NEW Harper & Keele Veterinary School
Hi guys, this is my first real post on this blog with content that may interest you! This has been a hot topic in recent months in the Veterinary world, so if you haven’t read about it- here you are!
Many of you might not be aware, but Harper Adams University and Keele University are combining to create a new vet school- despite the two universities being 23 MILES (50 MINS BY CAR) APART! Here’s the information I’ve dug out of their website (www.harperkeelevetschool.ac.uk), and put in a more easy to read format without all the sugar coating.
A “host site” is the university (Harper Adams OR Keele) where students will live and receive their lectures. Students will be asked for their preference to choose either Harper Adams OR Keele as their “host site” upon receiving their offer- though their preferred site CANNOT BE GUARANTEED. Lectures will take place on both campuses, sometimes to that host site alone, but mostly live at one hot camp, while simultaneously being LIVE STREAMED to the other host site. Yes you read that correctly, the majority of lectures will just be videos/streams of what’s happening at the other host site’s lectures, rather than delivered in front of you, which is a massive factor in deciding whether you want to study there. The Harper & Keele website states “You will spend most of your time on your host campus”.
Travelling between the two university campuses
The two universities are 23 miles apart, so the Vet School provides a free shuttle bus service for students to travel “between the two institutions in order to access timetabled classes”, though a 50 minute drive to get to classes does seem ridiculous when compared to other universities where everything is on one campus. Travelling to the site that isn’t your host site will be necessary to access specialist facilities that your host site cannot provide.
Entry Requirements- Grades
The entry grades for A levels are AAB. The applicant must have a grade A in Biology OR Chemistry, a second science subject (including maths, statistics), and a third subject (excluding general studies and critical thinking). You also need a minimum of five GCSEs at a grade A/7 (including combined science or Biology and Chemistry)
Entry Requirements- Work Experience
Minimum of 2 weeks (70 hours) in a veterinary practice and 4 weeks (140 hours) in other animal environments. These work experience requirements don’t really differ from the other UK vet schools, they’re pretty standard requirements.
The RCVS are working to make sure that the new degree course meets RCVS requirements so that each graduate will be eligible for registration so that they can practice veterinary surgery in the UK. This process takes several years and cannot be completed until 2025 when the first full course has been completed, and the first cohort of students have their degrees. If it does not get approved, graduated will have to individually register with the RCVS so they can practice in the UK
The interviews conducted by the Harper & Keele Veterinary School will be MMIs (multiple mini interviews), “designed to assess the various attributes of the applicants. This will include animal handling.”
All in all, I think it’s extremely bizarre that two universities that are a reasonable distance apart have decided to conglomerate to form a new veterinary school. Though it does finally increase the amount of Vet schools in the UK, thus lowering the competitiveness for a place on a Vet course; I think its simply impractical and will make studying this already difficult degree increasingly harder.
I myself wouldn’t consider applying there, though my opinion might change over time, but I do feel it may be a good option for some people, as the entry requirements are slightly lower than most Vet Schools at AAB, instead of AAA. Anyway, a Vet School is a Vet School, no matter if it’s a single university or two universities combined. If its offering the D100 course- you’ll be a qualified vet in 5 years regardless…as long as you work and hit the books HARD!
