, it is extremely valuable and useful to reflect on your experiences. This helps you to put what you've observed into perspective and also helps you to develop your understanding of what you've observed and relate it back to yourself. This may be relating qualities or skills you have observed during work experience to examples of when you have demonstrated similar qualities or skills, for example.
The University of Edinburgh has produced a Reflection Toolkit, aimed at helping staff and students develop their reflective skills. This toolkit may also be useful for you when thinking about WHAT reflection is and HOW you can reflect on your experiences.
Transitioning from secondary school to university can be a massive jump for many students. You won't be alone in feeling this way - a huge number of new students find the change in learning style and move towards more independent learning to be quite a challenge.
In order to help you better prepare for your transition from school to university, we have put together a list of freely accessible resources to work through in your own time to help prepare you for the step from secondary school to university.
MOOCs
You can work through the MOOCs below to help you prepare for the transition to university.
|
Provider |
Title |
Link |
| University of Sydney |
Critical Thinking Skills for University Success (this is one of a range of transition courses) |
www.coursera.org/learn/critical-thinking-skills?specialization=academic-skills |
| University of East Anglia |
Preparing for University |
www.futurelearn.com/courses/preparing-for-uni |
| University of Reading | Live Smart: Your Essential Guide to Living at University | www.futurelearn.com/courses/live-smart |
| University of Leeds |
Critical Thinking at University: An Introduction |
www.futurelearn.com/courses/critical-thinking-at-university |
Study Hub Learning Resources - University of Edinburgh
This page, developed by the University of Edinburgh's Institute for Academic Development provides advice on specific study skills topics, plus downloadable resources with useful study strategies. This will help you to explore and develop the skills and strategies to help with your transition to university-level study.
Law Resources
School to College to LLB in Law
For some people, going straight from school to University to study the LLB in Law may not be an option. However, that doesn't mean that you can't still pursue a career as a Solicitor! There are alternative routes towards studying for an LLB in Law which can then lead on to progressing into a career as a Solicitor.
Many people choose to go to a FE College to pursue a HNC or HND in Legal Services or Legal Studies. Completing these courses can lead to pursuing a LLB in Law at some of Scotland's 10 law schools.
Below we have listed information about two local FE colleges who offer HNC/HND courses in Legal Serviecs/Legal Studies. Be sure to check with individual universities if they accept these courses as part of their academic entry requirements for their law courses.
HND Legal Services - Edinburgh College
HNC Legal Services - Fife College
HND Legal Services - Fife College
Read About Others' Alternative Routes into Law
The Law Society of Scotland has compiled a number of blog posts from individuals who have taken alternative routes into Law and are continuing to pursue their careers as we speak!
The following links will give you an idea of the skills and qualities needed to be a solicitor as well as the variety of careers available within the legal profession. This will help you to reflect on the skills and qualities you have that are linked to these. This will help you when it comes to writing your UCAS personal statement.
Legal Sector Insight Blogs
We've compiled a range of short blog posts from a variety of individuals working within the legal sector who'd like to share their own experiences, advice and guidance with young people thinking of a career in law.
Different Areas of Law
The link below has some nice sections about different types of Law including ‘a day in the life of -'. However, please bear in mind that it’s focussed on the English legal system, so some terminology is different (‘tort’ instead of ‘delict’ as an example).
Read about different areas of law
Job Profiles
Read up on what the role of a Solicitor entails.
Job Profile: Scottish Solicitor (Prospects.ac.uk)
Job Profile: Scottish Solicitor (My World of Work)
Job Profile: Family Lawyer (Rayden Solicitors)
Standards of Service for Solicitors
Like all vocational professions, Solicitors are expected to adhere to set of standards as outlined by their professional body, the Law Society of Scotland. See the link below to find out more about the Standards of Service set out for Solicitors by the Law Society of Scotland. This will give you an idea of the key qualities and attributes needed to pursue a career in the legal profession. This will be helpful for you to reflect on any work experience of career exploration you undertake
The following links are a good way of keeping up to date with all that is happening in Scottish legal world. They can also count as career exploration as you get to see the wide variety of roles available. Make sure you keep up with the national & international news in general too!
