writing personal statement for vet school

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Vet school personal statement examples

When you are putting together an application for vet school, vet school personal statement examples will be a great way to learn how to write your own. Samples statements are like templates, or a beaten path showing you the way forward.

You’ve consulted the vet school rankings , made your decision, and are getting set to apply to your top-choice schools. You need to ace the personal statement to go right along with your polished grad school resume and grad school letter of recommendation .

This article will give you a few veterinarian school personal statement examples to look over so you can perfect your own statement. We will also cover some helpful hints to make your statement as effective as possible, and some pointers on what writing mistakes you should avoid.

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Article Contents 10 min read

Vet personal statement example #1.

“Saddle up,” is my favorite phrase of all time and it conveys with it a sense of adventure that few other phrases ever can. I suppose a lot of this comes from my early years where I loved cowboy stories, but it continued on through my life once I started learning about horses. I think that’s why I loved stories of the wild west to begin with: the horses – majestic, powerful, and almost living embodiments of freedom and adventure.

I grew up with horses. My cousin, Brianne, had horses and I spent as much of my time at Brianne’s place as I could. I found that other girls my age liked the idea of owning a pony, but weren’t as interested in the care of the animal. I didn’t mind it. I made connections, and learned rudimentary caring techniques. As I grew, I became more invested, and I started learning about how to care for animals on a deeper level.

My favorite thing that I learned was about trimming horse hooves. There are different schools of thought about shoeing, but I have always favored trimming and caring for horse hooves in their natural state. It is a difficult skill to master, but one of many I learned while looking after horses.

With that in mind, I took up my next job working in an animal shelter, and we dealt with all kinds of different animals that came through, mostly dogs and cats, but one animal we wound up with for a time was a chameleon named Fred who had been abandoned and neglected by his owner.

Fred proved to be a challenge – a less familiar creature than typical housepets. I started to read up on the care of lizards, tropical animals, and other exotic pets. I had to keep his cage warm, but mist it with water, and I learned that if another chameleon came into the store I would have to keep them separate, since they prefer living alone. I became fascinated with this lizard for these unique care items, and for his strange feet and rotating eyes. I knew that this was an area of study I wanted to pursue.

In case you were worried, Fred the chameleon is fine; I adopted him and he says, “Hello,” in his lizard way.

As much as I loved my job at the shelter, I decided that my experience would best come from the zoo. We live fairly near the city zoo, and a short bus ride brought me to work every day. I got first-hand experience working with exotic animals, and at last, my career goals, my love of exotic animals, and my love of adventure came all together to form one, clear path forward.

Whenever the zoo’s vets would come by and make their rounds, I would ask them questions and offered to help them with their activities. Through this, I got to “assist” on several routine events, usually with helping to control the animals and keep them still while medicine was being administered or a checkup was happening.

One of those doctors, Dr. Martin Bellford, offered to help me out with my studies, and has proved to be as inexhaustible at answering questions as I am at asking them. He has let me come with him on all subsequent zoo visits and has explained a lot of exotic animal medicine to me. He taught me about how to stay on my toes. There are so many different kinds of animals that a vet needs to know about!

My extracurricular activities inspired my academic pursuits. I have been studying biology extensively, and my favorite classes are my biology labs. I was a bit uncomfortable dissecting frogs; I didn’t know how to feel as an animal-enthusiast. I was grateful for the ability to learn about animal anatomy, but I do believe strongly in ethically caring for animals and ensuring their health and wellbeing, as well as their rights and welfare.

Someday, I hope to be an exotic animals specialist who works with strange, wild species. I’d also like to continue to care for horses, and serve as an expert or volunteer for organizations, like the World Wildlife Fund, to continue to aid the cause for wildlife preservation. Lofty goals, but goals that are filled with adventure and animals.

Saddle up.

I was screaming at a birthday party, trying to fold in on myself so completely that I couldn’t be seen by the dog sniffing me. My best friend Jake had a dog and I was terribly afraid of dogs. I had been knocked over when I was little and I guess that memory stayed with me long enough to develop a Pavlovian reaction to seeing a canid.

But, here I am, all these years later, writing this letter with two dogs’ heads resting on my lap. I went from terrified to an enthusiast.

This change of outlook happened while pet-sitting for a family friend. I was forced to come up against dogs. At first, I was all nerves and anxiety, but one of the dogs, named Lion, really was insistent that I play fetch. At first I was throwing the ball to get Lion away from me; without realizing it, I began to throw it for fun. That evening, I found myself petting Lion while watching TV. I made friends, and started to love those dogs.

I wanted to know more about animals and work with them. My uncle Carl is a vet, and in early high school days I asked if I could work for him at his clinic. He agreed, and while I mostly did menial office tasks befitting a summer job, I also got to help out with the animals

Most of what I did there was feed the animals and look after any overnight patients, but sometimes Uncle Carl would show me about a particular procedure, and he always made time to answer my questions. One day he got me to help him with a dog’s hurt hindleg – how to settle the animal, hold it gently but firmly, and how to dress the wound so that it would heal.

Again, my thirst for knowledge took over, and eventually Uncle Carl couldn’t keep up with me questions. He told me which classes I should be taking in school to learn more. I took as many biology classes as I could, and I read up on extra material. I found that I learned best by re-wording what I learned, and wrote several extra essays just so I could understand the material better.

Through working at Uncle Carl’s practice, I have discovered that I gravitate towards domestic animals. Pets are so important to me, and I want to enter a field where I can provide care for the fuzziest of family members

Last year, Uncle Carl promoted me, and I have been more directly helping with the animals under his supervision. I have come to appreciate and understand the complexities of the vet profession, and have received many hours of direct experience with medicines, evaluations, care, and treatment options for household pets. Dogs, cats, rabbits, mice, and a few spiders and snakes have all come under my purview.

I also volunteer several days every month with an animal shelter, bringing in my knowledge of how to care for these animals and help them with their health

I don’t have lofty ambitions of changing the world on a global scale; I want to be a family vet, caring for pets. I think that’s plenty of world-changing for many people who need their family cared for and their pets looked after. I have seen the relationship that vets have with their patients, and it is rewarding and wonderful.

There was nothing I could do, because when you have a three-inch gash across the stomach of a seven-inch piglet, it’s almost guaranteed to die. But hopelessness is for other professions. I’m a farm boy, so I dosed the piglet with Stresnil, grabbed a needle and thread, and sewed the little guy up.

Life on a farm has taught me a lot of things. It’s taught me about how to be tackled repeatedly by my older brother, how to fall in creeks your parents didn’t even know were there, and how to care for animals. I have seen every aspect of animal care, and participated in most of them as well.

I was there to welcome in newly-farrowed piglets, to care for them as they grew, to administer medicines and vaccinations, to feed them, scratch their backs, and put them down as quickly and humanely as possible when all else failed. Never have I lost an animal I haven’t fought for, and never have I given up on them, even in the last hours.

There is no question that this life has given me an excellent skillset and a lifetime of experience in working with animals, caring for them, and coming to understand their needs. As much as I appreciate being a farmer, my favorite aspect of the job is the care for the animals, and I want to focus on that. That’s why I want to go into the veterinary profession instead of following in my family’s business. Don’t worry, my brothers will keep the legacy going.

Maybe I shouldn’t tell you about my failures, but I feel like they were an important part of my journey, so I will. In college, when I started to study subjects I would need to become a vet, I found I had to get over myself. My experiences were valuable, but I didn’t know nearly enough. I had brought an arrogance with me; because I had direct experience with animal care, I thought I would breeze through my coursework and studies. I was wrong.

My first test score I got back for my environmental science course took me down a peg or two and I found out the hard way that I needed a better attitude, better studying habits, and to move into the hard sciences with more determination.

The attitude was a fairly easy adjustment. I have three brothers, and between their teasing and besting me in wrestling matches, my ego isn’t so fragile that it can’t take another hit. I accepted the fact that I needed to learn even more than my peers – I had allowed myself to fall behind. Then I fixed my study habits by setting a regular routine – I would always study directly after doing chores in the barn.

Finally, I took a whole new approach to my studies: I went in ignoring my grade entirely and instead just asking one question after another, allowing my curiosity to fuel my search forward. I have found that a need to understand is a far better incentive than a grade. A grade-seeker gets nothing more than a number, but a curious mind receives knowledge.

I won’t say I’m pleased that my grades have greatly improved, although they have, because I am far more wary of becoming egocentric again, but I will tell you that my studies are fairing better. I put in the work and have done some extra credit work to make up for my slow start.

Between school and farming I don’t have a lot of spare time, but I have made space to volunteer with an animal rescue organization, and I have even been fortunate enough to join them when they go out to retrieve loose animals. I have helped out with countless animals now, of many different kinds, and I am starting to expand my knowledge of the animal kingdom beyond those found on farms.

With that said, I do want to specialize in farm animals and become a veterinarian for farms. I might not be taking over for my parents, but I still love that life and those animals. I can’t save every piglet with a heavy wound, but I can try. What’s more, with training, I have the best chance possible of making every animal’s life a little bit better.

Each personal statement needs to answer one crucial question: why do you want to be a veterinarian? Answering that question is the main point of your VMCAS essay , but it must be more than that, or that reason won’t be impactful. Anybody can say “I like animals,” you need to say and show why, and you need to tell the story of your journey to getting to where you are.

The reason is because your personal statement being good also hinges on whether or not your story is personal, unique, and shows your journey in the best light. You’re going to show the application committee why you are the perfect fit for the profession of veterinarian.

You have probably done more than one thing, focused on something other than just being a vet, have a hobby or multiple types of experiences in the professional or academic fields \u2013 highlight that diversity in your life. Just make sure you stick to 2-3 main experiences. You don\u2019t need to include every connection you have with animals, just a couple of your finest experiences. Showing the admissions committee a well-rounded individual with a variety of experiences and accomplishments will go a long way to being an impressive candidate. "}]">

Could your personal statement apply to any number of candidates? Then it isn\u2019t good. Your personal statement should be, first and foremost, personal to you. The more unique it is, the more it highlights your individual traits and experiences, the more valuable it is to you. "}]">

A personal statement is one of the best ways to stand out to the applications committee. This makes you more than a number or a list of accomplishments. It gives context to those accomplishments and shows your humanity and uniqueness – two very important factors in your acceptance and moving towards your future as an animal doctor.

Different schools process applications in their own way – including personal statements. With that said, most aren’t going to mark or grade the statement. That’s why it’s so imperative to make a statement that grabs your reader and makes you stand out. It needs to be a statement that makes the committee think, “I need to interview this person; I want to meet them.”

Again, it really depends on the institution; some will weight the statement more or less than others.

What you need to know is that your statement needs to grab the attention of the reader and that you should consider all aspects of your application to be of utmost importance.

All kinds are valid, and more types are better.

If you have cared for pets, volunteered at a shelter, or have more direct, medical experience with animals, anything is on the table and valid. Get as many different types as you can. More impressive candidates will demonstrate a rapport with animals – caring for them – as well as medical and scientific knowledge.

No, it isn’t. Obviously, if you have direct contact with the kind of animal you want to specialize in, that’s great, but wanting to be an elephant doctor or somebody who helps save pandas from extinction are great goals, and you won’t be penalized because you’re not one of the rare few people who have access to pandas.

Focus on the experiences you do have to get to the ones you don’t.

No, but you should be an animal lover, so to speak. Even if you aren’t 100% sold on creep-crawlies like millipedes, you can still love animals and want to care for them. Nobody’s asking you to give a shot to an arthropod, anyway.

Animal shelters, farms, pet stores, zoos, aquariums, and possibly even a vet’s clinic will all be places you can volunteer or work to gain experience working with animals.

Not at all. You just have to be interested in animals and their wellbeing, the skillset, and the requisite academic requirements and experiences. Pet owner can be part of that, but it’s not the only factor.

Brainstorm for a couple minutes. Just take a paper and pen and free-associate about vets and animals for two minutes. Time yourself and stop at the end of those two minutes; you’ll probably have a lot to work with.

If you’re still stuck, try thinking of the moment or series of events that led you to your decision to be a vet. Start telling that story, highlight your achievements and growth along the way, and you’ll mostly be done your statement right there.

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July 11, 2024

Vet School Personal Statement Examples to Guide You

You’ve done the work you needed to to prepare yourself for vet school. The academic work. The volunteer work. The clinical work. And now you must answer the VMCAS (Veterinary Medical College Application Service) essay prompt “Why do you want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine?”  You have just 3,000 characters with which to do so.  

Many vet school candidates find writing scientific lab reports or manuscripts easier than writing a narrative vet school personal statement. And there are so many suggestions of what you should and should not do when writing a personal statement that it’s easy to get overwhelmed.  

To help you better understand what a strong vet school personal statement looks like, in this post, we present the following example, which was written by an Accepted client who ultimately received several offers of acceptance.  

Titans. In Greek mythology, the Titans were the pre-Olympians, the elder gods. They ruled the Earth and had enormous amounts of strength. In my childhood, I had a titan too, a canine. At the age of nine my family adopted a healthy Leonberger puppy that we named Titan. Little did we know at the time that his name would not only represent his size but also his unwavering strength. At the age of one, he was diagnosed with a multitude of chronic health issues and was not expected to make it to two years of age. However, as a true titan, he proved everyone wrong. I watched his bravery and will to live as the veterinarians went above and beyond to help Titan with numerous treatment plans all while showing great kindness and empathy. This helped me realize I wanted to be a veterinarian to help other animals and foster strong relations between clients and veterinarians; Titan was my defining moment.

