Veterinary Medicine

The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies has been preparing graduates for the veterinary profession for over 200 years, and today is a world-leading, modern institution and an international centre of excellence.

The breadth of expert knowledge within the School enables us to deliver world-class veterinary education with students at the heart of our community. In joining the Dick Vet, you become part of an extended family that stretches across the globe, providing a lifetime of support and camaraderie.

We can’t wait to welcome you.

About the programme

We offer two BVM&S degrees to prepare students for a career as a veterinary professional.

  • 5 year programme – a standard route into undergraduate study.
  • 4 year Graduate Entry Programme (GEP) – an accelerated option for students with a relevant first degree.

Students complete a Foundation Phase which covers the normal functions of the animal body through practical classes, animal handling, and clinical and professional skills. This is followed by the Clinical Phase which explores disease and treatment, species-specific courses, pathology, pharmacology and veterinary public health. The final year is spent entirely on clinical rotations exposing students to the work of a professional vet.

 

Programme details

Need a refresher of the details of your programme? Our Degree Finder provides information about what you will study, how you will learn and career opportunities.  

 

Our Degree Programme Tables (DPT) provide information about the structure of the Veterinary Medicine programme, including course content. The detailed programme content for 2025-26 will be available in April. In the meantime, you can view the 2024-25 DPT's. Please note these may be subject to change. 

 

Why study Veterinary Medicine and Surgery at Edinburgh?

  • The School is an international leader in veterinary education, research and clinical practise and is consistently ranked amongst the best institutions for veterinary science both in the UK and the world.
  • Our worldwide accreditation allows graduates to practise in the UK, North America, Europe, South Africa, Australasia and beyond. 
  • We represent one of the largest concentrations of animal-science related expertise in Europe, impacting local, regional, national and international communities through the provision of clinical services and the advancement of scientific knowledge. This allows us to attract the highest calibre of teaching staff, scientists and clinicians to enhance our collaborative learning environment. 
  • The School provides strong student support services and fosters a close-knit community of students and staff.  Each year group is supported by an administrator and student adviser and every student is assigned a professional mentor for the duration of their studies. Senior students regularly facilitate discussion topics with junior students through a highly effective peer-assisted learning initiative. 
  • Set against the idyllic backdrop of the Pentland Hills Regional Park, the Easter Bush Campus is a purpose-built home for veterinary teaching, research and practise. Students benefit from modern teaching facilities and a rich and varied clinical caseload offered by the on-site veterinary hospitals and practices. 
  • In addition to the clinical facilities, we have a 240-head commercial dairy cow herd at our nearby Langhill Farm and a sheep flock based at Easter Bush.  We also have a herd of teaching horses and an exotic animal handling unit.  All these wonderful animals support our undergraduate animal handling classes. 

 

Student stories

Discover what our students say about studying veterinary medicine at Edinburgh on the student blog.

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