Veterinary Medicine
UCAS code: D100
Subject Requirements
Essential: applicants must be exempt from the Cambridge 1st VetMB Examination before they can start the course. Chemistry at AS or A level is mandatory. Please refer to the current University of Cambridge Undergraduate Admissions Prospectus for further details.
Highly Desirable: You will stand a better chance of securing an offer if you have three science/mathematics GCE A levels. Applicants who do not have GCE A level Chemistry are likely to be at a significant disadvantage. If you hold overseas or other qualifications you should contact the College to confirm that they satisfy the necessary regulations.
Written Work
None.
Admissions Tests
Applicants are required to sit the Bio-Medical Admissions Test (BMAT) to ensure that they have the fundamental knowledge and intellectual capacity to succeed in both the veterinary course and the Cambridge Tripos which covers the preclinical years. The BMAT is taken in November, usually at the applicant's school and will be followed by general and subject interviews at Robinson College in December.
Director(s) of Studies
Mrs Christine Latham MA VetMB CertVR MRCVS - Christine Latham qualified as a veterinary surgeon from Cambridge in 1981 and has subsequently gained a further qualification in veterinary radiology. She has worked extensively in private veterinary practice and also for many years in the Department of Veterinary Medicine in Cambridge, where she taught first opinion small animal medicine and was the Extramural Studies Co-ordinator responsible for student placements. She now works for the Veterinary Defence Society but maintains close links with the Veterinary School, where she still teaches and is an Associate Lecturer.
General Comments
To read Veterinary Medicine at Robinson, you will need to have outstanding academic qualities and a real desire to learn in a scientific environment. In addition, you must be able to convince the College that you can acquire the necessary clinical skills, and have a genuine enthusiasm for working with animals and people in an applied scientific career. Although highly desirable, it is not essential to have had work experience in a veterinary practice or with farm animals prior to applying. However it is vital that you have a realistic understanding of what the course entails and are sure that a career as a veterinary surgeon is the right choice for you.
Robinson normally takes four veterinary students each year. As with medical students, vets traditionally form a close-knit group. Whilst this is true of Robinson vets, they also participate in a variety of College and University activities, frequently with distinction and play a full part in College life. We encourage a friendly atmosphere amongst the preclinical and clinical veterinary students at Robinson and organize various dinners, talks and other activities throughout the year.
Department of Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary Medicine (Information from the Cambridge Admissions website)
Further guidance about studying to become a vet may be obtained from a booklet entitled "A Career as a Veterinary Surgeon" published by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Belgravia House, 62-64 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AF (Tel: 0207 2222001) or online at http://www.rcvs.org.uk
Updated July 2011