Growing up, I lacked self-confidence and avoided talking to people I did not know. With Titan as my constant companion, I had a plethora of strangers ask me questions about him, thus fostering my interpersonal communication skills. Being able to confidently answer questions about Titan, his breed, and his health helped to prepare me for similar conversations I currently have in my position as a veterinary assistant. I am able to handle both easy and difficult conversations with pet owners by being an engaged listener, an empathetic pet owner, and having confidence in my knowledge of animals and in myself. I also recognize that not all owners have the courage or understanding to ask the questions needed to best support their animals. With this in mind, one goal I have as a future veterinarian is to help bridge the gap of knowledge that exists between animal owners and those in the veterinary industry by providing more education for owners about their animals.

 Another aspect that I will bring to the veterinary profession is inclusivity. My older brother has special needs and I have seen the progress he has made through interactions with our dogs and cats. He has gained confidence, become more social, and is able to more freely express himself. My long-term goal to contribute to the field of veterinary medicine is to create a veterinary practice that employs people with disabilities. My future practice would offer a valuable and engaging place of employment by helping decrease the stigma surrounding the capabilities of those with special needs, and foster meaningful relationships between people and animals.

The connection and experiences I had with Titan started me on my path to becoming a veterinarian. I have persevered through every opposition I have faced, learning from my mistakes and successes while remaining dedicated to my goal of becoming a veterinarian. By being a strong communicator and working well with others I have shown my ability to lead by example. All of these attributes and more are why I will be a successful veterinarian. 

This vet school personal statement has three key strengths: 

#1: The initial narrative about the applicant’s childhood pet, Titan, coupled with the writer’s ability to be vulnerable (e.g., stating that they lacked self-confidence), allows an adcom reader to form an image of the candidate and want to learn more. Furthermore, the connection between the candidate and their dog clearly lays the foundation for their interest in the field of veterinary medicine.  

#2: This applicant not only refers to their position as a veterinary assistant but also notes very specific skills they’ve cultivated in that role, such as being an engaged listener and their ability to have difficult conversations. This demonstrates that the applicant is actively invested in the process of learning as much as possible while working.  

#3: The applicant does a great job of highlighting their vision of their future as a practitioner, both holistically (i.e., wanting to be a good educator) and specifically (i.e., wanting to employ staff with special needs). This lets the adcom know that the applicant is thinking not just about the point of matriculation but also about being a provider who will contribute to the growth and development of the field.  

As the former assistant dean of student affairs and career development at the William Beaumont School of Medicine, Dr. Valerie Wherley worked directly with the dean of the School of Medicine, the associate dean of student affairs, the associate dean of clinical curriculum, and the assistant dean of admissions, as well as with Year 4 students on both residency application reviews/critiques and mock interview preparation. Work with Valerie! Schedule a free consultation today!

Related Resources:

• Highlighting Your Leadership Experience in Your Application
• Four Tips for Displaying Teamwork in Your Application Essays
• How Personal Is Too Personal In Your Application Essays?

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How To Write a Vet School Personal Statement

Personal statements are one of the first big steps towards becoming a vet, but how do you write one? Find out in our detailed guide.

How to write a vet school personal statement

Getting into a great veterinary school can be tough. Vet course admissions are very competitive, so you need to do everything you can to prove that you are an exceptional candidate. This includes writing a great veterinary personal statement. We look at how to write a personal statement for vet school, key items to include, and why nailing your personal statement is important.

Why we have to write personal statements

Your personal statement is an important part of your application process, as veterinary school is highly competitive. This is the chance to add a personal touch to your application and make you stand out from the crowd. While your resume will list all of your accomplishments, educational background, and experience, your personal statement allows you to tie all of this together and let your passion, personality, and enthusiasm for veterinary medicine shine through. Your personal statement is also where you can mention anything that doesn’t fit into the other sections of your application, and it’s an ideal place to reinforce how you meet the admission requirements .

Here, you’ll introduce yourself and explain why you’ll be a great fit for the program, touch on what has inspired you to further your studies, and why you think you are good candidate to become a veterinarian. You might also want to include what you like about this particular program and how you think it will enrich your knowledge and understanding of veterinary medicine. 

This means that when you get an interview for admission, the admissions officer should already know a bit about you and allows you to jump straight into answering their questions.

Demonstrate your passion for animals 

Since you only have limited space on your personal statement, it’s important to use this space to convince the admissions team that your passion for animals would make you an excellent veterinarian.

In order to uniquely demonstrate your passion for animals, try to think outside of the box. Don’t just talk about family pets. Mention times you’ve been proactive, hands-on, and gained experience with animals. This might include helping with the birthing season on a local farm, volunteering in kennels, or helping strays find foster homes in animal shelters.

It’s also important to specify what type of animals you have interacted with. Did you grow up riding horses and love tending to large mammals? Or did your family raise small animals? Whatever your particular interest in the veterinary world, be sure to add it. Schools like to see students who have a plan of where to specialize and continue their education.

Of course, don’t forget that most vets have to work with people too, so it’s a good idea to include something that shows you can work as part of a team or with clients.

Highlight all relevant experience

Whatever you’ve done for animals outside your normal household, include it, especially if it’s something related to wellbeing and health. Even better, if you can remember a particular interaction that made you want to be a veterinarian, be sure to include it. 

Your resume will list your experience and qualifications, but your vet school application personal statement is where you can say why your experience is relevant to the program. When you’re planning your statement, you can make notes of what experience you have, and what transferable skills you have gained. Then you can find ways to tie this into veterinary medicine. For example, if you’re an empathetic person who has worked in customer service, you can relate this to dealing with clients at a standard vet practice. If you have experience running a social group, this ties into leadership skills and motivation to go above and beyond for something you’re interested in.

Remember, you’ll have gained invaluable experience from almost everything you do, whether that’s education, work, voluntary roles, or hobbies. You just need to think about how it is relevant to what you want to do next.

Set yourself apart from the crowd  

First, you should try to think about what makes you unique. Try to think about the things you’ve done that other people haven’t, or experiences you’ve had. Remember that you’ll be competing for a seat against people all over the country and potentially all over the world, so even the most basic things might be unusual compared to other applicants.

Just like in the previous section, think about how your background gives you a different perspective or relevant skills. Try to tie it into the topics you’ll be learning in vet school, and the challenges you would face in your daily life as a veterinarian.

While you might want a large portion of your statement to be positive, you can also bring up any difficulties you’ve had and how you’ve used problem-solving skills and resourcefulness to overcome them. It shows that you’re willing to do a lot to reach your dream, which suggests you’ll be a focused and dedicated student.

You should also be sure to be personable in your personal statement. Vet school committees will expect you to remain professional and precise in what you say with word limitations in mind. However, you should aim for a conversational, friendly tone. Your personal statement is about you, so it should give the admissions committee an insight into your personality. Try to find a happy medium where you don’t sound too stiff and formal, but also don’t use slang too much.

Preparation is key

There are a lot of different things you will want to cover in your personal statement for vet school, and it’s more than simply a ‘why I want to be a veterinarian’ essay. That’s why it’s vital to prepare and plan your statement before you write it.

Just like any other assignment, you should break the statement down into sections. Make sure you highlight the goal of each section – one section might be talking about your background, and one might be about your experience. Then plan out each section with some key points to include, such as the skills your experience has provided. Then you can write the actual contents without wavering too much – and you definitely don’t want to waste words.

Afterward, be sure to proofread it thoroughly. If you can, you should ask someone else to read it too. Ask them if it makes sense, as well as get them to note any errors they find.

If you’re ready to take the next step and start studying at a leading vet school, contact us to speak to one of our expert advisors. St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine provides graduates with new knowledge, skills, and methods necessary to become caring, competent veterinarians.

Check out webinar events at St. Matthew’s School of Veterinary Medicine for more information about the application process, including your personal statement.

Get in touch for more information

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Vet School Personal Statement Examples

Learn to Write an Impactful Vet School Personal Statement With Inspira’s Database!

Your personal statement is one of the most important application materials you can submit for vet school. However, it can be challenging to write. That's why Inspira Advantage's Veterinary School Personal Statement Database is here to provide you with the relief and the reassurance you need.

Our database provides successful samples to inspire your personal statement. And the best part? It’s incredibly easy and free to use. No need to worry about complicated processes. 

Start today and make your vet school application stand out, giving you the relief and reassurance you need.

How Do You Access Our Veterinary School Personal Statement Database?

Simply provide your first and last names and a valid email address to access our database.

Once submitted, you'll gain access to our successful vet school personal statement samples—a valuable resource to guide you in writing your own statement.

Take a look through our database and use these examples to create a personal statement that stands out to the admissions office!

4 Tips to Writing a Stand-out Vet School Personal Statement

1. start with a strong introduction.

Your introduction should make a good first impression and set the tone for the rest of your statement. Make it personal and unique to you, avoiding clichés like "I've always wanted to be a vet." Instead, focus on a specific experience or event that sparked your interest in veterinary medicine.

2. Use a Specific Anecdote to Illustrate Your Passion for Veterinary Medicine

Instead of simply stating that you're passionate about veterinary medicine, use a specific anecdote to illustrate this passion. For example, you could describe when you helped care for a sick animal and how this experience reaffirmed your desire to become a vet. Make sure to include sensory details and emotions to bring the story to life.

3. Highlight a Specific Skill or Knowledge Area You've Developed Through Experience

Rather than just listing your experiences, focus on a specific skill or knowledge area you've developed through these experiences. For example, you could describe how working at an animal shelter taught you about animal behavior and body language and how this knowledge will help you as a vet. Be specific about what you learned and how you applied it.

4. Address a Specific Challenge Facing the Veterinary Profession and How You Plan to Address It

Show that you're aware of the challenges facing the veterinary profession and that you're thinking critically about how to address them. For example, you could discuss the issue of antimicrobial resistance and how you plan to contribute to solving this problem through your work as a vet. Be specific about the steps you would take and the skills you would use to address this challenge.

Inspira Advantage offers vet school admission services , including help with personal statements. If this is something that you’re interested in, you can book a free consultation with us. Increase your chances of getting into your dream veterinary school today!

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers:

1. How To Write A Personal Statement For Vet School Admissions?

A good veterinary medicine personal statement should convey your dedication to the field and highlight unique experiences and qualities. It must also demonstrate a strong connection with animals and utilize effective storytelling and structure.

2. What Is The Best Line To Start A Personal Statement?

The best line to start a personal statement grabs attention by highlighting a pivotal moment or unique experience that sparked your passion, such as: "From the first time I cared for an injured animal, I knew veterinary medicine was my true calling.

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Free Guide for Writing Better Vet Statements

Table of Contents

Are you a pre-vet student looking to apply to veterinary school this year? If so, then you’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of the application. The personal statement is an important part of the veterinary school application process. It’s your opportunity to introduce yourself and share why you want to be a veterinarian. This guide provides tips for writing a strong personal statement that will stand out to admissions committees. In addition, you’ll find  vet personal statement examples  that can inspire you to write yours.

How to Craft a Solid Personal Statement for Vet School

The Veterinary School Admissions Committee reads hundreds of personal statements yearly, so it’s important to make sure yours stands out. Here are some important tips to help you write a great vet school essay.

Start With Why Veterinary Medicine Appeals to You

First, start by introducing yourself and sharing your reasons for wanting to become a veterinarian. Be specific and highlight what intrigues you about veterinary medicine. Show that you’ve done your research and know what the profession entails. Make sure to express your dedication to becoming a veterinarian and discuss any experience you have working with animals. You may even start with an interesting anecdote or story that captures your interest in veterinary medicine. 

Show an Understanding of What Veterinary Medicine Entails

You can stand out from the sea of application letters by displaying a good knowledge of vet medicine in your personal statement. You should be able to describe the responsibilities that veterinarians usually carry out. In addition, you should also be able to show the career path you hope to chart after your studies.

Avoid Being Generic

You want the person reading the personal statement to be convinced you’re a suitable candidate for the course . And being generic won’t help you. Make sure you provide examples that specifically relate to the course and career. For example, you can explain what makes you unique and why the veterinary school is the right fit for you. 

Edit and Proofread

Be thoughtful in your writing, and edit it thoroughly before submission. Ask someone else to read it over as well, so they can provide feedback. Proofread carefully for grammar mistakes or spelling errors. Typos are very unprofessional and could hurt your chances of being accepted into vet school.

Finally, remember that the personal statement is just one part of the application process. Stay on top of all deadlines and ensure that all other required materials are submitted along with your personal statement.

Vet Personal Statement Examples

There is a couple of vet personal statement examples for you to peruse in this section. We generated these examples using the Hey INK tool. You should also try out the tool if you want to enjoy fast and precise AI writing.

Veterinary medicine has always been a subject of passionate interest to me. Ever since I was young, I’ve loved going to the zoo and observing the various animals there. It wasn’t long before I started asking questions about how they were kept healthy and the kind of treatments they got when sick. This curiosity only grew as I got older and eventually led me to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. 

