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Author Topic: Big ask  (Read 1577 times)

Ghdp

  • Joined Aug 2014
  • Conwy
Big ask
« on: October 04, 2020, 11:25:10 am »
Our son aged 30 (and recently married and with a new house dog and cat!) has decided that he has not got enough new going on in his life and is contemplating a massive career change. His current background is in research and, in particular disease vectors.   He completes his PhD next summer. He sees the path then opening up before him of academia, a life in a lab, chasing  funding and a degree (no pun) of uncertainty.
 So...... he wants to apply to study veterinary medicine. He has abundant academic qualifications and experience both in the lab and overseas  but is pragmatic and realises he needs to show, if he gets an admissions interview, that he also has some experience of muddy boots, animal welfare and hands on hard work occasionally covered in unmentionable substances if he is to be taken seriously.
Looking after our few hens won’t really be enough.
Ideally he would like ( lockdown permitting) to offer his services FOC mucking out, feeding, grooming milking for a week or so at a time between now and February. Perhaps not the best time of year to start looking I know. He also will be shadowing his local vet for a short period.
Ideally in Cheshire, Wirral or North Wales as he is based in South Liverpool and mobile and could be based in Conwy with us ( again lockdown permitting)
Can anyone use another pair of inexperienced but willing hands over this period to assist him.
Greg

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Big ask
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2020, 12:51:29 pm »



If only, but we are in Scotland and shielding....also we are only planting trees at the moment  :tree: - the livestock doesn't need much doing at this time of year.
Good luck to your son in his future career and in finding somewhere to get covered in  :poo: :roflanim: A wonderful ambition.  :fc: there are folk closer to him who are needing his help.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

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Blondie

  • Joined Apr 2014
Re: Big ask
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2020, 01:04:16 pm »
I went to vet school - did the first 3 years and left after the preclinical years with my BSc (Hons) and didn’t do the last 3 years. (Went into teaching instead!) Going back to 2009-2010 when I applied, I was interviewed at 3 unis and got 2 offers.

My one rejection before interview said I didn’t have enough lambing experience.  I had various other weeks and weeks of experience including working at a polo yard, riding stables, beef / calving, safari park, vets, kennels and had my own hens!

He needs to get a lot of experience as competition is incredible. Make sure his experience is really varied and needs to be in the weeks rather than the odd day or two. 

Ghdp

  • Joined Aug 2014
  • Conwy
Re: Big ask
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2020, 02:09:24 pm »
Helpful response blondie ( and tbh Fleecewife I think he will have to cast his area search net much wider in the country)
Who will be lambing Jan and Feb who could need help?
I think he hopes his experience of research and working the jungle in remote areas of Nepal and eastern India will explain why he hasn’t done the more traditional lots of animal specific work but  you are clearly right Blondie. Any offers folks??!

in the hills

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Big ask
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2020, 03:14:40 pm »
My daughter has just started an ecology degree but did think at one point about vet school and spent last summer gaining the necessary experience that they required in case she decided on that path.


It was quite specific as to the experience they wanted ..... the number of weeks, including how many were to be with large farm animals and how many with small animals, the number of weeks to be spent in veterinary practice etc


They were happy to count experience with our 'farm' animals and experience on neighbouring smallholdings but only up to a point. They were insistent that the majority needed to be on commercial farms .....lambing, milking, etc


Requirements did vary depending which vet school you were interested in.


Good luck to your son.



Ghdp

  • Joined Aug 2014
  • Conwy
Re: Big ask
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2020, 05:40:06 pm »
Thanks all. He has been in touch with a couple of schools who say that some flexibility is going to be needed In terms of hands on experience because of Covid 19  and his particular background so he is trying to gather as much experience as possible before potential interview in Feb. He has secured some time now with his local vets. Commercial farm experience would be amazing but really anything is going to help!

