Vet School professor is The Supervet

Professor Noel Fitzpatrick, one of the founding partners of the University of Surrey’s new School of Veterinary Medicine, stars in The Supervet on Channel 4. Find out why he became a vet and why he's proud to be part of the University.

Professor Fitzpatrick qualified as a veterinary surgeon from University College Dublin in 1990. He founded Fitzpatrick Referrals in 2005 and has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate for his contribution to medical science.

Known as the Bionic Vet for pioneering new surgical techniques, from bionic legs to endo-skeletons, Noel is a key member of teaching staff at Surrey, passionate about the cross-pollination of ideas and philosophies between veterinary and human medicine.

The Supervet

The Supervet TV programme offers a behind-the-scenes peek inside Fitzpatrick Referrals, the state-of-the-art Surrey surgery where Noel and his team help some of the nation’s hardest-to-cure pets through innovative treatment and operations.

Learn more about the Channel 4 programme and watch previous episodes on The Supervet website.

Noel Fitzpatrick Q&A

Discover what inspired Noel to study veterinary medicine and why he's so passionate about his work.

When did you decide to dedicate your life to caring for animals?

"I grew up on a farm in Ireland and felt fairly isolated. We had a dog and he became my companion. This friendship was unconditional and I always relied on him.

This companionship left an indelible mark and, in those years, I had many experiences with animals that afforded me an insight into sentience – they have feelings, needs and wants.

I dedicated my life to serving animals because they have given me far more than I have ever given them."

What do you enjoy most about filming The Supervet?

"Filming the show allows us the rarest of privileges – to reach inside someone’s living room and inside their hearts, and to make them think about animals and unconditional love in a different way. We can chart the journey of love through medicine for animals to try to create change in society."

What do you think of Surrey’s first cohort of Veterinary Medicine and Science students?

"I am incredibly hopeful; their enthusiasm and earnestness is so invigorating. I love to see the epiphany in their eyes when they realise what they can contribute. Vets influence society in ways most people don’t even think about."

Watch a video featuring Noel and our student vets in practice:

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What does the future hold for Fitzpatrick Referrals and Professor Noel Fitzpatrick?

"I genuinely feel that the team at Fitzpatrick Referrals has started a journey which I hope will herald a change in veterinary medicine and where we take a greater responsibility for animals in society as integral members of our families.

I’m so happy that this is happening in Surrey. We really are making the world a better place, one dog and one cat at a time."

Discover Surrey's Vet School

Our Vet School is home to leading researchers from across the world and offers an exciting and inspiring range of undergraduate, postgraduate and CPD programmes in the field of veterinary medicine.

The School welcomed its first cohort of students in 2014 and our purpose-built new facilities were officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen on 15 October 2015. See pictures and video from the Vet School opening.

Do you want to be a vet?

The University of Surrey offers an innovative five-year Veterinary Medicine and Science degree and others in the field of veterinary medicine.

Come to a Vet School Open Days to meet our academics, tour our facilities and learn more about the course. Book your place.

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