Becoming a veterinarian is not just about acquiring scientific knowledge; it’s also about developing empathy for all living creatures. Throughout my academic journey so far, I have had many opportunities to work with animals first-hand. I’ve cared for injured wildlife at an animal rehabilitation center and shadowed vets in clinics and during surgeries. These experiences have affirmed my belief that veterinary medicine is both deeply rewarding and incredibly challenging and diverse. 

I’m committed to becoming the best vet possible to make a positive difference in the lives of animals and their owners. With hard work combined with continual dedication towards learning, there is no doubt in my mind that Veterinary Medicine will be my lifelong passion.

I am applying to veterinarian school and would like to mention my experience working with animals. I’ve been around animals since a very young age. I grew up on a farm with cows, pigs, chickens, dogs, cats and horses. This gave me the opportunity to learn how to care for different types of animals at an early age. My interest in veterinary science started when I was 14 years old and began working at a veterinary clinic as a kennel assistant. This is where I first experienced the hands-on approach to vet medicine. From there, I knew that this is what I wanted to do with my life. 

I continued to work at the clinic throughout high school and into university until it closed down earlier this year due to financial reasons. However, during those eight years of being involved in veterinarian clinics, l gained valuable experience. The experience has shaped me into the person l am today. I am passionate about helping sick or injured animals get back on their feet again. If given a chance, l will do my possible best to become a well-trained vet.

My name is _______, and I am a third-year veterinary student at ____________. Ever since I was young, I’ve been passionate about animals and working with them. This enthusiasm led me to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Now, I can not only help animals but also work with fellow professionals to improve their lives as well. 

Throughout my time in vet school, I have worked hard to develop the skills necessary for success in this field. My clinical experience has allowed me to work alongside veterinarians and gain invaluable hands-on experience. Through this work, I have demonstrated my ability to successfully treat patients while under pressure. My coursework has given me an understanding of the theory behind veterinary practice. I can now provide diagnoses and treatment plans that are supported by evidence-based research. 

My passion for animal welfare, combined with my skill set, makes me an excellent candidate for a residency program in Veterinary Medicine. During my residency training, I hope to continue developing as a veterinarian. I also want to learn from more experienced professionals so that one day I can become a leader within the profession myself. Thank you for your consideration, and feel free to contact me if you would like any further information.

With the tips in this article, you can now write better personal statements. If you need to get things done faster, you should consider using the Hey INK writing tool . The only writing you’ll do in this case is the instruction you give. 

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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Loop Abroad

Mastering the VMCAS Personal Essay

Introduction.

This free guide to mastering the VMCAS Personal Essay is brought to you by Loop Abroad, the leader in pre-veterinary and veterinary study abroad programs. Go to www.LoopAbroad.com for info on all of our pre-veterinary programs around the world, including one- and two-week programs, pre-veterinary semesters, internships, and virtual programs.. If you’d like to organize a private group for your pre-vet club or school, you can travel with your group for free – contact [email protected] for more information. Programs for vet students, including an elephant medicine course, are also available.

The application to vet school, commonly referred to as the VMCAS, can be overwhelming. Vet school applications are competitive, and they only come after years of gathering experience, mastering science classes, tracking veterinary hours, and making sure that vet school is the path for you.

Many students who plan to attend vet school do not consider themselves writers. (If you do, lucky you!) As such, the VMCAS Personal Essay can feel like just one more thing that you have to do in the complicated process of completing your application to vet school.

But don’t be afraid! It’s actually pretty easy to write a compelling, convincing, successful personal essay on your application, if you know what to do. This little guide will take you through all the steps of writing a successful VMCAS essay, including important pitfalls to avoid.

And if you need extra help, from proofreading to brainstorming, we are there to assist you.

So let’s write a great personal essay!

The New Personal Essay

At the time of revising this ebook (July 2022), the personal essay prompt is as follows:

“Your personal statement is a one-page essay that gives veterinary admissions committees a clear picture of who you are and, most importantly, why you want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. ”

The response is limited to 3,000 characters (less than a page – about 500 to 750 words). The instructions also give some ideas about how to write an effective personal statement.

Now, think from the perspective of the admissions committee members. Their goal is to pick the best collection of students for their incoming class. They are looking to the Personal Essay to give them information that they can’t learn elsewhere, and to help illuminate something about the applicants.

The prompt makes it clear that this is a chance to clearly articulate why you want to be a veterinarian and to tell the committee more about you that they don’t already know from your application. They don’t want you to re-list your resume or wax poetic, and vaguely, about your interest in being a vet . In other words, follow the directions and write about what the prompt asks.

So, now that we know what we’ll be writing about, let’s go ahead and get your essay ready. But, how much should we worry about it?

How Much Does the Personal Statement Matter?

The answer is: it depends. Your personal statement can’t outshine bad grades, and it can’t make up for a lack of experience. But it can do two things:

• It can set you apart if you are an otherwise “average” successful applicant, but your essay shows insight, maturity, care, and depth; or
• It can show that you haven’t taken the process seriously if it is sloppy, off-topic, or very poorly written.

In other words, a mediocre essay probably won’t hurt you, but it definitely won’t help you. In this way, it doesn’t matter as much as, for example, your Common Application essay when you applied to undergrad. After all, you’re applying to be a veterinarian, not a novelist.

However, a very bad essay can hurt you. If you were an admissions committee member and you reviewed an essay that was off-topic, full of typos, and in any way revealed ignorance of the profession, it would be hard for you to put those things aside in your mind when considering the rest of the application.

What’s more, a very good essay could help you by strengthening your application. If you can show more dimension to your understanding of veterinary medicine and make yourself stand out, you can humanize yourself to the reader a bit.

So, for short, it matters a lot that your essay is at least adequate. And it can help you a little if it’s really, really good.

Now that we know we should invest at least a little time and attention in the Personal Essay, we’re almost ready to start brainstorming and making a plan. But first, we have to go over what  not to do.

Top Ten Mistakes to Avoid

Remember, our #1 goal is to not write a bad essay, so that means avoiding the following common mistakes. This list does not include grammar, spelling, punctuation, and the other basics of effective writing, but rather reviews ten mistakes of content that you want to avoid.

1. Stating the obvious.

You only get 3,000 characters to show yourself to the admissions committee and make sure you clearly articulate the reasons why you want to be a member of the veterinary profession.

You probably have a lot of thoughts on this topic; if you don’t, you will by the end of this book! So you don’t have space for anything that doesn’t help answer the questions or give the admissions committee a glimpse into what makes you special.

Here are some examples of obvious statements that you can erase from your essay right away:

• “I love animals.” Most people don’t become vets because they hate animals. The admissions committee is already pretty sure that you love animals.
• “The process of becoming a veterinarian takes a lot of schooling and hard work, and is very competitive.” What does this tell me about you? Nothing. Also, I promise the members of the admissions committee already know this.
• “It’s difficult to fit all the ways veterinarians contribute to society into just 3,000 characters.” Yes, it is. So don’t use 15 of them on that pointless sentence.
• “There’s no way I can explain all the attributes that are essential to success as a veterinarian.” Again, correct. They don’t want you to explain every single thing a successful person has to do every day.
• “I’m sure you’ve read lots of essays that say that focus is important.” They probably have, but there’s no need to say “I’m unoriginal” expressly in your word count. (Also, don’t use the word “you” in your essay. It’s about you , not the reader.)

2. Going off topic.

You have a lot of ground to cover if you want to write a convincing and interesting essay that introduces you to the admissions committee. This is the only place in the application they really get to hear your voice.

Now is not the time to talk about your childhood pet. Please don’t talk about how much you loved your childhood pet. Everyone loves their childhood pet; it doesn’t tell the admissions committee anything about you. In general, if you spend more than one sentence talking about your childhood, you have likely gone off-topic.

Now is not the time to talk about anything that doesn’t tell the admissions committee more about what makes you uniquely suited to be a member of the veterinary profession and why that’s your goal. If a sentence doesn’t help to do one of those things, cut it, or find a way to rewrite it that makes it refer directly to the prompt.

3. Using terminology incorrectly.

Here’s a guiding principle for your essay: the people reading your essay know more about veterinary medicine and vet school than you do. If you aren’t sure exactly how to use a medical term, look it up first or just don’t use it.

Using medical terminology incorrectly makes you look as if you are trying to pretend to know something you don’t. It can be off-putting to the reader.

Not sure if something’s capitalized? Look it up. Not sure if an abbreviation has punctuation or not? Look it up. Not sure if you’re using the correct name of an instrument? Look it up. Not sure the difference between a zoo vet or an exotics vet? Not sure if you’re describing the correct medication? At this point, you can probably guess that you should look it up .

4. Making generalizations and speaking in absolutes.

You should avoid making broad, sweeping statements that either can’t possibly be true or that you can’t possibly know are true. Often these are ideas that are meant rhetorically, but they end up feeling disingenuous and can make you sound pompous, ignorant, or just uninformed. At worst, they will make the reader find you arrogant or unlikeable; at best, they add nothing to your essay.

Here are some examples:

• “No one works harder than me.”
• “Every veterinarian faces this challenge in his or her career.”
• “Everyone knows that dealing with animals can be emotional.”
• “There is no job more important than being a veterinarian.”
• “Nothing could be more difficult than the choice I faced.”
• “I will be the best and most devoted student you have ever seen.”
• “I know I will love every moment of the challenge.”
• “I would never do that if I were making the same decision.”
• “I always think about the interests of others before my own.”

There’s a reason that the Star Wars franchise chose the sentence, “Only a Sith deals in absolutes.” Absolutes generally do not reflect a mature, moral, developing understanding of the world, so you should try to avoid them whenever possible.

To make sure you avoid statements such as these, you can do a quick search of your essay for the words “none”, “no one”, “everyone”, “every”, “all”, “always”, “never”, “most”, and pretty much any other superlatives (words ending in “est” such as “best” and “hardest”).

5. Explaining too much or too little.

The committee members reading your Personal Essay understand more about the veterinary profession and veterinary education than you do. However, they likely didn’t attend your school, and even if they did, they didn’t attend it this year.

That means you don’t need to explain:

• What certain medications do
• What certain surgeries are for
• How surgical instruments are used
• What common veterinary abbreviations stand for
• The process of becoming a veterinarian

But you do need to explain:

• The acronym for your school club or organization
• The purpose of your school event with a cute but unclear name
• The full name of a particular course at your school
• Any acronyms or abbreviations that are unique to your school or town

In short, you don’t want to waste words explaining something the committee members already know, but you don’t want to leave them confused as to what you’re talking about.

6. Making excuses.

Your essay is not the place to explain why you got an F in a class, or why you had to withdraw during your sophomore semester, or why you don’t have as many veterinary hours as some other applicants. Your essay is the place to make yourself sound like a strong applicant, not talk about the weaknesses of your application.

You can address a weakness if you mention it in passing in a way that informs your answer to one of the questions. It should not sound like you are making excuses for your failures.

No: “Once I retook the course with a professor who knew how to explain things in a way that made sense, I quickly mastered the content.”

Yes: “Retaking the course gave me the opportunity to master the material, and I know this tenacity will be a key to my success in my veterinary career.”

No: “Working two jobs meant that I was not able to collect the veterinary hours that some of my more affluent classmates could easily fit into their schedules.”

Yes: In every veterinary office where I have worked, resourcefulness has been an essential skill. Finding opportunities to volunteer and learn that fit my lean, self-supported budget has only helped me to build these skills.

No: “I had to withdraw because my school did not make me aware of the deadlines that were approaching, and I had no choice.”

Yes: “Because my school doesn’t have a pre-vet advisor, I have had to be organized and dedicated in pursuit of my educational goals.”

No: “Not everyone can afford to pursue fancy pre-veterinary volunteer programs all over the world.”

Yes: “I believe that veterinarians are an essential part of their communities, and I was grateful to be able to find opportunities to get involved close to home.”

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t use these exact sentences , but you get the idea. You don’t want to sound bitter or give off the impression that you don’t take ownership of your own successes and failures. You don’t have to ignore the weaknesses in your application, but you if you mention them, you should frame them in terms of what you learned and how you improved. Speaking of not using these exact sentences…

7. Plagiarizing.

This one doesn’t need a lot of reiteration. If you find a sample essay that seems to say just exactly what you wanted to say , and you feel like you’ve finally found the words, that’s great–but you can’t use it.

Put the sample essays down. Stop asking other people on the APVMA Facebook page to share their essay with you as a sample. Write your own work. All the time.

8. Restating other parts of your application.

The Personal Essay is the chance to include new information that isn’t already in your application. If you’ve already described the details of a class or activity elsewhere, you don’t need to include them here. If you already mentioned an award elsewhere, don’t mention it here.

You don’t want to waste your word count telling your reader something he or she already knows. This is your chance to share the qualitative aspects of your application: the things that can’t be measured in grades, hours, or ranks. This is your chance to talk about your values, your beliefs, your interests, and your ambitions. It’s your chance to show the kind of person you are, and the kind of person you are is never a grade or an award. (And even if it were, there are other places to include that information.)