Law Society of Scotland
Follow the Law Society of Scotland on Twitter and particularly the offshoot account called ‘New Lawyers’, because they have lots of interesting posts.
Follow New Lawyers at Law Society of Scotland on Twitter
Scottish Legal News
Scottish Legal News is an independent legal portal serving the entire Scottish legal community. The post a number of news articles and blog posts, which you can read to enhance your understanding of curernt issues.
Scottish Young Lawyers Association (SYLA)
SYLA is aimed at current Law students but it's worth keeping an eye on their website and their Twitter feed to get an insight into the varying roles available
Legable is a website created by a former Reach pupil and now trainee lawyer. Legable aims to collate and share resources available for aspiring and current law students from less advantaged backgrounds in the UK into one online platform. This includes information regarding funding, work experience programmes and mentoring schemes.
PRIME is an alliance of law firms across the UK, committed to improving access to the legal profession through work experience. A number of firms that are part of the PRIME commitment offer work experience placements. In order to apply for a PRIME work placement, you must fulfill certain criteria, which are outlined on the PRIME Commitment website.
Like all professions, Lawyers must register with professional bodies in order to practice. In Scotland there are 2 main professional bodies: the Faculty of Advocates and the Law Society of Scotland.
Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is the professional body to which all Advocates belong.
Read more about the Faculty of Advocates
Law Society of Scotland
The Law Society of Scotland is the regulatory body for all solicitors in Scotland.
There are 10 law schools across Scotland that offer the LLB in law. This is the course that is required in order to become a practicing Solictor in Scotland.
When you apply for law through UCAS, you can apply for up to 5 law courses. It is therefore important that you research all law schools carefully to decide where you want to apply to.
Below we have listed the links to each Scottish law school's webpage.
Becoming a Solicitor in Scotland takes more than just going to law school to study for your LLB in Law. There are a few other things that you need to do before you can become a qualified Solicitor; this can take up to 7 years in total, depending on which route you take. The Law Society of Scotland provides a good visual overview of the training routes towards becoming a qualified Solicitor.
These are all free programmes which you can do in your own time and are self-assessed, so your work won’t be graded. You can complete tasks then compare your work to that of an actual solicitor or lawyer. Please note that the majority are aimed at current Law students so they will be a bit ahead of where you are just now, but they can still give you a useful insight into working for these large firms.
Clifford Chance is UK based and specialises in commercial law. Their programme is aimed at school pupils.
Pinsent Masons and Linklaters are UK-based.
White & Case is based in New York so may be less useful but still interesting.
Clifford Chance Virtual Work Experience
We would normally recommend that you visit the courts to get a good idea of how they work. However, this may not be possible during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Information about Scottish Courts
You can find out more about the different types of courts in Scotland at the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service website, below. This website will also allow you to search for your local court(s).
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Website
Information about Scottish Court Structure
As well as this, the Judiciary of Scotland website has lots of useful information about the Court Structure and roles including ‘a day in the life of…’ section.
Historic Legal Cases
You can look up historic cases at Scottish Legal News, so you can still explore the courts from home!
Research how current Law students find their studies, brush up on your critical thinking skills and make sure you reflect on your experiences/research to get the most out of them!
Advancing Access Case Studies
Use the link below to watch video case studies of current students studying Law. Once you get to the page, you can filter it by subject on the right hand side. Filter it by 'Law' to get videos relevant to you. You will also see that there are a few case study videos on there of a University of Edinburgh Law Student.
Advancing Access Law Case Studies
Develop Your Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is a key skill required when studying and working in Law and the legal profession. Continue developing your critical thinking skills by using some of University of Edinburgh resources.
Medicine Resources
For some, going straight from school to study medicine at unviersity may not be possible. However, this does not mean that pursuing a career in medicine is out of the picture. There are some alternative routes into medicine that you can consider. Although these may take slightly longer, they will still qualify you to become a doctor upon comletion!
