Pippa White

We are able to practise our skills which will be vital for our future careers, with the guidance of lecturers helping us to develop. My favourite practical was the calving simulator model – it was so life-like! You’re able to put the calf into a variety of different malpresentations and then your partner has to figure out how to resolve it, just like the real thing!

Furthermore, we were recently part of the spay and neuter clinic at Lumbry Park. For two days this semester we were neutering RSPCA animals under supervision in purpose-built facilities. This was a fantastic opportunity to develop our practical experience. We each ran our own anaesthetic, from induction to recovery, this was a valuable teaching opportunity regarding pharmaceutical knowledge and application. We were also able to take part in a surgery, for example I carried out my first dog castration. Everyone at Lumbry Park was so welcoming and we students had a fantastic day and are certainly looking forwards to returning next semester!

The academic staff have been so supportive and approachable throughout our time at the Vet School.

We each get a personal tutor who keeps up-to-date with our studies and placements. It’s great to have that kind of support through your course. In final year, we will be heading out into practice with some of our many partner practices at vet school to do month-long placements as part of our intramural rotations. The facilities at the Vet School are absolutely fantastic with three specialised buildings dedicated to our course: the main building for lectures and dry labs, the pathology building for wet labs and the clinical building for practical sessions involving animals.

It was great living on campus - it meant that you were close to where you needed to be.

I lived in halls on Stag Hill campus accommodation for freshers year. The campus felt like its own community and the University grounds are very scenic. I spend my time on campus mostly studying, the University is a great place to study with all the facilities that you need – computers, silent study areas and an extensive Library! Outside of studying I spend lunchtime on campus- there’s some great places to eat.

I am a member of the Surrey VetSoc. This society is great in organising plenty of functions for us vet students! This all culminates in our summer ball which rounds off the year and is always a spectacular event.

I like living in Surrey due to the location. Firstly, it’s not too far away from my Somerset home, so I can go back to our farm a couple times a semester to see my boyfriend and family. Surrey is also close to London and I have enjoyed a few days out there with friends in the capital. Furthermore, the surroundings to the University are beautiful.

My best moment at Surrey so far has to be when the Queen came to open the vet school officially.

It was a great day with both staff and students excited to see how far we had come from the original blue prints to standing in our state-of-the-art Vet School with the country’s monarch!

I believe I have changed since starting at Surrey, as overall I have become a more independent individual through both my studies and living away from home (I had to learn how to cook food other than pasta!) Through my course I have been able to develop a more analytical way of seeing situations, whilst being able to appreciate both sides. I think it’s skills like these that are becoming increasingly important in the modern working world.

My aim once qualified is to become a large animal vet. Growing up on a farm instilled a passion for cattle in me since a very early age – from calving pen to show ring! I would like to work with farmers to help the productivity of their livestock excel as a result of successful and progressive healthcare.

I would highly recommend Surrey to those applying for veterinary medicine and science – the course, lecturers and facilities are truly brilliant!"

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