9. Writing filler sentences.

You should view the word limit as a length guideline; while you can’t write more than that, you shouldn’t write much less.

That said, you have probably had lots of unique and interesting experiences in your life up to this point, so you don’t have room for lots of flowery introduction and conclusion sentences. Check out this grammatically correct, completely-on-topic opening:

“Veterinarians are an important part of every society around the world and throughout history, and they contribute in myriad ways. In considering all the ways they contribute to society, I realized that they may indeed be the cornerstone of progress in a culture.”

Uh, okay. But what does that tell me about the applicant? Exactly nothing. Use this space to tell the admissions committee about you. Skip the fluff.

10. Playing the expert.

Repeat after me: you are not a veterinarian . You don’t know what a veterinarian would or should  do in a medical emergency. You don’t know what you would do as a veterinarian in any given setting. You don’t yet understand all the ins and outs of owning or running a veterinary practice. It’s important that you honor that truth in your essay.

Someday, you might know more about being a veterinarian than your reader does, but now is  not that time . You cannot impress your reader with your knowledge of veterinary medicine, so don’t use your time trying. However, you are an expert in one thing: you . Luckily, that is exactly the one thing that your reader wants to know about. Don’t spend your essay trying to impress with what you know; spend your essay trying to share who you are.

Now You’re Ready to Brainstorm

Clear thirty or sixty minutes from your schedule. Turn off your computer, your TV, and your phone. Get a pen and paper (or use your computer if you prefer), put in some thought, and write down some answers to the following questions.

You don’t have to have the correct wording right now, or say things in the right way. Just get something down on paper that matches your real feelings and experiences. Even writing a couple words is great. Bullet points can make it easy to get your mind flowing.

• What are my future vet career goals? a. Do I want to practice, research, or teach? b. What kind of animals do I want to work with? c. Pets? Conservation? Wildlife? Food animals? What comes to mind? d. Where would be my dream to end up? Writing a book? Saving animals in the rainforest? Opening a free clinic? Discovering a new vaccine
• Why do I want those goals in my career? a. Am I more motivated by my talents or my aptitudes? b. What motivates me? c. Who motivates me? d. What do I believe is the measure of success? e. What’s the best thing a vet can do? f. What have I done so far that helped me choose these goals? g. What have been my favorite classes? Why? h. What has been my favorite work with animals? Why?
• What do I want to contribute as a vet? a. What kind of animals do I want to help? b. What kind of people do I want to help? c. What kind of difference do I want to make? d. Why is it important to me?
• What attributes are essential to the success of a vet? a. What am I good at that helps me be a vet? b. In what areas could I improve that would help me? c. Who are my professional role models? d. What traits do I admire in my professional role models?
• What are my strongest attributes? a. What do people say I’m good at? b. What do I find easy and enjoy? c. What am I proud of? d. What’s important for me to be good at?
• What are some examples of times I showed these attributes? a. What are some examples from work? b. From school? c. From my personal life and relationships? d. From childhood?
• Do I have special or unique experiences that informed my understanding of the veterinary profession, helped set my career goals, or gave me unique perspective? a. Personal growth moments that built positive attributes? b. Unique animal experiences? c. Diverse perspectives to share? d. Challenges I faced that show my capabilities? e. Role models in the profession that inspired me?

You won’t use everything you wrote above, but this is a good starting place.

Take a look over your brainstorming session. Are there any themes that stand out? Any great ideas? Any concepts that you didn’t realize mattered to you until now? Is there anything that sounds unique to you? Is there anything there that truly tells your story and sums up who you are?

You want to look for any themes or ideas that recur throughout the brainstorming session; that might help to guide your ideas and help your essay paint a picture of who you are. Review the list above now, and try to clarify and write down the top three things that you want the admissions committee to understand about you after reading your responses.

You don’t get a lot of words, so you want to stay on one message and make sure that all your answers are cohesive. You cannot possibly include everything you think or might want to say in your essay, so focus on making the points that are more important to you and that help tell the story of who you are as a candidate. This brings us to the most important concept of your Personal Essay: it should tell a story.

Think about what you identified as the three most important things you want the admissions committee to know about you from your essay. Everything you write should be directly related to one of those three things. You only get one page to share everything that makes you a good candidate for vet school, so make every sentence count

Remember: it’s very important to answer the prompt, but your real goal in answering the prompt is to show the admissions committee something about who you are as a person and a candidate. So you absolutely want to make sure you clearly answer the question of “why you want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine.”

The story you tell in your essay, ultimately, should match with the rest of your application. If all your volunteer work and vet experience is with dogs, but your entire essay is about elephants, you’ll need to explain how those two connect. If all your coursework and research is about reptiles, but your essay emphasizes that you want to work with horses, you should explain. It’s okay if your experiences and goals don’t match perfectly, as long as you can connect them.

For example, maybe you’ve been studying horses because learning about horses is a good way to prepare for a career with elephants, which is your goal. Maybe your volunteer hours are with dogs because that activity is supervised by a very experienced vet at your university, but in your summer internship at a zoo you fell in love with zoo medicine.

You don’t want to leave the reader wondering if your goals make sense and if you’re really informed about your educational plans. Think about the three things you most want to convey in your essay: do they match the rest of your application? If so, your only goal is to convey them clearly in a way that also answers the prompts. If not, you may need to reshape your application to make everything “match” and tell a cohesive story. Whether this means rearranging your resume, reshaping your essay, looking for a new recommendation letter, or some other combination of little changes, you will need to find a way to shape the application so that it’s clear to the admission committee exactly who you are and what you bring to their potential incoming class.

Making an Outline

With all the information from your brainstorming session, and an understanding of the story you want to tell, it’s time to make an outline.

It’s important that each paragraph has a key point. Then you can add support for the point you are trying to make. It’s easy to be all over the place when you feel like you have a lot to tell the admissions committee, but an outline can help you make sure that everything you write conveys your most important points.

Choosing the points you want to convey is more important than beautiful or poetic writing in this case. You have a short window in which to tell your story, so you want it to be concise, accurate, and interesting.

Now that you know what you want to include, the actual writing is the easy part. This doesn’t have to be the most beautiful thing you’ve ever written, but it should be grammatically correct and free of errors. It should also have the right tone.

What Tone to Use

Some of us naturally write in a more formal or informal tone, and it’s okay to sound like yourself. Your essay doesn’t have to sound just like everyone else’s — in fact, it shouldn’t!

Here are some general rules of thumb to follow in making sure that your tone doesn’t go too far either way.

• Don’t say “you”. Don’t address the reader as “you”. There’s no need to address the reader in any way.
• …But it’s okay to say “I”. Many of your college classes may have required that you avoid the first person in formal writing, never saying “I” or “me” in a paper. This isn’t an academic essay; it’s a personal essay that is asking questions about you and your beliefs. It’s perfectly fine to write in the first person; it would be kind of weird if you didn’t.
• Don’t try to write “fancy”. There’s no need to use words like “aforementioned” or use introductions such as, “Given the above, it is therefore commensurate that such results would ensue.” If you wouldn’t say it, don’t write it. Long, fancy words don’t make you a better writer, and they certainly don’t make you sound more like yourself.
• …But don’t use text-speak. While you don’t have to be fancy, you should be somewhat formal. This is a personal statement, not a text. You may think it goes without saying that LOLs and smiley faces don’t belong in your personal statement, and it’s a relief if you do. But if you aren’t sure if something belongs in your statement, then it doesn’t.
• You can use contractions. Very formal writing avoids contractions like “can’t” and “don’t”, but in the interest of saving space, you can use them in your personal statement if you’d like.
• …But what about things that are right but sound wrong? This area is a bit more tricky. Consider the sentence, “Zoo medicine is what I’ve chosen to devote my life to.” You would be more likely to say that than, “Zoo medicine is that to which I’ve chosen to devote my life,” but the second option is grammatically correct. (The first, in case you’re wondering, has a preposition at the end of the sentence.) In these cases, should you be formal but correct, or should you try to sound like yourself? My advice is to avoid making the choice by shuffling the order of your sentence whenever possible. “I’ve chosen to devote my life to zoo medicine” is both correct and normal sounding, and it has the added benefits of being more clear and more direct than your initial draft.
• Don’t give advice. Your readers are not looking for advice, so don’t tell them what they should or should not do. Remember who you’re talking to.
• …But don’t apologize. At the same time, you don’t have to apologize for not being an expert in veterinary medicine or not knowing exactly what you want to do with your life. The word “sorry” shouldn’t be anywhere in your essay.

Write, Then Cut

Now you’re ready to write! I suggest that you write first, not worrying about perfection but instead trying to convey all the main points of your outline in a way that answers the prompt. Your first step should be including everything you want to include in a way that answers the question and gives the reader some insight into your personality.

Then, you can worry about the length! Editing generally takes longer than writing. Start by shortening your introduction or conclusion–anything that doesn’t get right into answering the question and showing who you are.

Next, you can look for phrases that don’t add to your main point or that can be replaced with one or two more descriptive words. “The place I worked for many years” can become “my workplace”, or “the medications that we always stored in the cabinet” could just be “medications”. If something doesn’t contribute to one of your main bullet points, then cut it out.

The harder part of editing is choosing if one of your main points needs to be cut. It’s likely that it does. Choose the one that says the least about you, is the least unique, or has the least relevance to the rest of your application, and start deleting.

Your final answers should be very close to the word limit permitted.

Check for Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation

You aren’t going to school to be a writer. That said, correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling are essential in your Personal Essay. Why?

• Grammar, punctuation, and spelling show attentiveness and care. For the purposes of vet school, this is the most important reason to care about your quality of writing. Correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling show that you have put time and thought into your application. They show that this is important to you. They show that you have learned a set of rules and know how to follow them. If you can imagine why those things would be important to a vet school admission committee, then you can take the time to make sure your essay is grammatically correct.
• Correct grammar makes reading easy. The purpose of grammar and punctuation is to make life easy for the reader, which is something you definitely want to do in an application.
• Correct grammar makes your message clear. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling are tools for ensuring that your message is conveyed clearly and correctly, which is an asset to you in this process.
• Correct grammar is concise. Good writing saves space and words, which you’ll find important with such a strict word limit.
• Correct grammar makes you sound smarter. Whether it should or not, it does. And who doesn’t want to sound smart in their application?

For these reasons, you should ensure that your grammar, punctuation, and spelling are correct. Microsoft Word or Google Docs spell-check is a good first start, but that red, squiggly line doesn’t know everything.

Please take at least one of the following three steps to ensure that your grammar, punctuation, and spelling are correct.

• Read it out loud. Reading something out loud (to yourself if necessary, but preferably to someone else) can help you discover typos, grammatical mistakes, repetitive word use, phrases that are unclear, or anything that doesn’t sound like you intended. This is a great first step to writing a solid Personal Essay.
• Ask someone to proofread for you. Asking a friend or family member to read over your essay can be a great way to catch typos or grammatical mistakes.
• Read it backwards. Read the last sentence. Then read the sentence before that. Continue until you get back to the beginning. This method will not help you with continuity or the sound of your writing, but it can be incredibly helpful for finding typos or misspellings.

Congrats, you’re done with this section of the VMCAS. If you find that your application is lacking in research hours, veterinary hours, or hands-on experience, or you otherwise want to have an amazing experience abroad working with animals, we encourage you to check out Loop Abroad for two-week pre-veterinary experiences around the world (generally 3 credits and 80 vet hours each) or a full semester abroad (300+ veterinary hours, 20 credits, designed specifically for pre-veterinary students) in Thailand, South Africa, or around the globe. Good luck on your vet school admissions journey!

Your adventure is waiting. Start your application today!

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Veterinary Science Personal Statement Examples

What is a veterinary medicine personal statement?

Your veterinary medicine personal statement is an opportunity to sell yourself to admissions tutors, and tell them why you would make a great candidate on their course.

Your statement should include how you meet all the entry requirements for a veterinary science degree and demands of the course. For example, your love of animals, patience, empathy, and your academic and practical skills.

How do I write a veterinary medicine personal statement?

Most veterinary medicine candidates open their personal statement with why they want to become a vet. Motivations for wanting to study any course at university are always important.

We recommend you write a series a notes about your skills, experience, hobbies, extracurricular activities, career plans and anything else that is relevant to your application.

When you have put an initial draft together, proofread it and leave yourself plenty of time to amend your statement.

Ask family, friends and tutors to read your veterinary medicine personal statement, and invite them to make suggestions, comments and any other feedback to help you improve it.

What should I include in my veterinary medicine personal statement?

• Your passion for animals should be obvious from the outset. Think about what made you want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine in the first place - was it a childhood experience or something you read or encountered? Were you inspired by a family member or friend who is already a qualified vet?
• Talk about any work experience (paid or unpaid) or voluntary roles that have helped you gain experience in the veterinary science field. This will help demonstrate your skills, commitment and ambition to the university admissions tutors.
• If you're applying to Oxbridge, your personal statement will need to be exemplary. Veterinary medicine is a highly competitive course, so you have to show that you are a talented, dedicated and enthusiastic student that meets all the academic and vocational requirements.