Gateway to Medicine (G2M) Programmes
Gateway to Medicine (G2M) programmes are one-year courses designed to support students towards progressing onto a Medicine (MBChB) course at the insititution where they undertake G2M. These programmes are normally aimed at applicants who meet specific widening access criteria and who haven't quite met the academic requirements to progress straight into a Medicine course directly from school.
If students successfully complete the G2M course and progress onto the MBChB Medicine course, they will still become a qualified doctor at the end of their degree!
G2M Programmes currently run at the Universities of Aberdeen, Dundee and St Andrews.
G2M at University of St Andrews
Graduate Entry Medicine
Some people choose to pursue an undergraduate degree first before then pursuing a a graduate course in medicine. In some cases, financial support for a second undergraduate degree may not cover the full duration of the MBChB. You should check with your funding body what financial assistance they would be able to provide.
Gradaute Applicants to MBChB at Unviersity of Aberdeen
Graduate Applicants to MBChB at Unviersity of Edinburgh
Graduate Applicants to MBChB at University of Glasgow
Scottish Graduate Entry Medicine (ScotGEM) at Universities of Dundee/St Andrews
In this section, we've listed resources you can use to familiarise yourself with the application process for medicine.
Medical Schools Council Information and Resources
The Medical Schools Council (MSC) is the body which represents all UK medical schools. They have a wealth of resources on their website about applying to medicine, including guidance about relevant work experience for medicine.
MSC Applying to Medical School Information
MSC Applying to Medical School Video (Youtube)
Guidance on Work Experience for Medicine
Gaining Experience In Context of Covid-19
In light of the Covid-19 situation in 2020, the Medical Schools Council have produced additional guidance on gaining relevant experience for applying to medicine.
The Medical Schools Council (MSC) has produced a document setting out a non-exhuastive list of the core values and attributes needed to study medicine.
This document is useful in helping you to identify core values and attributes you observe during any work experience, voluntary work or other career exploration you undertake. As well as helping you identify these from examples you observe, you can also use this to help identify the values and attributes YOU possess from. Remember that you can draw these skills and attributes from a wide range of activities - they don't need to always come from medical-related work experience.
MSC Statement on the Core Values and Attributes Needed to Study Medicine
The GMC's Good Medical Practice document outlines what it means to be a good doctor. It describes the expected values and professional behaviour expected of practicing doctors in the UK. This is a useful document to read over . It will give you an understanding of what is expected of practicing doctors and may help you to identify examples of these behaviours/values/expectations you you have observed during work experience/career exploration.
Genetics Unzipped is the podcast from the Genetics Society - one of the oldest learned societies dedicated to supporting and promoting the research, teaching and application of genetics.
Access Genetics Unzipped Podcasts
Let's Talk About Health and Disease is a series of plain speaking public lectures which run annually at the University of Edinburgh from October through to March.
The talks are aimed at senior school pupils interested in studying medicine, veterinary medicine or the life sciences at university, as well as interested members of the general public and health professionals.
The series allows scientists pioneering new research at the University of Edinburgh to share their latest ideas and discoveries with the public and provides attendees with the opportunity to advance their knowledge of health and what happens in disease.
Each lecture includes a Q&A session and refreshments, many also include the chance for S4-S6 pupils to meet young researchers in the field through lab tours and interactive workshops.
You can find out more about upcoming lectures or view previous lectures using the links below
Read more about medical student life from students at the University of Edinburgh's medical school. The blogs on this website provide insight into different aspects of studying medicine at the Univeristy of Edinburgh.
What is a MOOC?
MOOC is an acronym for Massive Open Online Course. MOOCs are online courses aimed at an unlimited number of people which can be accessed online through certain online learning platforms.
MOOCs are usually free and allow you to learn about topics in a flexible way that fits around your life. They help you to connect with top educators across the world and to expand your knowledge on topics, often based around current research at specific universities.
