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Veterinary Science

View the employability skills

In addition to professional and clinical capabilities as regulated by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, a graduate in Veterinary science typically will have the transferable skills and abilities to:

  • work as a multi disciplinary team member in delivering services to clients and employers
  • communicate effectively with the public, professional colleagues and appropriate authorities
  • respond appropriately to the influence of economic and emotional pressures
  • foster and maintain a good professional relationship with clients and colleagues, developing mutual trust and respecting their professional views and confidentiality
  • act responsibly in the community, particularly in relation to ethical principles
  • be competent in IT, including word processing, data handling and information retrieval
  • produce reports in a form satisfactory and understandable to the intended audience
  • recognise their own limitations: recognise when to seek assistance and understand the protocols for dealing with second opinions
  • apply basic financial and accounting practices and record keeping
  • understand and practise the obligation for continuing professional development
  • learn and apply a very substantial body of scientific and practical knowledge.

Veterinary science is the study, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease in animals as individuals and in groups. There is a key role for members of the profession as guardians of human health in the context of disease transmission from animal or animal products to man.

The veterinary workplace has changed in the last century with an increasing emphasis on companion animals kept for pleasure and greater veterinary involvement in production animals, public health and food hygiene. The role of the profession continues to grow in protecting the health and welfare of diverse species groups such as laboratory animals, zoological collections, wildlife and the contribution to conservation of endangered species. The comparative approach of veterinary science supports basic scientists and contributes to the understanding of human disease.

The need for all veterinary degrees to meet the requirements of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons leads to a broad agreement about course content. Veterinarians have a wide range of knowledge, understanding and skills enabling clinical disciplines to be learnt within the context of a firm foundation in basic science. Most students are attracted by the unique combination of science, art, practical skills, human-animal and interpersonal interaction.

Graduates are employed mostly in general practice. These are most commonly small animal, equine, farm animal or mixed practices. Veterinary surgeons in general practice undertake all aspects of medical care from primary consultations, diagnostic procedures, including diagnostic imaging and laboratory techniques, medicine and surgery. Further study can be undertaken to attain specialist qualifications in a wide range of disciplines (eg diagnostic imaging, ophthalmology etc.) enabling employment in second opinion referral centres or specialist practices.

Graduates can also choose a career in research and/or teaching, usually after postgraduate training. Veterinary scientists are employed in natural science laboratories, in veterinary and medical schools, in medical research institutes and in those institutions that deal expressly with animal health and disease. Opportunities exist in government services or related agency services as well as in overseas universities, in pharmaceutical companies, with pet food manufacturers or other commercial organisations and supra-governmental organisations such as the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations.

To check the growing range of resources produced by the Subject Centre to support employability and the use of this profile (including the Skills and Attributes map) go to www.medev.ac.uk.

This profile, produced in 2006, is based on the QAA benchmark to be found at www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/honours/default.asp.


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