Veterinary Medicine
The Course
Many
new developments in both the facilities and the curriculum of the
Cambridge Veterinary School are taking place at present; it is,
therefore, a very exciting time for Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge.
The number of veterinary places at Cambridge is about 65 per year.
These students are spread over the whole university and Clare College
typically admits from 2 to 4 veterinary undergraduates a year, though,
as explained in the general notes, it imposes no upper limit on
the numbers in any subject.
The course, leading eventually
to the degree of Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (Vet MB) is a six
year one. After admission to the degree of Vet MB at the end of
the course, graduates are registered as Members of the Royal
College of Veterinary Surgeons and are thus entitled to practise
as fully-qualified veterinary surgeons. All students at Cambridge
spend the first three years of the course reading for an honours
BA degree. The first two of these years are spent studying the major
pre-clinical sciences in the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos
to provide a sound scientific basis for the detailed study in the
last three clinical years of animal health, veterinary pathology,
public health, medicine, and surgery, etc. Over the last few years
there has been much discussion, involving both the Royal College
of Veterinary Surgeons and the General Medical Council as well as
the relevant faculties of the University, about modernising and
streamlining this part of the curriculum for medical and veterinary
students. The result is a new and exciting format for the Medical
and Veterinary Sciences Tripos which started in October 2000. The
course includes such subjects as Homeostasis, Molecules in Medical
Science, Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology, Biology of Disease,
Mechanisms of Drug Action, Neurobiology with Animal Behaviour, Comparative
Vertebrate Biology, Veterinary Reproduction and will constitute
a core of knowledge on which to base further study. There is also
a course on 'Preparing for the Veterinary Profession and Farm Animal
Husbandry'.
Under regulations set
by the Royal College, students must attain a certain standard in
each of these pre-clinical sciences before they are allowed to proceed
to the clinical part of the course. There are, therefore, examinations
- the '2nd Vet MB' - in each of these subjects to be passed, but
most students obtain passes in these examinations as part of the
Tripos examinations for the B.A degree. In the third pre-clinical
year there is a very wide choice of options open to the veterinary
student. He or she may opt to study one of the medical science subjects
in depth. This usually involves either a written dissertation or
a research project which can often lead to a published paper. Alternatively,
there are more general courses within the medical and natural sciences
on offer, or it may be possible to study another Cambridge Tripos
for a year. In recent years a few veterinary students have spent
this year studying subjects as diverse as computer science, philosophy,
law, music, geography and management studies.
It will be apparent from
reading these notes that there is a strong emphasis on science in
the Cambridge preclinical course. Veterinary students obtain an
honours BA of standing with a Natural Sciences degree. Many of the
lectures and practicals are shared with medical students, and standards
are high. Nevertheless, even though much of the teaching is shared
with medical and science students at present, there is a strong
sense of identity among the pre-clinical veterinary students. There
are short courses in animal handling and informal contact with the
clinical Veterinary School is encouraged, especially through the
very active University Veterinary Society. It is widely agreed that
veterinary graduates with such a strong scientific background should
make better and more informed practitioners, as well as being very well equipped for a range of other professions including research and academia.
Entry to the clinical
Veterinary School for the second three years of the course is automatic,
provided the student has passed all the necessary 2nd Vet MB exams.
Students entering the fourth year are also expected to have
completed 12 weeks working on farms. This formal farm practice experience
can only be undertaken after arrival at Cambridge and an induction
course, and will include time spent working with sheep, with dairy
cattle, and with pigs.
The sixth year of the course is now lecture-free, giving
students more time to work with clinicians at the Veterinary
School and to acquire skills. There is also the opportunity of an
elective, specialising in some aspects of clinical veterinary
medicine during the last year. During the three clinical years,
students spend part of their vacations at veterinary practices
experiencing the work of a veterinary surgeon at first hand and
learning veterinary medicine and surgery ‘in the
field’.