Why should I study a MOOC?
MOOCs are a great way to expand your knowledge of current research and topics in medicine and the health care sector. MOOCs don’t involve as high a level of studying as your school subjects. They can take up a few hours per week and normally run for between 2-6 weeks. However, you can access all the materials in your own time at a time that suits you best. If you work at the weekends, then you can access materials in the evenings.
How much do MOOCs cost?
A high proportion of MOOCs are completely free for you to access and learn. Some courses will charge additional fees for you to be given an accredited certificate of participation. However, for the purpose of broadening your own understanding of different topics in medicine and healthcare, you DO NOT NEED TO PAY extra for this. You can simply keep a note of any courses you do and make reference to these in your personal statement or at interviews, if you find they are relevant for this.
MOOC Courses
Below, we have listed a number of MOOCs on a variety of healthcare and medical-related topics. We’ve also noted the university which provides each MOOC and a link to access each course. Note that some of the courses may have certain start dates, so check each course for details on this if you’re interested.
|
Provider |
Title |
Link |
|---|---|---|
|
Imperial College London
|
Science Matters: Let's Talk About COVID-19
|
www.coursera.org/learn/covid-19
|
|
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
|
COVID-19: Tackling the Novel Coronavirus
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/covid19-novel-coronavirus
|
|
Monash University, Australia
|
The Science of Medicines
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/the-science-of-medicines
|
|
Newcastle University
|
Ageing Well: Why Older People Fall
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/falls
|
|
The King’s Fund
|
The NHS Explained: How the Health System in England Really Works
|
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/the-nhs-explained
|
|
University College London (UCL)
|
Making Babies in the 21st Century
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/making-babies
|
|
University of Aberdeen
|
What is the Body? (1/2) What Drives the Body? (2/2)
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/what-is-the-body www.futurelearn.com/courses/what-drives-the-body
|
|
University of Dundee
|
Care Home Nursing: Changing Perceptions
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/nursing-care-homes
|
|
University of East Anglia
|
Dysphagia: Swallowing Difficulties and Medicines
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/dysphagia
|
|
University of Edinburgh
|
Nudge-it: Understanding obesity
|
www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-obesity
|
|
University of Glasgow
|
End of Life Care: Challenges and Innovation
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/end-of-life-care
|
|
University of Glasgow
|
Introduction to Critical Care Medicine
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/critical-care
|
|
University of Glasgow
|
Cancer in the 21st Century: the Genomic Revolution
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/cancer-and-the-genomic-revolution
|
|
University of Glasgow
|
Introduction to Health Technology Assessment
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/health-technology-assessment
|
|
University of Leeds
|
Exploring Anatomy: The Human Abdomen
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/anatomy
|
|
University of Leeds
|
Anatomy: Know Your Abdomen
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/anatomy-know-your-abdomen
|
|
University of Leeds
|
Causes of Human Disease: Transmitting and Fighting Infection
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/human-disease-transmitting-and-fighting-infection
|
|
University of Leeds
|
MedTech: Digital Health and Wearable Technology
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/medtech-digital-health
|
Medic Insight Edinburgh is organised and run by University of Edinburgh medical students. They run a Medic Insight Day for S4 pupils and 2 Medic Insight Weeks for S5 pupils.
- Medic Insight Day normally runs in March and Medic Insight Weeks normally run in June.
- Applications for Medic Insight Day normally open at the begininng of January
- Applications for Medic Insight Week normally open in mid-February for ONE WEEK ONLY
As well as providing work experience in NHS Lothian (S5 Medic Insight Week only), the Medic Insight team run workshops for students throughout the day and week events. These include talks from doctors, medical students, and professionals from university admissions teams to give students more accessibility and experience into applications and the realities of pursuing medicine as a career.
Medic Insight Edinburgh Website
If you are from elsewhere in Scotland, you can check out your local Medic Insight programme pages using the links below:
Why do I need work experience?
