Disability Issues

Studying Veterinary Medicine with a Disability

If you are thinking of studying Veterinary Medicine and you have a disability or long-term health condition, it’s useful to know in advance what the course might involve, so that you can make an informed decision.

Any experience you gain in a veterinary practice or out in the field before you apply will give you a good idea of what’s in store from Veterinary Medicine. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) sets out the skills that must be demonstrated in order to register as a veterinary surgeon in their Day One Skills (PDF) document. This is an important document for you to consider if you are thinking of being a Vet.

In brief, particular competencies required as part of the BVetMed program include:

Being able to cope with uncertainty and adapt to change – problem solving and flexibility
Handle and restrain an animal (large or small!) safely and humanely
Attend all species in an emergency and provide basic first aid (bandaging, handling). Emergency situations could be out in a farm or within a large or small practice
Perform laboratory tests and use radiographic and ultrasonic equipment
Perform a complete clinical examinations, gross post-mortems and euthanasia
Communicating with sensitivity and professionalism to owners and the general public
Undertake shift-working as part of a team, including nights
Learn and develop skills whilst out in the field such as particular methods of bandaging
Undertake fine motor control tasks such as suturing, administering anaesthesia injections and surgical procedures such as biopsys

Some of the challenges and suggested adjustments for disabled students are outlined in detail for the BVetMed program in a recent publication called Time to Take Stock: Disability and Professional Competence, written by Anne Tynan during a research project at the Royal Veterinary College. You can contact the RVC Disability Officer, Celia Cockburn, for a copy of this report (email disability@rvc.ac.uk).

Take the opportunity at open days to ask questions about the support that you might need and how this would be offered to you. Alternatively, if you want wish to arrange an information visit with the Disability Officer, or speak with them in confidence before you make an application.

Download the RVC Disability Guide (1.15MB PDF).

If you have any questions about what the course involves and how this might relate to you, please contact the Disability Officer (disability@rvc.ac.uk).

When you apply

It is important to know that no health condition in itself would automatically preclude a student from studying Veterinary medicine. Academic merit is considered first and foremost and any disability is considered on an individual basis.

All students are asked questions about their health before interview and also after an offer is made. Any information disclosed is sent to our Occupational Health Team, who provide independent advice about adjustments necessary for consideration. The Day One Skills document and the learning objectives of the course forms the basis of any considerations, however the College is well placed to provide reasonable adjustments.