Admissions Presentation
Our Deputy Director of Admissions introduces the Veterinary Medicine programme, and our partnership with the University of Alberta.
University of Alberta Partnership - Admissions Presentation (2022 Entry)
- Video: Veterinary Medicine Admissions Presentation - University of Alberta Partnership (2022 Entry)
- Presentation on Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, including our 3+4 Partnership with the University of Alberta.
Is the EMS part of the course incorporated into the 4 years?
EMS is extra-mural, so “outside of the walls” – it’s what you do within your holiday periods (summer, Easter, Christmas). There’s plenty of time within holiday periods to complete it, and some parts of the actual course can count towards it as well. It’s very achievable, even though it might appear onerous at first glance.
Once you graduate with the BVM&S, can you practice in Canada?
We’re accredited by the AVMA, the governing body that covers both Canada and the U.S.
Because we hold AVMA accreditation, you only have to sit the multiple choice part of the NAVLE exam – this is the same as you would have to do if you graduated from a North American vet school, so you’re not disadvantaged in any way by coming to Edinburgh.
Beyond that, individual provinces will have their own examinations and this will vary from province to province. For the majority, they are largely formalities, focusing mainly on province-specific legislation. Again, that's something you'd have to do if you were graduating from a school in North America.
Roughly how many people are accepted into the program each year?
In total, we enrol around 165 students across our two BVM&S programmes (the 5-Year and 4-Year programmes).
Our 5-Year programme will take around 70 students direct from high school in the UK (split between Scottish and Rest of UK). This programme will also take 30-35 international students.
There are up to 60 places available on our 4-Year programme (known as the Graduate Entry Programme). These places are open to anyone, regardless of domicile. The majority, though, will come from North America, as that’s the sort of system that operates there.
Is it easy to find accommodation that will accept pets?
University-owned/managed accommodation does not accept pets, but it is possible to find private accommodation that does, particularly in areas further away from the city centre and closer to the vet school.
How much prior animal handling experience is usually recommended?
We don’t have a minimum requirement, but we do like you to have some animal handling experience. We appreciate that it can be difficult for some candidates to access placements, so that’s why we don’t have a minimum.
The reason we ask for some work experience is for your own benefit – it’s a full-on programme and career, so we want you to have a good understanding of what the veterinary profession is about.
It’s worth noting that we don’t limit the timescale within which experience must be gained – we will consider any work experience that you’ve done throughout your life.
What kind of background knowledge do we need for the practical part of the interview?
The practical component will vary year on year, but we’re not expecting any background knowledge. It's testing your skills to follow instructions and do a practical task, essentially, so no background knowledge is required.
What types of things does the practical skills part of the MMI cover?
The subjects of the MMI stations are in the public domain, but the particulars are confidential. This is to ensure that all candidates undertake the process from the same position – i.e. so that no-one has an unfair advantage over other candidates.