For more help and advice on what to write in your veterinary medicine personal statement, please see:

• Personal Statement Editing Services
• Personal Statement Tips From A Teacher
• Analysis Of A Personal Statement
• The 15th January UCAS Deadline: 4 Ways To Avoid Missing It
• Personal Statement FAQs
• Personal Statement Timeline
• 10 Top Personal Statement Writing Tips
• What To Do If You Miss The 15th January UCAS Deadline.

What can I do with a veterinary medicine degree?

There are many career options available to those wanting to study veterinary medicine, including:

• Animal nutritionist
• Veterinary surgeon
• Animal physiotherapist

However, there are other job roles where your veterinary science degree could be useful, such as:

• Animal technician
• Veterinary nurse
• Environmental consultant
• Nature conservation officer.

For more information about careers with a veterianary science degree, please see Prospects and The Times .

What are the best UK universities for veterinary medicine?

Currently the best UK universities for veterinary medicine are:

For more information about UK university rankings for veterinary science, please see The Complete University Guide and The Guardian .

Related resources

Find out more

UCAS Personal Statement FAQs

Personal Statement Writing Tips

How To Write A Personal Statement

UCAS Extra: How Does It Work?

How To Apply To University

Personal Statements

Your personal statement is a one-page essay that gives veterinary admissions committees a clear picture of who you are and, most importantly, why you want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine

UGA Supplemental Application questions for 2024-2025 application cycle:

• Veterinarians contribute to society in many different ways. Describe several roles they play in society and how you hope to contribute, including the qualities or traits you would bring to the profession. (3500 character limit)
• Describe a significant experience or challenge in your life that was unrelated to veterinary medicine, what you learned from that experience, and how you have grown from it. (3500 character limit)
• Personal Statement

What should be included?

Although there is no set of rules mandating what a strong personal statement should include, here are a few tips to help you successfully craft an effective personal statement:

• Explain a defining moment that helped steer you toward a career in veterinary medicine. Consider using that moment as the focal point of your essay.
• Be original and thoughtful: Discuss how you would contribute to the profession and patient care, all of which will help you stand out from other applicants.
• As you are telling us why you want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine , explain why you are good candidate for veterinary school. Ask yourself—in a pile of 100 applications, would I enjoy reading my statement? Be sure to convey your passion for veterinary medicine in your statement.
• Many of you have had meaningful experiences with animals or veterinarians as children and these are important but should only be mentioned briefly.
• Your application materials already contain a summary of your accomplishments, so avoid repeating information from your transcripts or reference letters.
• Give yourself time to organize your thoughts, write well and edit as necessary.
• Ask yourself if this essay is a good representation of your character, ideals and aspirations.
• Don’t forget to proofread!

What should NOT be included?

• Avoid cliches: How many times do you think admissions committees have read the phrase, “I love animals”?
• Avoid being vague: "[Insert experience] was challenging and rewarding." What does that mean? Be specific about what was impactful and how it affected you.
• Avoid brash decision-making:   Your decision to become a veterinarian should be the result of a series of thoughtful, conscious, and reflective decisions. NOT an instantaneous realization. Similarly, you have not “always known” that you want to be a vet. No one is "born to be a vet." Nothing is innate, you have to work for it.
• Avoid excuses:   In general, there are better uses for your essays than explaining away and justifying poor grades, incidents of misconduct, etc.  However, if you choose to address these subjects, be sure to focus on what you have learned from those incidents and how your experiences have made you a stronger person.  Never, ever blame anyone else for your mistakes.
• Avoid restating resume:   Choose ONE or TWO significant and distinguishing experiences to elaborate upon.
• Avoid grandiosity:   For example, claiming that you “know what it is like to be a vet from [shadowing/clinical volunteer experience].”  No, you do not.  That is precisely why you are hoping to go to vet school.
• Avoid inflammatory or controversial topics:   You do not know the values, beliefs, and background of the person who is reading your essay.  For these reasons, it is advisable to avoid making any strong statements regarding politics, religion, and other polarizing topics.  Be extremely cautious to avoid expressing any views that could be construed as derogatory to any group.  Additionally, your beliefs are not the only “correct” beliefs.
• Do not lie: Honesty and ethical behavior are the hallmarks of being a veterinarian. Do not include details that you are not prepared to talk about or are simply untrue.

When should I start writing?

You need to begin working on your essays early in the fall semester prior to the application opening in January.  Remember that the people who are helping you with your essays will need time to review them and you will need time to work through multiple drafts. You should have several different people objectively read your personal essays and provide constructive feedback. There are also resources on campus that can assist you, such as the Career Center and UGA Writing Center .  Consider the feedback you get carefully, but be sure that the essays are still written in your voice. In addition, some of your letter writers will want to see a copy of your essays before they write your letter, so you should strive to have competent drafts on hand by October or November. Your letter-writers are often a great option to help review your essays.

Writing your Personal Statement? An EDITOR's tips...

Introducing… Brenna Saunders!

Brenna is a professional editor, author, ghostwriter, and dear friend of our little community! She is generous enough to share her ideas and proven methods for:

* How to get past the dreaded blank page (getting started!)

* How to connect with your audience (hint: the readers of your Personal Statement are HUMANS!)

* Some big DO NOT’s

* and more!

* Storytelling/ Visuals!

* Write a ton. Edit it later. Don’t start writing having that max character count in mind!

* Don’t wait til the last minute to get started!

Here is some reading that will help you along the way:

Stay focused on what brings you happiness.

BRENNA’S NEWSLETTER is just that.

Some books that might help get the juices flowing, bring you happiness, or impact your writing:

Inspiration , from the best. Trust me on this one.

Keep your life (and writing) light! This one is worth a read:

The Ultimate Writer’s Block (and life!) HELP BOOK:

Thank you for reading The hardest part of vet school... is GETTING IN. If you were inspired, helped, or gleaned any nugget of knowledge today, please send to a friend!

Get full access to The hardest part of vet school is... GETTING IN. at drkatiemaher.substack.com/subscribe

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• Published July 15, 2024 at 11:32 AM UTC
• Length 41 min
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Personal Statement

Admission committees look for applicants who capture the compassion as well as the passion for the field to which they wish to apply. The personal statement is your primary opportunity to distinguish yourself from the thousands of other applicants. Make a lasting impression by showing the admission committee who you are as a person and making the case that you possess the personality traits and characteristics to become a successful health care provider. 

The Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) prompt is: 

Discuss briefly the development of your interest in veterinary medicine. Discuss those activities and unique experiences that have contributed to your preparation for a professional program. Discuss your understanding of the veterinary medical profession, and discuss your career goals and objectives. 

Here are some tips specific to veterinary school personal statement: 

• Do not regurgitate experiences and other data already existing on other parts of the application.
• Write about your knowledge of the veterinary profession.
• Include information about who you are as a person and what diversity you might bring to the institution.
• Include information about why you'd be a good candidate.

1. Brainstorm

Questions to ask yourself before you write.

• Who are the most influential people in your life? What did they do for you?
• What have been the pivotal moments in your life? 
• What accomplishments are you most proud of?
• What obstacles have you overcome?
• What makes you different?
• How will your skills and personality traits add diversity to the class?
• Do you feel a passion for medicine? What is the source of that passion?
• What do you want medical schools to know about you that hasn't been disclosed in other sections of the application? 
• How would your family and friends describe you?
• What are your goals and dreams?

Compile an inventory of all the activities, experiences, and relationships/influences that have helped to define the person you are today. Looking back, what can you recall having changed you? How were you affected? What lessons did you learn? What personality traits do they reflect in you? These notes will help you identify the topics or themes on which to focus your statement. As you are brainstorming, you may identify experiences that stir strong emotions. These experiences are likely to be meaningful to you and therefore may be good material for your personal statement. Speak from your heart. 

2. Start Writing

Identify your word limit.

Word/character limits for personal statements vary across professions so it is important that you identify your word or character limit before you start writing. The limit for the veterinary school application (VMCAS) is 5000 characters. Generally speaking, this is roughly one page single-spaced. Character limits for common health professions' application services (all include spaces): Allopathic medicine (AMCAS): 5300 characters. For Texas schools (TMDSAS): 5000 characters Osteopathic medicine (AACOMAS): 4500 characters Dentistry (AADSAS): 4500 characters Veterinary (VMCAS): 5000 characters Physician Assistant (CASPA): 5000 characters Accelerated Nursing programs: varies by school; for schools using NursingCAS, the limit is 5000 characters Physical Therapy (PTCAS): 4500 characters Public Health (SOPHAS): 1500 words

Get It on the Page For your first draft, don't get hung up on your beginning or ending. Instead, just start writing. You may feel the urge to write a lot about your personal journey; if so, run with it. This may provide you with good material and you can edit it later. 

• Identify the most significant aspects from your notes that will enable you to address one or more of the following standard topics:
• Your motivation for this career
• Influence of your family and early experiences on your life
• Influence of your extracurriculars, volunteer activities, and/or jobs on your life (what have you learned, how have you demonstrated leadership, and how have you matured?)
• Your qualifications (unique attributes, personal qualities, and/or skills that set you apart) 
• Long term goals 

Use your experiences to provide personal insight into your personal attributes. Weave a story that helps the reader understand who you are as a person rather than simply listing your achievements. Avoid repeating information that is included elsewhere on your application unless you are elaborating on how an experience has shaped you and your motivation for a career as a health professional. 

Address Academic Irregularities If Necessary

You may wish to use a section of your personal statement to address academic irregularities such as withdrawals, incompletes, repeated courses, or significant fluctuations in your academic record. If applicable, you may mention special hardships, challenges, or obstacles that may have influenced your academic performance. Instead of making excuses, acknowledge and explain the situation, and if applicable, what you are doing differently and what you have learned. 

Take Your Time and Take Breaks

• Take breaks from writing instead of trying to write everything in one sitting. Picking up your draft later can test whether your writing flows. 
• Read your writing aloud and listen to what you hear to check for grammatical errors, flow, and clarity. 

3. Organize Your Writing

Overall shape of the essay.

There is no one correct format for a personal statement. Strong personal statements often begin with a brief background that will serve as the foundation for the message you wish to convey. The bulk of the essay will illustrate the impression you wish to make on the reader, and will flow into a succinct conclusion. Always keep in mind that your essay must be interesting enough to immediately grab the reader's attention and compelling enough to hold it whether your essay is the first or fiftieth one the reader has seen that day. Though you are not limited to these examples, some people find it helpful to use one of the following approaches:

• I've always wanted to be a doctor/dentist/veterinarian
• My parents are health care providers
• Being a patient/having a sick family member made me want to become a health care provider
• My experiences in a clinical environment piqued/confirmed my interest in the health professions
• Through my [non-health care] experiences, I have developed the skills and personal qualities to be an effective health care provider.

Organizational Strategy 

You may find it helpful to use one of the following  types of organizational strategies with your outline:

Standard structure: This type of organization is one you are probably very familiar with from your academic writing. In your first paragraph, you introduce the main points of your essay. In the following paragraphs, you provide evidence to support each of your main points (usually defending one point per paragraph). In your final paragraph, you reiterate your main points in the context of the evidence you presented, possibly leaving the reader with some "big idea" that takes your message one step further.

Comparison: This organizational structure attempts to draw a comparison or analogy between two seemingly unrelated things. In the case of medical school applicants, these essays usually compare a non-medical life experience/talent/interest/famous quote with the field of medicine or the applicant's desire to pursue medicine. It is common for applicants to begin with a story, personal anecdote, quote as a lead and then spend the rest of the essay describing how the lead relates to or sheds light on medicine or their goal of becoming a physician.

If you use this structure, make sure that you provide adequate reflection on how your two disparate ideas connect (or don't connect) to each other. Make your arguments explicit; don't leave it up to the audience to figure out your points. Also, don't get too abstract or philosophical in your comparisons. You don't need to say something profound; rather, just be yourself. Remember, your discussion should always lead back to you and your motivations to enter your health profession of choice.   

Chronology: In this type of outline, the writer takes the reader through the various steps in his/her life that led him/her to medicine. The introduction is usually the initial event that started the writer on his/her journey toward becoming a doctor. The writer then generally recounts the subsequent events in which he/she further explored and/or was further drawn into the medical profession before concluding with how all these events brought him/her to where he/she is today.

The advantage of this approach is that it allows for a more personal approach and helps the admissions committee to know you by turning the focus of the essay to you throughout the various stages of your life. The drawback is that the points you are trying to make can get lost in the narration of your life. To avoid this potential danger, make sure you clearly state how each of these events shaped you and your decision to pursue a health profession as well as the important lessons you learned along the way.

Opening Sentence

Your opening sentence can simultaneously set the theme of your essay and engage the reader. Here are some different types of leads you may wish to try out:

Standard:  State what you will be talking about in the paper. This can take on the form of a "thesis" in many ways (i.e. "My interest in medicine began with my trip to Honduras"). This lead sets up the reader for a focused, well-structured essay and helps you to get the point quickly (infinitely useful in a short essay like the personal statement). Creative:  Add interest by making the reader wonder what will come next (i.e. "I was awoken by the beating of African drums that filled the air"). Action:  Take the reader into the middle of the action. This is useful if you're trying to conserve space or if your essay begins with a story (i.e. "Our car breaks screeched as the truck came hurtling toward us"). Personal:  Reveal something about you (i.e. "My grandmother's words touched my soul like nothing else"). Quotation:  Begin with a direct quotation or paraphrase whose meaning pertains to the main points you are trying to convey in your essay (i.e. "FDR once proclaimed that 'the only thing we have to fear is fear itself,' and I have frequently tried to follow his advice"). Avoid using clichés. 

