Tom Carter

Why I chose Surrey

In all honesty before applying to Surrey, I knew very little about it as a university. It was only when I came for my interview that I really fell in love with the place.  

What I found different about the Vet School at Surrey was the atmosphere and the building itself. I found the staff on the interview day incredibly friendly and they gave the impression that they wanted me to perform as well as I possibly could. I could see myself spending the next five years of my life there.  

My course

My strongest memory is of receiving my first-year first semester exam results. It is an incredibly nerve-wracking time for young vet students, as you don’t know how many of you are going to pass or fail. I was with my friends and remember the relief of finding out I’d passed and feeling confident that we were going to make it in the end.  

When I got to my final year out on placement, I realised how enormously advantageous Surrey’s emphasis on practical day-one skills is. On your first day in practice, it’s great to feel confident in your basic skills when there is so much to know and remember.  

I had a fantastic experience at Surrey and I recommend it to any aspiring vet student. 

Life after Surrey

Since graduating I have been a small animal veterinary surgeon. I’ve got a particular interest in surgery and emergency and critical care work. A couple of notable highlights would be operating on a large dog at 2am to untwist its stomach and save its life, and my first Christmas at work, receiving thank you cards and gifts from clients – it means a huge amount to any veterinary surgeon as it can be a tough profession. 

My advice

Make sure you get work experience in early, in as wide a variety of practices as possible. Being a vet is an incredibly rewarding profession, but an incredibly difficult one at times. I think it’s important that young aspiring vets get the best idea of what the profession is really like on a day-to-day level.  

Also, in vet school, a pass is a pass. All you need at the end is the letters MRCVS behind your name. 99% or 51%, either way you are a vet. So, don’t overwork yourself at university and enjoy your time off. Look after your mental wellbeing.  

Find out more about our Veterinary Medicine and Science BVMSci.