Gaining some work experience in a medicine or health care setting is something that medical schools strongly recommend. This is beneficial for you a nuumber of reasons:
- It provides you with a better understanding of what the role of a doctor involves and the skills/attributes/qualities required to work in the profession
- When it comes to applying, and potentially attending interviews,
- It will help you to decide if medicine is the career for you. A career in medicine is long and demanding, so it's vital you have a good understanding of what you're letting yourself in for.
The NHS Careers website contains some useful information about gaining work experience.
NHS Careers - Gaining Work Experience for Medical School
Gaining NHS Work Experience
Most NHS health boards offer some form of work experience opportunities for S4-S6 school pupils. These vary in terms of length and application format, depending on your local health board. We have listed below the details for each of the NHS boards in the south east of Scotland.
NHS Borders
NHS Borders School Work Experience website
NHS Forth Valley
to be updated
NHS Lothian
NHS Lothian Volunteering website
NHS Lothian Work Placement Team
As well as the MOOCs, listed above, there are other online courses that you can take part in for free to enhance your undestanding of key concepts in medicine and healthcare.
'CrashCourse' on Youtube
CrashCourse is an American Youtube channel that has lots of different playlists dedicated to specific topics, available free of charge. They have a course on Anatomy & Physiology, which contains 47 videos to work through.
CrashCourse on Anatomy & Physiology (Youtube)
Khan Academy
The Khan Academy is a non-profit organisation with the mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. Their courses are free and they have a great selection of medicine and healthcare related topics. You can access the Khan Academy directly via their website or from Youtube. If accessing directly from their website, you'll need to sign up to keep a note of your progress.
Khan Academy Medicine Playlist (Youtube)
'Geeky Medics' on Youtube
Geeky Medics is a free medical revision platform for medics, by medics. They mainly provide free revision videos for Objective Structred Clinical Examinations (OCSEs), a type of examination used in medical school to test clinical skill performance and competence in key skills needed in medicine.
Once a year, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) and Edinburgh Student Surgical Society (ESSS) normally host a 'Getting into Medical School' outreach information event for S4 and S5 pupils considering pursuing a career in medicine.
The event usually consists of presentations on the different aspects of the medical career path, from choosing a medical school through to your first year as a doctor. The event will provide a fantastic opportunity for pupils to learn about making a successful application and the options open to them beyond this.
For information about the next upcoming event, keep an eye on the RCSEd events calendar or contact the RCSEd Outreach team.
The Research Insights lecture series is run by the University of Edinburgh's College of Medicine and Veterinary Mediicne (CMVM).
The lecture series explores the science and research currently taking place at the University of Edinburgh and is aimed at school pupils considering a career in medicine or veterinary medicine.
Check out their website for upcoming lectures or watch the recordings of pervious lectures
There are 5 medical schools in Scotland. When you apply to medical school via UCAS, you can only apply for a maximum of 4 medicine courses.
Your 5th UCAS choice can be used for a backup course (e.g. Biomedical Sciences, Biological Sciences etc.).
It is therefore important that you research all medical schools carefully to decide where you want to apply to.
Below we have listed the links to each Scottish medical school's webpage.
BSMS Virtual Work Experience
Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS), in the south of England, have produced a virtual work experience course for pupils considering a career in medicine.
The course provides a 'virtual' work experience for those looking to apply to medical school. You will be introduced to the NHS before exploring the roles and skill sets of six different medical specialists. Along the way, you will also consider some of the challenges and wider issues doctors face.
To access this, all you need to do is create an account, agree to terms and get started!
Observe GP
Launched in April 2020, Observe GP is a new free interactive online video platform, created by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), for aspiring medics aged 16+. It provides insights into medicine, in particular general practice, through videos and activities. In order to gain access to the platform pupils must register their interest with RCGP.