Dialogue:  Put the reader into the middle of a conversation, whether it be an actual talk between two people or your own internal thoughts (i.e. "'I don't want to die,' cried the little girl"). Informative:  State a fact that is relevant to the topic of your essay (i.e. "Every doctor remembers her first patient"). 

Ask yourself if your essay can stand without an introduction. It may be appropriate to simply begin with the action of the story (in media res as they say) and then move on to discussing how that story ties into the points you will be making throughout the rest of the essay. 

Tie together the most important points you've made in your essay to bring the reader full-circle. The final sentence or two of your essay can be enough for a conclusion, especially if you're running low on space. The important thing is to make sure you bring your thoughts to their logical end and create a positive, memorable image in the reader's mind. Endings are the last experience the admissions committee will have with your essay, so your goal should be to leave them thinking that it was a satisfying read and wishing that there was more.

4. Get Feedback

Find someone to give you critical feedback who isn't afraid to hurt your feelings. Give your draft to multiple sources to get different perspectives. Ideally you should ask someone who is a good writer to help you with your writing, someone who knows you well enough to verify if your writing sounds like you, and someone who doesn't know you as well who can provide perspective on the impression you are making. Clarity in your writing will reflect good communication skills. By the end of the statement, the reader should be able to see the world through your eyes.   

5. Refine Your Writing

The most important part of the personal statement is the impression of yourself that you are creating. After reading your personal statement, readers may ask themselves if you would be interesting to interview. 

Quality of Writing

It is expected that your personal statement be error-free. Grammatical errors may reflect carelessness. 

Further resources

For further advice on writing personal statements in general, visit the Writing Center Resources page.

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Director of Health Professions Advising

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Applying to Veterinary School in 2024: Veterinary Personal Statement Top Tips From Cambridge & RVC Graduates

Applying to vet school can seem intimidating. In this article, we hope to demystify the process for you, discussing top tips for writing your personal statement, exploring the subject prior to interviews and preparing you to follow your veterinary dreams!

Preparing a Veterinary Personal Statement

When writing your personal statement, it is important to ensure breadth and depth, discussing topics in detail and ensuring you can mention a range of different topics/ experience to show a wider knowledge of the subject area. Make sure you mention people as well as animals, and choose topics you would be comfortable discussing further at interview.

Why are you applying?

Before you begin preparing for your veterinary application, it is worth taking a few minutes to think about the reasons why you wish to study veterinary medicine. This will be crucial for personal statement writing and you may be asked about your motivations for applying at interview. Your reasons for application should be well-thought out and specific. When you have some work experience of volunteering done, you can incorporate these experiences in your answers.

Begin by planning how you will structure your response. You could split your answer into three sections: 

1. Why the university?

Extensively research the university, societies you might want to join etc. and know the style of veterinary school. N.B. Most veterinary schools will have a page dedicated to what they want from applicants - take your cue from them!

2. Why veterinary?

Think about what YOU will gain from the degree itself

Think about what the degree will allow you to do once you are done e.g. The different routes you could take: Veterinary surgeon, zoo industry, scientific research, higher education lecturer, conservation work, charity sector (RSPCA) etc.

Ideas: You could think about how veterinary scientists benefit our community, maintaining animal welfare standards, improving food security, informing policy changes, the lifelong learning experience…

What are your ambitions? What interests you about veterinary medicine?

Consider the top 6 qualities you think it will be most important to evidence in your personal statement – consider practical and non practical skills

3. Why are you a suitable candidate?

When answering "Why me?" style questions at interview, or brainstorming when writing your personal statement, you must be able to demonstrate your quality and relate back to veterinary.

What makes YOU suitable for this subject? What relevant skills do you have? What relevant experiences or achievements can evidence these skills?

Which qualities would your chosen university most admire? e.g. practical skills, communication skills, problem solving, empathy and sensitivity

Work experience is great to mention as the stimulus that led you to apply for veterinary medicine, rather than just "helping animals", which is the formulaic answer a surprising number of students give! Work experience placements also make perfect examples for questions on your skills/ attributes and veterinary as a career.

Example skills

How to ensure breadth and depth in your Vet personal statement

Those who are going to review your personal statement for university admissions, or interview you, live the subject. They have decided to dedicate their lives to studying this discipline. Therefore, it is important to show that you are closely involved with the subject, even though it is not a subject studied at school. How to do this?

Background Reading/ Research for Vet Science

Evidence of off-curriculum exploration and outside reading is crucial to success in entry to the top veterinary schools . Research some relevant topics in veterinary medicine such as one health, bovine tB, animal welfare, pet obesity and nutrition (80% of horses are obese!), euthanasia and equine notifiable diseases.

Also think about current "“hot topics” in veterinary e.g. equine herpes virus is a hot topic in the UK after a recent outbreak. Students may also like to mention Covid-19 on their personal statement and the questions/ issues the pandemic has thrown up e.g.

Zoonotic diseases (diseases spread between animals and people): The origins of the pandemic are unclear

Coronavirus in pets e.g. dogs: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/animals.html - Concerns over animals/ pets with reported SARS-CoV-2 infection resulted in vets being pooled into the research

The effectiveness of tele-consultations/ whether this accelerated the possible digitalisation of some elements of veterinary practice

The importance of non-emergency treatments: Vets encourage dog owners to come for vaccinations each year, but these were classes as non-emergency during the pandemic. Does this mean vaccinations are not essential for dogs?

Are vets key workers? (They were not classes ad key workers originally)

Puppy farming/ ethics of imported rescues

Pet travel/ passports

You could keep a reading chart with a page dedicated to each veterinary related topic. This will be useful for personal statement writing and prospective interviews too. To practise for interview, why not try presenting the topic out loud and pre-empting questions?

New Scientist: Great for articles on current affairs in veterinary science: https://www.newscientist.com/search/?q=veterinary

BBC Radio 4 In Our Time : You’ll find a number of veterinary-related episodes e.g. “The Evolution of Horses” or “Echolocation”

Linking research/ work experience to skills

Mention a range of different topics to show a wider knowledge of the subject area

Pick a topic or experience to discuss in more detail in your personal statement, but use this to show off a quality of yours

Example: Communication skills are central to being a successful vet – you could mention how you used communication skills during work experience or watched a vet demonstrate communication skills in a challenging scenario such as an angry or upset client

Work experience:

Consider which of these placements you have enjoyed the most, and why

Consider a time during your work experience placements when you have learnt something about the practical aspect of working in veterinary science, and also a non-practical aspect

You could also refer to examples of cases seen during work experience

Extracurricular

These may or may not be relevant to veterinary science. If unrelated e.g. a sport, public speaking, music, ensure you link back to why undertaking the extracurricular activity stands you in good stead for a veterinary degree i.e. what skill has it honed? Mention of non-veterinary related extracurriculars should be c.4 lines at the end of the statement.

Example Activities:

Write, write, write! For other subjects, essay competitions are a great way of delving into a topic area in depth and trying your hand at high level academic writing. Whilst veterinary competitions are slightly harder to come by, there are some opportunities for students to get involved in/ mention on their personal statement. Even if the deadline is passed, why not practise brainstorming an answer to, essay planning, or writing a full essay in response to the questions? Questions such as these could also be asked at interview. Even if you don’t mention the competition, you could mention an interest in the field on your personal statement or even turn it into an independent research project

The Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics Competition : Example Question - “ Even when animal euthanasia is ethically indicated, many veterinarians and vet staff become stressed because they feel like executioners. What might change their paradigm?”

Lucy Cavendish College Veterinary Competition : Example Question - ”’Brachycephalic dogs spend their entire lives struggling to breathe. Their popularity is regrettable and their breeding should be strictly regulated.’ Discuss.”

Newnham College, Cambridge Biological Sciences Competition : Example Question - “Replace, reduce, refine: Why do we still need to experiment on animals?”

Research Projects

Zooniverse allows you to take part in science research projects from home. For example, the project “Whooping Cranes” involves virtually looking for large white birds (Whooping Cranes) in Northern Canada to monitor the population of the endangered species, or the “Monkey Health Explorer” project allows you to learn more about monkey health by identifying white blood cell types

We also offer specialised research projects through our co-curricular division, Minds Underground™ . The projects are great to mention on personal statements, and make impressive talking points at interview, particularly for top UK universities such as Cambridge, who favour applicants with an interest in scientific research

These are typically taken over a 4-week duration, involving weekly hour-long project tutorials and a final review session. The aim is to combine teaching of high-level subject-specific content with exposure to real-world applications of these concepts, giving you the opportunity to undertake a project that is both useful for a university application and future career

We have a selection of projects available on the website, but further veterinary projects can also be customised around your interests with a mentor who has a specialism in the field

Veterinary Courses/ Masterclasses

We run an online Veterinary Summer School (June - August), with two hosts from the Royal Veterinary College

If you have missed the summer course, we also host all of the masterclasses as 1-1 sessions, price on application. Example masterclasses: https://www.mindsunderground.com/stem/veterinary

Online Veterinary Summer School

12 interactive masterclasses on topics such as “Immune Response and Vaccines”, “Basic Life Support and First Aid in the Emergency Patient” and “Veterinary Case Studies: The Vomiting Dog, The Cat Losing Weight, and the Horse with Colic”

Designed to support content building for personal statements, and prepare for veterinary interviews

Hopefully this article has given you more of an idea as to how you should go about content building, writing and structuring a standout vet personal statement. Be concise (you only have 4000 characters!), be honest and speak in detail about specific interests within the veterinary course, emphasising a few in-depth discussions of experience and topics of interest to convey your passion for the subject.

Looking for a Personal Statement Tutor or Support For Your Wider Veterinary School Application?

Veterinary science personal statement.

U2’s Oxbridge-educated mentors have a close insight into what admissions tutors like to see in a veterinary personal statement, and can help students to convey their skills, motivations, and long term goals, in order to stand out from other applicants. The statement should be the candidates own work, but our mentors will provide direction and guide you through the process of content building and writing. We offer offline drafting as well as tuition sessions.

Veterinary Mentoring (Cambridge, RVC and More)

U2 offers both ad hoc tuition and wider Medical School / Oxbridge Mentoring programmes ( book a free consultation to discuss options ). We have a great team of Cambridge-educated and RVC Veterinary mentors, with experience supporting students in application to the UK’s top veterinary schools.

The Process:

1) We suggest a Veterinary mentor and send their full CV for review. Our mentors are deeply familiar with the admissions process and are well-placed to guide you through personal statement curation, test preparation (if applicable) and the interview process. We may suggest a range of application tutors to choose from with slightly differing rates depending on qualifications and level of experience.

2) We typically suggest beginning with a 1.5 hour informal assessment/ taster session , where the mentor will informally assess the student’s current performance level for application. Following this, we issue a report with feedback, and structure a plan to best prepare.

3) U2’s approach for regular veterinary application sessions: The main focus of tutorial sessions will be to explore material that can be discussed in the personal statement and at interview. Mentors ensure each student refines their interests within veterinary, and is exposed to a range of key themes and topics. Together, we build a case for the student, solidifying the stance and direction they will take during interview.

Frequency of sessions can be decided between student and mentor. Students can take either ad hoc sessions, or we structure a full programme for preparation, which may include further co-curricular opportunities such as our research projects , Veterinary summer school and mock interview days.

Sessions from £70/h.

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The University of Liverpool's veterinary science department gets straight to the point when it comes to making an application to its veterinary science department: 'the competition is fierce.'

This is where a good personal statement can be an asset. 'Most applicants will have good predicted grades and references, so your personal statement is your main opportunity to set yourself apart from the rest,’ the Royal Veterinary College adds.

Work experience: do your research

Normally, you will need to have a range of relevant work experience before you apply and to reflect on this in your statement. The quality of your insights into the profession is crucial.

You also need to be clear about what individual veterinary schools expect, because it varies. For instance, Liverpool requires a minimum of ten weeks’ experience, while most others require a minimum of four or six weeks. The range of experience typically needs to include:

• at least one veterinary practice
• working with large domestic animals on a livestock farm, especially dairy or lambing
• other animal experience such as stables, kennels, catteries, zoos, wildlife, or rescue centres, pig or poultry farms, or something more unusual

A day at an abattoir may be especially beneficial, and observing research in a veterinary or biomedical laboratory could be valuable too.

Do note that the University of Cambridge's requirements are slightly different, as they are more concerned about your interest in 'the scientific principles that underlie both the health and disease of animals.' They do require you to demonstrate a commitment to the profession and say that some experience will be useful, but they don't want you to give up on your other extra-curricular interests for the sake of gaining extensive work experience.

It's essential to research this in detail beforehand. Check out department websites and, where possible, attend open days or events.