Backinwellies

  • Global Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Llandeilo Carmarthenshire
    • Nantygroes
    • Facebook
Re: Big ask
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2020, 06:18:16 pm »
  We might be able to help if he want to spend a weekish in South Wales.....  30 acre smallholding with cattle sheep and goats  .... dont lamb till March I'm afraid ...  I am an ex college  Livestock lecturer so can share lots of useful (and not so useful!) info.   Not much to do here till animals are housed (probably late Dec depending on weather)

We have holiday cottage on site so possible to accommodate .... will have to discuss any covid transmission issues/risk assessments. 

Fb https://www.facebook.com/Nantygroes-and-Beudy-Holiday-Cottage-446561232090750

Linda

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Ghdp

  • Joined Aug 2014
  • Conwy
Re: Big ask
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2020, 06:51:31 pm »
Thank you!!!
I will get on to joe now.

Ghdp

  • Joined Aug 2014
  • Conwy
Re: Big ask
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2020, 07:04:57 pm »
Hi. Joe has your details and will get in touch directly.
Thank you.

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Big ask
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2020, 07:08:19 pm »
Wow! And he will be able to pay his fees without taking out a loan? Or happily put himself another 50k plus living expenses for 5 years in debt?


I would have loved to go back to University for another degree, but unfortunately having done a PhD in Scotland (though not funded by the Scottish government at all, and my first degree was not in this country at all) means I would have to pay full tuition fees and that's so out of the question...


Maybe Tim Tyne is still running his lambing courses (though only in March as far as I know) at "Viable self-sufficiency"?


Also maybe "Chuckling goats" (Shann and Rich Jones) may have kidding etc in Jan/Feb and they will do milking all year round

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: Big ask
« Reply #10 on: October 05, 2020, 08:55:34 am »
The National Sheep Association has a list of lambing posts perhaps contacting them will help find somewhere reasonalbly local.

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Big ask
« Reply #11 on: October 05, 2020, 09:57:23 am »
Just as a wee aside, my Sister studied Vet Med. She did all the usual lambing experience, volunteering for cats protection etc. However, EVERYBODY does that, don't they? What tipped the balance for her was a week's work experience at an abattoir. She was not only able to explain what she'd learned about animal welfare and anatomy, but also I think the panel were impressed that she'd seen a bit more than cutesy wittle kittens and was still keen.
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Big ask
« Reply #12 on: October 05, 2020, 05:05:39 pm »
Just as a wee aside, my Sister studied Vet Med. She did all the usual lambing experience, volunteering for cats protection etc. However, EVERYBODY does that, don't they? What tipped the balance for her was a week's work experience at an abattoir. She was not only able to explain what she'd learned about animal welfare and anatomy, but also I think the panel were impressed that she'd seen a bit more than cutesy wittle kittens and was still keen.

Totally agree with this.  We had a pre-uni wannabee vet help us on our farm in Cumbria, right through the summer not just at lambing time.

She was the daughter of the family who ran our favourite Chinese takeaway, and there was absolutely no farming in her family background whatsoever, which I knew would make it tough for her.  At my suggestion she got some time at the abattoir and at our local veterinary lab.  I think she got herself a day out with the local farm inspector too.  Between her brains, those extras and the glowing references from our local vet practise and ourselves, she got her place at the Dick.

When we would call her up to come over because there was something going on she should see (of which the most memorable was a cow caesarian, the only one we had on that farm in 20+ years!), one of the family would bring her over then come and collect her with a carrier bag full of fantastic food for us to say "Thank You".  No thanks were needed; she was bright, energetic, cheerful and an utter delight to have around - but we did enjoy those impromptu suppers!  (I think we probably got extras in most of our takeaways ever after, too.  Bless.)

Anyway, reminiscences aside, yes it is a good idea to do some off piste but very relevant experiences too. 
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Ghdp

  • Joined Aug 2014
  • Conwy
Re: Big ask
« Reply #13 on: October 06, 2020, 12:42:15 pm »
Thanks for all these really helpful suggestions, offers of help and pointers.
Greg

 

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