Volunteering is a very useful way to develop some of the skills, knowledge and attributes required to study medicine and practice as a doctor. There are lots of organisations offering a variety of different types of work experience in the south east of Scotland. We’ve listed some useful links below to begin your search for volunteering opportunities:
| CVS Falkirk | Volunteer Edinburgh |
| Strive (East Lothian) | Volunteer Midlothian |
| Volunteer Centre Borders | Volunteer Scotland (Stirling) |
If you are considering a Gap Year or are looking for full-time volunteering for 4 months or longer, take a look at the Volunteering Matters:
Other Voluntary Organisations
Other charities which might provide useful experience include (but are not limited to):
| Age UK | Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland |
| Asthma UK Scotland | Health in Mind |
| Autism Initiatives Scotland | Hospice of Hope |
| British Heart Foundation | Ragdolls UK |
| Cancer Research UK | St Andrew’s First Aid |
You Can Be a Doctor is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation founded and run by a team of senior medical students and doctors. They support state school pupils who are applying to study medicine at university and encourage everyone to consider it as an option. They have lots of useful resources on their website about applying to medical school and you can contact them if you have any questions about being a doctor or medical student.
Vet Medicine Resources
Join the Royal Zoological Scoeity of Scotland (RZSS) to find out more about animal behaviour research and become an behavioural researcher from the comfort of your own home.
By using RZSS's fantastic Live Webcams of animals at Edinburgh Zoo and The Highland Wildldife Park, this resource will guide you through how and why their scientists at Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Parkput research the animals in their care
Created by the British Veterinary Association (BVA), this guide is designed to support students as well as adults who are in a position to advise them on their future careers. The aim is to clear up common myths and misconceptions when it comes to applying to veterinary school and ensure all involved have the correct information to help applicants take the first step towards a rewarding veterinary career.
We've compiled a list of blog posts and videos that provide insights into being a vet student, different specialisms within veterinary medicine or vet medicine more generally.
Being a Vet Student
Day in the life of a 1st year Edinburgh Vet Student
The Student Experience at Edinburgh Vet School
Working as a Vet
What Vet's like about being vets
Working as an Aquaculture (Fish) Vet
Gateway to Veterinary Medicine/Science courses are aimed at students who have the potential to become vets but do not meet the standard academic entry criteria to apply directly Veterinary Medicine/Science courses. These programmes are normally aimed at applicants who meet specific widening access criteria.
Successful completion of the Gateway year normally allows progression onto the Vet Medicine/Science course at the insitution where you've completed the Gateway year. In some cases, you may be able to apply to other institutions after the Gateway year, but you should check this directly with each of the Gateway programme providers.
There are currently 3 insitutions which offer Gateway to Veterinary Medicine/Science course, all of which are outside of Scotland.
Veterinary Gateway at Royal Veterinary College (RVC), London
'Becoming a Vet' is an app that was developed by the University of Glasgow's Vet School to help you decide if a career in veterinary medicine is for you, assist you in applying to be a vet student and prepare you for going to vet school. The app contains lots of useful information and is divided into 4 sections:
-
Information about potential career options for veterinary surgeons and what core skills are required
-
Advice on what students need to do to give themselves the best chance of being accepted onto their chosen veterinary programme
-
Preparation and transition to university life and the veterinary course
-
Information about the University of Glasgow's School of Veterinary Medicine course, including its history, accreditation, campus, facilities and course details
Read more about 'Becoming a Vet' app
To download the app, search for 'Becoming a Vet' in Google Play or the Apple app store
As well as physical animal-related work experience, it is important to have some knowledge and understanding of current scientific research within the field of veterinary medicine and animal science, including topics around conservation.
The Institute of Zoology (IoZ) is a world-renowned research centre working at the cutting edge of conservation science. Take a look at their website to find out a bit more about some of the research they carry out.
Let's Talk About Health and Disease is a series of plain speaking public lectures which run annually at the University of Edinburgh from October through to March.
The talks are aimed at senior school pupils interested in studying medicine, veterinary medicine or the life sciences at university, as well as interested members of the general public and health professionals.
