So why is the veterinary profession struggling to attract students from underprivileged backgrounds?
Whether it has anything to do with economical geography or not, many vets will tell the same story – they were told repeatedly during their childhood and teenage years that they would never make it as a vet and to pick another career.
In my case (and many others), that just made us more stubborn and determined to prove them all wrong. But it wasn’t easy, and good grades are only the first hurdle.
Support networks
For children from certain backgrounds, they may have the ability and determination to do it, but that lack of support will automatically put them at a disadvantage compared to applicants from schools or families with more experience in pursuing various careers options for high achievers.
To some extent, the quality of personal statements, references and interview skills will rest with the support network around the applicants, or, in some cases, lack thereof.
Additionally, trying to juggle schoolwork, relevant work experience, volunteering, home life and all those sporting activities that look favourable on your application will certainly be made easier if you don’t have to add part-time jobs or care responsibilities into the mix.
Are you experienced?
Work experience, while a necessity, can be significantly more difficult for some applicants to acquire – particularly those who are limited by transport or location. Notoriously, applicants from cities will struggle to gain enough farm experience compared to those who live more rurally.
Yes, we do want those entering the profession to know what they are signing up for, but some of the requirements when I was applying for vet school were quite excessive. If one vet school asks for a vast number of weeks’ work experience and associated references, then, while the others may not officially ask the same of their applicants, it automatically sets the precedent, since no one only applies to one vet school.
While I previously discussed the difficulties that COVID-19 has caused for applicants this year, one potentially positive result from the pandemic is that many of the universities have decreased their work experience requirements for applicants, as placements will be even harder to obtain with social distancing rules. For those who would otherwise struggle to achieve the requirements, this could ease the pressure slightly and has somewhat levelled the playing field.
Money matters
Despite all this, the current student finance system in the UK should enable prospective students from all backgrounds to fund an undergraduate degree. In reality, that does not necessarily occur. It has long been a concern of mine that the means testing system is flawed.
While every individual’s circumstances are unique and no sweeping system can account for every situation, I feel the system fails the middle ground particularly. Those from low income households will receive the maximum student loan and grant available, with those at the other end of the scale receiving a minimum loan only. It is expected that as the household income increases, the family or parents will foot the difference – but for those who fall somewhere in the middle, this is often not realistically affordable.
The tuition fees, however, are a different story and should not put off any prospective student. The numbers may sound scary – with an undergraduate veterinary degree now costing in excess of £45,000 – but, in reality, it is only a small proportion of your earnings that will be paid back once you earn over the threshold salary of £26,750 (currently – although this will increase in 2021). This is quite different for postgraduates wishing to study veterinary (I’ll discuss that in more detail in part 3).
Hidden costs
The veterinary degree itself carries a significant financial burden – not only with the course and maintenance fees, but additional “hidden” costs such as the equipment students require, personal protective equipment, university branded clothing/scrubs, and so on.
There is also the impact of EMS placements, for which there can be a substantial travel cost. This puts additional financial pressure on students if they are struggling to afford to travel to some of the more remote practices to just satisfy university minimum requirements.
Furthermore, those students hoping to refine their skills and knowledge in particular areas may seek out the more competitive placements, such as externships at equine referral hospitals. The associated costs (such as travel and accommodation) may be a limiting factor, putting some students at a comparative disadvantage in their early careers if they are unable to consider these placements as an option.
Finding support
The Association of Veterinary Students has previously estimated the cost of EMS placements throughout the duration of the course at about £2,800. The time spent on EMS also means many vet students are unable to undertake paid work during holiday time as students on other courses can. Some universities have various types of financial support available to help with EMS – Cambridge provides a limited daily allowance for students on clinical EMS, plus help towards travel costs, while others will offer bursaries.
It is deeply concerning that, again and again during one person’s veterinary education, finances can have a significant impact on the overall quality of their experience. In a profession that desperately needs diversity, there is a real concern that the financial cost of a veterinary degree would either put off those from poorer backgrounds, or result in financial difficulties throughout the duration of their studies.
So, returning to the question of how to attract students from underprivileged backgrounds, it is unclear how to address this issue, but it could be through university outreach programmes to schools in poorer backgrounds, EMS sponsorship, providing more paid placements, or in other ways…
What do you think?
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