Getting the balance and flow right

With the required experience under your belt, the next step is to achieve the right balance between brevity and detail in your statement, and to gear it to what your chosen universities are looking for. It will probably be a challenge to condense it all down to 47 lines, but here are some key points you could include:

• Motivation: show what has motivated you to follow this career path. Be specific, and make it current or recent. What aspects are of special interest to you? Where do you hope the degree will lead? Reflect on what it is that’s driving you now, not something out-of-date.
• Experience: provide some detailed evidence that shows you’re realistic and informed about the challenges you will face. Describe some of your experiences and observations, both of veterinary practice and from your wider animal experience. Get the balance right. They want you to show the breadth of your experience, but they want depth as well. Try to write briefly but reflectively about some of the highlights and what you learned from them. Also, try to include something that demonstrates your understanding of why interpersonal skills are crucial.
• Academic interests and wider reading: give them a glimpse of your current academic and scientific interests, whether it’s from your studies, a project or issues you’ve come across in journals, books, blogs, events you’ve attended, and so on. If Cambridge is amongst your choices, it’s especially important to demonstrate your intellectual curiosity and your passion for science.
• Extra-curricular activities: demonstrate your resilience, initiative, self-motivation, compassion, or other relevant transferable skills. This could be through the contribution you have made to school, college, or community activities, volunteering, your part-time work, or any wider interests, personal achievements, or responsibilities. Again, be specific!

Then consider the flow of your statement. Tell them enough to engage them and win yourself an interview, but leave enough unsaid that can be discussed in more depth at the interview itself. Remember that everything you write could be used as an interview starting point.

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Successful Personal Statement For Veterinary Medicine At Cambridge

Last Updated: 6th April 2022

Author: Rohan Agarwal

Table of Contents

Welcome to our popular Personal Statement series where we present a successful Personal Statement, and our Oxbridge Tutors provide their feedback on it. 

Today, we are looking through a Veterinary Medicine applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Cambridge University. The Veterinary Medicine Course at Cambridge offers a world-class opportunity to study the scientific basis of veterinary medicine and clinical veterinary science.

Read on to see how this candidate managed to secure an offer from a world-class department.  

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement (the applicant uses most of the 4,000 characters available):

SUCCESSFUL?

The universities this candidate applied to were the following:

LONDON VET SCHOOL

INTERVIEW + REJECTED

Enrolling on our Cambridge Veterinary Science comprehensive Programme will give you access to Personal Statement redrafts. 

With our Cambridge Veterinary Medicine  Premium Programme, your tutor will give you regular actionable feedback with insider tips on how to improve and make your Personal Statement Oxbridge quality for the best chances of success.  

Discover our Premium Programmes today to learn how you can enrol and triple your chances of success.  

Veterinary Medicine Personal Statement

Witnessing the birth of a calf was a wonderful experience and has helped to confirm my long-term ambition to be a vet. This desire has been a motivating force in all my decisions at school. Veterinary medicine is a challenging and worthwhile career that encapsulates my profound interest in animal welfare, scientific enquiry and problem solving.  It will satisfy my passion to work with people and animals as well as my love of science. It requires academic rigour, is scientifically-based and provides opportunities for further research either in laboratory or clinical settings. It involves considerable practical skills and the potential for great job satisfaction with the possibility of running my own practice.

My work experience has been thoroughly enjoyable and included working with a country vet, a farrier, at a private stables, a commercial reptile centre, a dairy farm and a small animal clinic. With the country vet I observed two successful treatments on cows to correct displacement of the abomasum by external manipulation and surgery. I helped with TB testing, learning the process, its importance and the wider context. Working with the farrier opened my mind to other people who interact with the veterinary profession. Whilst involved in cleaning and feeding at the private stables I developed a great respect for horses including an awareness of the danger they can pose for humans and other animals. At the reptile centre I handled a bearded dragon, monitor lizard and snakes whilst assisting in an educational talk and at Beaver World learnt to care for guinea pigs, rabbits, beavers, pheasants and fish. During my nine-day stay on a dairy farm I took part in the daily routine of milking, and as well as observing the birth of a calf, I saw the deterioration of a cow and the eventual decision to put her down. It was apparent that working in a small animal clinic involves many routine operations like the castration and spaying of cats and dogs. I learnt that diagnosis involves history-taking, examination and investigations such as blood tests and diagnostic imaging. To gain more experience I plan to work at a city farm, participate in the delivery of lambs and carry out placements at London Zoo and the London Aquarium.

I attended VetMedlink at Nottingham University, thirty six lectures on all aspects of veterinary care. As part of this course I voluntarily undertook my own research into potential new uses of stem cells and submitted a paper which was marked and for which I received a distinction. This is due to be published on-line sometime this year. My focus was how stem cells inserted into the brain could be used in the future to improve intelligence and treat neural problems such as Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, I will be attending a course in November to enable me to administer aid to stranded or injured marine mammals.

As well as good examination grades, my other school achievements include prize certificates in mathematics and biology; I was especially pleased to win Gold Certificates in the UK Maths Challenge. This year I was commended for the quality of my answers in the Chemistry Challenge set by my school which required logical reasoning skills. I have a special aptitude for mathematics and attended six maths lectures at Greenwich University on themes which included matrices and types of mathematical proof.

I aim to involve myself whole-heartedly in university life, using my musical skills by playing the keyboard and perhaps playing in or starting a sports team.

I truly believe I have the ability to work effectively with people and animals. I am excited about the veterinary course since it offers the opportunity to undertake research projects, understand the scientific basis of medicine, gain in-depth knowledge of veterinary practice and develop key practical skills. I am determined to become a vet and eager to begin the formal course of training in what I know will prove to be a fascinating field of study.

For more inspiration, take a look through our other successful Personal Statement a nalysis articles:

Successful Personal Statement For Law At Cambridge

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Good Points Of The Personal Statement

A well written and well-structured statement that provides a good insight into the student’s character and development, both academically as well as personally. The student demonstrates a good scientific foundation, achieving various degrees of academic excellence and also demonstrates a wide range of different work-experience attachments giving insight into different specialities of veterinary medicine. This is particularly important due to the wide range of differences between different animal species. The broader the experience before starting the degree, the better. Furthermore, the work-experience placements will provide valuable contacts for when the student will be required to conduct care attachments during his/her studies at university.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

One of the central points of veterinary medicine not related to the academic side is the funding structure. Recognising the challenges that come in regard to the treatment of patients, as well as in regard to the interaction with owners, is an important component. Since the student experienced care in different practice settings, it is likely that he/she has come across this issue.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

Good statement giving good detail about the student and his/her motivation as well as his/her individual development. It could be improved by additional reflection on the challenges of veterinary practice, for example, the existing funding structures.

This Personal Statement for Vet Med is a good example of demonstrating motivation and development which is vital to Admissions Tutors.

Remember, at Cambridge, these Admissions Tutors are often the people who will be teaching you for the next few years, so you need to appeal directly to them.

Go to our Free Personal Statement Resources page for even more successful personal statements and expert guides.

Our expert tutors are on hand to help you craft the perfect Personal Statement for your Cambridge Veterinary application.

With our  Cambridge Veterinary Science Premium Programme, we help you craft the perfect Personal   Statement , score highly on the NSAA and teach you how to  Interview effectively .

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Writing a personal statement for vet school

• Veterinary view
• Starting out

Image © berc/Fotolia.

Writing a personal statement is an important part of the application process for veterinary school.

It's in place to check you can meet the minimum requirements for a school or college and completion is generally expected alongside an exam, work experience questionnaire and attendance at an interview.

So, what do you need to include in your statement for a successful application to veterinary school?

Make it personal

A generic personal statement that reads similar to those of other applicants will not help your application stand out from the crowd. It should be personal to you and highlight things such as:

• your motivation for studying at veterinary school
• academic interests
• details of extra-curricular activities

You should also explain why you are applying to that particular veterinary school.

Demonstrating your motivation to work in the veterinary field should be central to your personal statement.

Talk about why you want to be a vet and what you have done so far to progress towards this aim. Talk specifically about your career aspirations and the particular fields you would like to specialise in.

Simply writing you have wanted to be a vet since you were five years old is not going to make an impression.

Keep it simple

You may be tempted to fill your personal statement with technical jargon and academic detail. This isn’t really what a personal statement is for.

Write in plain English and, although you can make reference to some aspects of medicine or technology, try to talk about yourself and your suitability for a place at the school.

Proofreading

While you are not applying for a job as an English teacher, good spelling and grammar indicates you are professional and have good communication skills. If you use medical terms, it’s particularly important you spell them correctly.

Use the spell-checker on the software you use to type your statement, but also ask somebody to cast an eye over it.

One spelling mistake will not be crucial to the success of your application, but a statement littered with errors is likely to cast doubts as to your suitability.

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Idiopathic issues, virmp®  personal statement: dos and don'ts.

If you’re planning to pursue an internship or residency after vet school, you have probably already started working on your VIRMP ® Application Packet. This packet, which is sent to each program to which you apply, contains your application form, transcripts, CV, letters of reference, and your personal statement. (1) 

The personal statement acts as a cover letter for your application packet. Its goal is to provide a better picture of you as an applicant.

Your personal statement should answer three major questions:

• What do you expect from an internship/residency program?
• What are your long-term career goals?
• What can you contribute to the institution?

Personal Statement Dos and Don’ts

• Do discuss what you will bring to the program. This is your opportunity to show what makes you unique! Without restating what’s covered in your CV, talk about significant professional or life experiences that have prepared you for this position. 
• Don’t get too creative or casual. Although your personal statement should reveal something about you as a person, this is not the time for a haiku. Your personal statement should be written in a formal style, like a business letter. Although contractions, ellipses, and casual phrasing may be appropriate for a blog post, they should be avoided in your personal statement. 
• Do keep it concise. Although your personal statement can be up to two pages in length, try to be concise and limit it to one page. Stick to three paragraphs: one to describe your goals, one to describe your skills/experience, and one to describe how you can help the practice or institution. (2)
• Don’t describe yourself in vague platitudes. Be specific and give examples. Don’t tell the committee that you are hard-working; show them that characteristic by discussing a particular achievement, discussing your previous experience in a grueling program, or relaying an anecdote of a time that you overcame an obstacle. 
• Do proofread your personal statement carefully. After you have corrected all the errors that you can find, email it to several friends or family members for editing. Others are more likely to catch your mistakes. 
• Don’t procrastinate. I’ve spent the last four years as a freelance writer, so I understand what it’s like to have writer’s block! For me, the best way to start an intimidating project is to sit down at my laptop and start typing something (anything!) related to the topic. Whether it’s a rough outline or a few poorly-constructed opening sentences, getting something on the page always helps. You can always go back and change what you’ve written, but the hardest part is getting started! 
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Getting to Veterinary School

Real life perspective and tips from a GVSU pre-veterinary student

The Personal Statement

The personal statement is arguably one of the most important aspects of your application because it is one of your only chances to speak directly to the review committee about yourself. The 5000 characters alloted is your opportunity to show the committee that there is more to you than just your academics and experiences. You need to show them that you are a unique individual that is passionate about the profession and prepared to take the next step of going to veterinary school. Many schools no longer do interviews, so this most likely will be your only chance to show them why you deserve that last spot in their class over another applicant who is just as qualified as you.  

Whoa!! I know that seems really intense, but this is truly how you should view the personal statement when you start writing it. Many people wait until the last minute or don't put enough effort into their personal statement, which can really hurt their application. Below are some very basic tips about writing your personal statement and then my own completed personal statement. Once you have looked through this, you can continue down into the next area where we will take a more in-depth look at how to write a personal statement. 

Tips: 

- Start EARLY!!! I started writing my personal statement nine months before the VMCAS was due. 

- Write lots of drafts. You are not going to write your final statement the first time. You need to continually revise. I personally wrote 6 complete drafts, with many small revisions inbetween.

- Have lots of people look at your statement throughout the entire process. Ask your Mom, best friend, random professor, writing center consultants, academic advisor, veterinarian, and anyone else who will take a look at your statement. The more eyes you have looking at it the better it will become. Other people will be able to catch mistakes, give you new perspectives, and help you continually improve your thoughts. 

My Personal Statement

The following is my actual personal statement that I submitted to the VMCAS application for the 2013-2014 cycle. I am giving you access to this very personal document because I want you to be able to see a real-life example of what a student just like you wrote about. Please do not copy or takes parts of my personal statement for your own use. Instead, I hope that you will use this as a jump start to thinking about what you want to write about with your own experience and aspirations.

         There I stood holding the oxygen support mask near the mouth of Tanner, the family's beloved labrador, as he took his last breaths. His body was shutting down; toxins were spreading through him due to acute renal failure. His weeping owners stood next to me. They had come to our emergency hospital with no inclination that their precious family member, who had been seemingly healthy that morning, was dying. Despite it being heart wrenching, I kept my composure. It was my job to support the family during their time of suffering by means of comforting words, reassurance, and emotional support. As we stood there together while Tanner passed away, I saw so much love mixed with grief. It is that human-animal connection that has drawn me into this profession. I have experienced nothing more satisfying and heart touching than reuniting a previously ill pet with their eager owner or witnessing the true bond between pet and owner as a pet passes away.   