The series allows scientists pioneering new research at the University of Edinburgh to share their latest ideas and discoveries with the public and provides attendees with the opportunity to advance their knowledge of health and what happens in disease.
Each lecture includes a Q&A session and refreshments, many also include the chance for S4-S6 pupils to meet young researchers in the field through lab tours and interactive workshops.
You can find out more about upcoming lectures or view previous lectures using the links below
What is a MOOC?
MOOC is an acronym for Massive Open Online Course. MOOCs are online courses aimed at an unlimited number of people which can be accessed online through certain online learning platforms.
MOOCs are usually free and allow you to learn about topics in a flexible way that fits around your life. They help you to connect with top educators across the world and to expand your knowledge on topics, often based around current research at specific universities.
Why should I study a MOOC?
MOOCs are a great way to expand your knowledge of current research and topics in vet medicine, research and animal welfare. MOOCs don’t involve as high a level of studying as your school subjects. They can take up a few hours per week and normally run for between 2-6 weeks. However, you can access all the materials in your own time at a time that suits you best. If you work at the weekends, then you can access materials in the evenings.
How much do MOOCs cost?
A high proportion of MOOCs are completely free for you to access and learn. Some courses will charge additional fees for you to be given an accredited certificate of participation. However, for the purpose of broadening your own understanding of different topics in vet medicine and animal healthcare, you DO NOT NEED TO PAY extra for this. You can simply keep a note of any courses you do and make reference to these in your personal statement or at interviews, if you find they are relevant for this.
MOOC Courses
Below, we have listed a number of MOOCs on a variety of vet medicine and animal healthcare related topics. We’ve also noted the university which provides each MOOC and a link to access each course. Note that some of the courses may have certain start dates, so check each course for details on this if you’re interested.
|
Provider |
Title |
Link |
|
Complutense University of Madrid
|
Animal Viruses: Their Transmission and the Diseases They Produce
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/animal-viruses
|
|
Duke University
|
Dog Emotion and Cognition
|
www.coursera.org/learn/dog-emotion-and-cognition
|
|
Duke University
|
Chimpanzee Behavior and Conservation
|
|
|
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
|
Effective Livestock Production with Low Use of Antibiotics
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/effective-livestock-production
|
|
The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC)
|
Antimicrobial Stewardship in Veterinary Practice
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/antimicrobial-stewardship-in-veterinary-practice
|
|
University of Bath
|
Next Generation Biosecurity: Responding to 21st Century Biorisks
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/biosecurity
|
|
University of California, Davis (UC Davis)
|
Equine Welfare and Management
|
|
|
University of Edinburgh
|
EDIVET: Do you have what it takes to be a veterinarian?
|
www.coursera.org/learn/becoming-a-veterinarian
|
|
University of Edinburgh
|
Animal Behaviour and Welfare
|
www.coursera.org/learn/animal-welfare
|
|
University of Edinburgh
|
The Truth About Cats and Dogs
|
www.coursera.org/learn/cats-and-dogs
|
|
University of Edinburgh and SRUC
|
Chicken Behaviour and Welfare
|
www.coursera.org/learn/chickens
|
|
University of Florida
|
The Horse Course: Introduction to Basic Care and Management
|
www.coursera.org/learn/horse-care
|
|
University of Leeds
|
Ecology and Wildlife Conservation
|
www.futurelearn.com/courses/ecology-and-wildlife-conservation
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University of Reading
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The Future of Farming: Exploring Climate Smart Agriculture
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www.futurelearn.com/courses/climate-smart-agriculture
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National Geographic Society , in collaboration with United for Wildlife and the Zoological Society of London, have developed a free six-course wildlife conservation series aimed at educating everyone about the importance of conservation and how they can get involved.
The courses vary in length and can be undertaken at your own pace to fit around your studies and other commitments.