A typical formal workload for a first year veterinary student
would consist of 9-12 lectures, 2 dissection sessions, 4 other
practical classes, together with 3 supervisions per week.
Typically two to four students are supervised together and for
some supervisions an essay has to be prepared. Each week the
supervisions provide an opportunity for each student to discuss
each course with an academic who is a specialist in that field.
Before embarking on the veterinary course, every student must
have been exempted from the First MB examination. Details of what
this entails are given in the Cambridge
Admissions Prospectus.
It is only fair to point out that
competition for places to read Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge
is severe. On the other hand, our willingness to interview more applicants gives you every opportunity to demonstrate your worth.
Admissions
Most candidates for Clare
are interviewed in December. Candidates are also required
to sit the Biomedical Admissions Test (the BMAT) in their schools
in the November before the interview. Successful candidates are
made a conditional offer; usually three As at A2-level, including
at least two science subjects. Candidates offering only two science
A2s will normally be expected to have an A-grade in a third science
at AS level. Exceptional candidates offering just one science at
A2-level will be considered. These standards are applied so that
the College can obtain the maximum information on a student in order
to come to the fairest decision. However, the special circumstances
of an individual student would always be considered.
Applicants for Veterinary Medicine are expected to have spent
some time with a veterinary surgeon to gain some experience of
the profession, and to appreciate a practitioner’s routine,
lifestyle and expertise. ‘Hands on’ experience with a
variety of animals is also to be encouraged. However, prospective
students should not spend too much time on ‘work
experience’ and need to balance time spent with vets and
with animals with their other interests and with their academic
work.
Biomedical Admissions
Test (BMAT)
All candidates are required to sit the 2-hour Biomedical Admissions
Test (the BMAT) in the November
before coming to interview. For pre-A-level candidates this is normally
taken within your school/college, and individual arrangements are
made for post A-level candidates.
NB: All offers of a place on
this course (for UK students) will be subject to a satisfactory
standard disclosure from the Criminal
Records Bureau. You will be sent the relevant forms to
complete only if you are offered a place.
For further information, please contact Dr John Gibson jsg1001@cam.ac.uk or 01223 333638.
|
|
Guide to Subjects
VetCam
Open Days
The
Cambridge Course
Cambridge Veterinary School
Fellows in Veterinary
Medicine
Dr
John Gibson, M.R.C.V.S, Director of Studies in Pre-clinical Veterinary
Medicine
Dr
Nicola Holdstock M.R.C.V.S, Director of Studies in Clinical
Veterinary Medicine
Fellows in pre-clinical
Biological Sciences
Dr
Nicky Clayton, Professor in Experimental Psychology, Reader
in Comparative Cognition
Dr
Paul Edwards, Director of Studies in Pathology, Senior Lecturer
in Pathology
Dr John
Gibson M.R.C.V.S,
Director of Studies in Physiology, Reader in Pathophysiology
Prof
Bill Harris, Director of Studies in Neuroscience, Professor
of Anatomy
Dr Babak Javid, Clinical
Director
Prof
Loraine Tyler, Research Professor of Experimental Psychology
Dr
Anna Philpott, Overall Director of Studies for Biological Natural
Sciences Part IB, Director of Studies in Biology of Cells, Biochemistry,
Cell and Development Biology, Lecturer in Oncology
Dr Rik Van Veen, Director of Studies in Pharmacology, Senior Lecturer in
Pharmacology
Prof P Leadlay, Professor of Biochemistry
Fellows in other Biological Sciences
Dr
William Foster, Director of Studies in Animal Biology and Zoology,
Senior Lecturer in Zoology
Professor Mike Majerus, Overall Director of Studies for Biological Natural
Sciences (Part IA), Director of Studies in Evolution and Behaviour,
Ecology and Genetics, Reader in Genetics
Dr
Andrea Manica, Lecturer in Zoology
Dr Matthew Wilkinson, Research Fellow in Zoology
Prof
Howard Griffiths, Director of Studies in Plant Sciences, Professor
of Plant Ecology
|