Information about upcoming Vet School Open Days across the UK
University of Edinburgh
Use the link below to find out more about Univeristy of Edinburgh's upcoming Vet Open Days
University of Edinburgh Vet Open Days
University of Cambridge
use the link below to find out more about Univerity of Cambridge Vet Open Days
University of Cambridge Vet Open Days
University of Liverpool
use the link below to find out more about Univerity of Liverpool Vet Open Days
University of Liverpool Vet Open Days
University of Nottingham
use the link below to find out more about Univerity of Nottingham Vet Open Days
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the professional body for UK Veterinary Surgeons, provides a document for newly qualified Vets providing an overview of the essential competences expected of them.
This document is useful in helping you to identify core values and attributes you observe during any work experience, voluntary work or other career exploration you undertake. As well as helping you identify these from examples you observe, you can also use this to help identify the values and attributes YOU possess. Remember that you can draw these skills and attributes from a wide range of activities - they don't need to always come from vet-related work experience.
RVC’s Animal Academy supports people from under-represented backgrounds to reach their goals of studying and working with animals. By signing up to be a member here, you’ll have access to exclusive help, advice and events about animal careers, going to university, and of course learning from our RVC animal experts!
Animal Academy is a Widening Participation programme – a national strategy to eliminate the gaps between the most and least represented groups at university, and ensure everyone has equal access to higher education.
To join the Animal Academy you must be 13 years old or more, attend a state school (not independent/private school) in the UK and will also need to meet some of their other criteria.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) run a FREE week long science summer school course at Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park for S5-S6 pupils. The science summer schools are designed to give students real world experience in the fields of research and conservation within the setting of our Zoos.
You will find out about how zoos work behind the scenes, covering scientific areas such as animal behaviour, welfare, genetic management, ecology and conservation. You will also gain skills in designing and conducting scientific research, analysis and presentation using an animal group in the zoo.
Note that you WILL NOT work with the animals in the zoo and there will be little physical contact with them.
Although not all TV shows will provide a true understanding of what it's like to work as a Vet, we've found some shows that might help you develop a better insight into the work of vets and working with animals.
Scottish Vets Down Under
A BBC Scotland show, following 2 Scottish Vets who have reclocated to Australia. Follow them and the work they do in their practice. Find out more about the show and access previous episodes on BBC iPlayer (note you may need to register for a BBC iPlayer Account before you can access the shows)
The Supevet: Noel Fitzpatrick
Follow Noel Fitzpatrick and the team at Fitzpatrick Referrals as they work with some complex cases in their small animal practice. You can access this through All4 and may need to sign up for an account to access episodes.
The People's Vet
The People's Vet follows the daily life of the PDSA staff and their clients and animal patients at two of the UK's biggest charity pet hospitals, in Kirkdale and Huyton.
You can access this through All4 and may need to sign up for an account to access episodes.
There are 9 vet schools across the UK, 2 of which are in Scotland: Edinburgh and Glasgow.
When you apply for Veterinary Medicine through UCAS, you can only apply to a maximum of 4 vet schools.
You can use your 5th UCAS choice to apply for a backup course (e.g. Zoology, Chemistry etc.).
It is therefore important that you research all vet schools carefully to decide where you want to apply to.
Below we have listed links to each of the UK's vet school webpages.
Click on each of the links to go directly to the information page for each vet school.
- University of Bristol
- University of Cambridge
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Glasgow
- Harper and Keele Veterinary School
- University of Liverpool
- University of Nottingham
- Royal Veterinary College (RVC), London
- University of Surrey
During the Covid-19 pandemic, you may struggle to find physical work experience on farms, vet practices and other locations. We've put together a list of virtual work experience programmes which provide an alternative to physical work experience at the moment. We'll continue to add other resources as and when we become aware of them.
University of Nottingham - Virtual Work Experience and Exploring the Veterinary Profession
If you notice any errors with links outlined on this page, please contact the Reach Edinburgh team using the information below:
Reach Edinburgh
Contact details
- Work: +44 (0)7469 915229
- Email: reach@ed.ac.uk
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Availability
You can generally contact us Monday to Friday. Our office hours are 09:00 to 17:00.