        I first applied for the veterinary assistant position at West Michigan Animal Emergency Hospital (AEH) during the summer after my freshman year. It was disappointing when I was not extended a position at the hospital, but they reassured me that I should apply the following year. Over the next twelve months, I shadowed at four different veterinary clinics in the area, volunteered at a cat rescue center, was awarded a grant-funded research project in chemistry, and pushed even harder in school to maintain my high academic standards. When I went back into that interview with the same manager a year later, I was a more confident and experienced individual. In a matter of weeks, I was hired as a new trainee and began preparing for my position as a veterinary assistant for the summer. 

         Providing treatment for patients is a central component of the veterinary profession, but being a part of the AEH team has really shown me that our primary role is working with people. As an exam assistant, the moment a client walks in through the door he or she become my responsibility, which was the case when a frantic woman rushed in one night with a cat howling in pain. I quickly assessed the situation, determined that the cat was in distress due to a severe urinary blockage, and hurried him to the treatment area. A history was collected, which I communicated to the doctor, and a treatment plan was drawn up for me to present to the distraught owner. I could hear crying as I approached the door of the waiting room, but I remained professional. My training had prepared me to walk in calmly, provide comfort through reassurance and understanding, and thoroughly explain to the owner exactly what we needed to do for treatment. I left the room with a signed treatment plan and a much more relaxed client. This ability to understand the different perspectives and needs of clients is just one of the extremely valuable skills I have learned from working at AEH.    

        In addition to my employment at AEH, I have gained experiences and valuable skills through observing at four small animal clinics, an equine practice, a zoological hospital, and at the West Michigan Beef Company. I eagerly continue to pursue any opportunity I encounter to widen my breadth of knowledge about veterinary medicine. Through my experiences, I am beginning to appreciate that the possible career options for a veterinarian are endless. Examining the carcasses of beef cattle for signs of illness, monitoring the fertility of horses with an ultrasound, caring for exotic frogs that have a prolapsed rectum, and doing routine check-ups for companion animals are all opportunities I have had over the past two years. With each experience, I get a different perspective of the profession and invaluable mentoring from the veterinarians. Communication, teamwork, leadership, and most importantly passion are all aspects that I am continuously developing each day I work as a veterinary assistant, observe in clinics, and further my education.      

         Being accepted into a veterinary program has been the driving force in my life for the past five years and now that it is becoming a reality, I have no doubt that I will make veterinary medicine my career. Upon completing a degree in veterinary medicine, I aspire to work as a companion animal veterinarian, eventually open my own practice, and continue to advance my knowledge. The medical field is constantly evolving and I am excited to find opportunities to help further these advancements and utilize them in my own practice in the future. As this year unfolds, I am eagerly anticipating where life takes me in these next steps towards achieving my life-long passion of becoming a veterinarian. I am confident my strong academic background, extensive clinical skills, leadership abilities, and motivated work ethic will make me a competitive candidate for your DVM program.

- 4861 characters

Why I wrote this......

My personal statement took months to write and many different drafts. I was lucky enough to have had the privilege of taking the course Writing for Graduate and Professional School at GVSU with Professor White. It was during this course that I began, wrote, and finished my personal statement. My biggest advice is to get started early, have a lot of people look over it, and revise it many times. 

Paragraph 1: Introduction/Attention Grabber

- The purpose of this paragraph was to grab the attention of the committee members reading my personal statement. I wanted them to want to get to know me more so that they would continue reading. 

- I chose this particular story because it is personal and showcased my employment. Through this story I hoped that committee members would see my passion and understanding of the profession. 

Paragraph 2: Background

- After my attention grabbing introduction, I went into a little bit of background about how I became employed at AEH. Here I wanted to show them my persistance and hard work because at first I didn't get the job at AEH. However, over that next year I improved both academically and in respect to veterinary experiences. This ultimately led to my employment as a veterinary assistant at AEH. 

- This was also another way for me to outline some of my non-veterinary related achievements, such as my research, volunteering, and high academics. 

Paragraph 3: Skills/Qualifications

- After setting up the background, I went straight into showcasing the skills that I have obtained by working at AEH. My goal with this paragraph was to show them that I am a unique student who is highly experienced due to my extensive training and on-the-job opportunities, as well as my in-depth understanding and passion for veterinary medicine. 

- This was my paragraph to shine and show them what I can do as an undergraduate student and how that will help me succeed in veterinary school. 

Paragraph 4: Showcasing my experiences

- I had spent a lot of time talking about my employmet at AEH, so in this paragraph I wanted to give them a quick glimpse at everything else that I have done related to animals and veterinary medicine. I wanted to show them that I am well-rounded and passionate about all aspects of the profession.

- I tried to point out the very unique opportunities that I had, such as observing at a beef company, volunteering at a zoo, and assisting an equine vet in the field. 

Paragraph 5: Conclusion

- In this paragraph I summarized my career goals and desires related to veterinary medicine. A lot of schools like you to directly addess what type of medicine you want to go into and what kind of future you see for yourself.

- These are the final thoughts that the committee is going to be reviewing, so you want to make sure you point back to your strengths and highlight why you should be chosen. 

How to write a Personal Statement!

Overview: The personal statement is supposed to be a portrait of your life that is set in a narrative tone that is supposed to show the addmissions committee that you are unique and qualified. You also want to highlight your career vision and long-term goals. Unfortunately for professional students you are not able to customize your personal statement since it is sent out in bulk through the VMCAS. Your time for being able to customize comes in during the secondary application process. 

Questions:  Since the personal statement is an intimate portrait of yourself you are going to want to answer the following questions:

- Where did you come from (past)?

- Where are you now (present)?

- Where are you going (vision/future)?

These are really important questions that the admissions committees are going to be looking for you to answer. You don't necissarily need to do it in that order, honestly chronological is probably not the best route. 

Be vivid: Your goal when writing this personal statement is to get the admissions officers to put you into the yes pile. The way that you are going to do that is be engaging, memorable, and make your readers think. You want to show them and not just tell them, so use vivid details that appeal to your readers senses in order to recreate experiences that are personal to you.

Be sincere: Another point to remember is to be sincere. Don't write what you think the admissions committee wants to hear. Write from your heart and personal experiences to show them that you are the right applicant. Always include a vision for your future and be definitive about it because they want to know you have a plan. 

Stay positive: Try to keep the main statement of your essay positive. You can talk about your negative attributes if you like, but make sure to spin them in a positive light. 

Use your resources:  The best thing you can do is get help. Meet with professors, advisors, university faculty, veterinarians, and even your friends to get ideas to start writing your personal statement. Ultimately you know yourself best and it will be the sincerest if you write it yourself. However, using all of the resources avaliable to you is definetely in your benefit. Once you start getting ideas down and you begin your rough draft.....just write from the heart. Your first rough draft isn't going to be anywhere near perfect and you might not even use it, but you have to start somewhere! Once you get some solid ideas and even a full rough draft done you can go to the writing center at you college or have your advisor look over it. The more eyes you have looking at your personal statement, the better it is going to get. The internet also has a lot of resources out there that can be very helpful in getting started. Below I have some helpful links that I recommend you take a look at. 

Time: The earlier you start working on your personal statement the better! I started my personal statement nine months prior to the time when the VMCAS was due. When it comes down to the wire in September/October you don't want to be frantically revising your personal statement. In addition to starting early you need to realize that it will take a lot of time to write a quality personal statement that will get you into veterinary school. You will probably go through 8-10 different rough drafts before you get a personal statement worth sending in. It is up to you how much effort you want to put into the personal statement, but remember that this is your chance to speak to the admissions committee directly on a personal level.

You aren't in this alone! There are so many different people and resources out there that can help you put together the best possible personal statment and application possible. 

Helpful Links

Writing a Personal Statement - http://www.studential.com/guide/write_personal_statement.htm

Purdue OWL: Personal Statement -  https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/642/01/

Writers Workshop -  http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/writers/tips/personalstatement/

28 Tips for Writing a Personal Statement -  http://www.public.coe.edu/wac/28tipspersonalstatement.htm

Huffington Post Perfect Personal Statement -  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/01/personal-statement-tips_n_4191226.html

Top Rated Personal Statements -  http://www.studential.com/personalstatements/pstop.asp

MSU Example Personal Statement -  http://www2.onu.edu/~n-woodley/Excellentpersonalstatement.pdf

Life in Vet School Blog/Personal Statement -  http://sharonostermann.blog.com/2010/06/23/veterinary-school-personal-statement-example/

GVSU Personal Statement Guide -  http://www.gvsu.edu/cms3/assets/C7078FCF-E2C3-F3DD-7F8E1630561E3F3E/personal_statement_handout.pdf

Life In Vet School & Tips On Getting In

So you want to become a veterinarian. Now what? Some people say that veterinary school is the hardest type of professional school to get accepted to. I disagree. Getting accepted in to veterinary school is not that hard, but it does take strategy! This blog will: 1) Provide information to aspiring veterinary students that will help them become the most competitive candidate they can be. 2) Provide a glimpse into what veterinary school is like at UC Davis. Enjoy! -Sharon

Veterinary School – Personal Statement Example

Posted on June 23, 2010 April 27, 2015 Author [email protected] 6 Comments

I know it helps to read a successful veterinary school applicant’s personal statement, so I am posting mine on this site.

*** Sharon now offers personal statement editing! *** See Career Coaching for details: http://www.lifeinvetschool.com/coaching/

Please do not attempt to copy or use this statement in any way, shape, or form — plagiarism is a serious issue and it is one way to make sure you never get into veterinary school.

Sharon Ostermann’s Personal Statement from VMCAS Application in 2008

Brakes screeched, tires squealed, and the car abruptly came to a halt. My heart was pounding. My father opened his door and, without hesitation, darted across the highway, dodging cars to rescue a defenseless turtle from the next car’s tire. Throughout my childhood in New York, rescuing turtles was a common practice for me and my father. Looking back, my father’s heroic sprints into oncoming traffic were not his most intelligent moves, but through them he communicated a very strong message – the value of an animal’s life. That message continues to motivate me today.

I have consistently devoted my life to giving animals another chance at theirs-be it rescuing turtles from roads, frogs from pools, or injured birds from dogs. Often I have been able to release the animals into their natural habitat; other times my efforts are too little, too late; and, occasionally, I end up raising an abandoned baby rabbit. My home has also been a refuge for rats, hamsters, birds, fish, turtles, and chinchillas, but never a dog and, until recently, never a cat. It almost goes without saying that my desire to care for animals led me to want to become a veterinarian, but the untraditional and circuitous path I have taken toward that goal is worthy of note.

A year ago a pre-vet student asked me a very frank question: “What’s stopping you?” At the time I was in graduate school, studying psychology, while concurrently running my own photography business. I did not have the time or money-much less courage-to change course. Yet, finding a deeper answer to her question became a driving force in my life. In time, I realized that animals have been the most important and most consistent facet of my life. So, what was keeping me from pursuing my dream? In the end, it was fear.

Fear of change kept me on an unfulfilling path where as courage, along with family support, freed me to pursue my dream. Realizing that a career in veterinary medicine best fit my values and lifestyle felt both liberating and daunting. While ready to change fields I faced intense coursework and the task of accumulating experience. Even so, without hesitation, I dove right in. With the support of Dr. ____ at the _____ Humane Society (_HS), I transitioned from helping hand at the _HS clinic to intern, a role requiring responsibility and participation in all situations, emergencies included. On my first day I helped treat the degloved leg of a dog that was hit by a car. And, by accepting all animals, _HS gives me experience in small animal, exotic, avian, and wildlife medicine. I love the challenges I face and my ability to learn quickly helps me to act competently in this setting. However, there are other aspects of veterinary work.

Since I knew my experience at _HS only gave me insight into one type of veterinary practice, I began volunteering at the ___ Zoo. There, I am involved in the health care and training of wild animals. Unlike _HS, where wildlife is given short-term care, rehabilitated and released, the zoo does not generally intend to release animals and, thus, invests in long-term care by way of regular health exams and medication. Facets of each of these environments attract me. I value the rehabilitative aspect of _HS, yet desire the rapport between animals and their caretakers that is achieved with long term care.

I also value community service on a global scale. Living in Ecuador and traveling abroad made me aware of the need for veterinary care in developing countries. To help fill this need, I will join a team to provide free veterinary care in Central America, where my Spanish language skills will be of use. I am excited for the opportunity to perform surgery and vaccinate under veterinary supervision and I am sure it will be the first of many trips of this nature for me. I can think of nothing more rewarding than putting my skills to work in the places that need my help most.

Ultimately, my journey makes me unique. Dabbling in other fields and work settings let me develop as an individual, reflect upon my decisions and finally choose veterinary medicine as a career. Through my indirect path, I gained a better understanding of myself, confidence in my chosen profession, and skills that may prove as valuable to a veterinarian as they are to a psychologist. In particular, the interpersonal skills that I have honed in the field of psychology will allow me to counsel and communicate with the owners of my future patients, an invaluable asset.

After many years, I am on track toward becoming a veterinarian. Experience has taught me that some things change and others do not, while that which remains the same defines us, drives us, and makes us who we are. Though I no longer live in New York, my father still rescues turtles; and my love and commitment to animals, which he inspired, remains intact. Whenever I see a turtle I smile as I am reminded of how I got to where I am today.

*** Sharon now offers personal statement editing! ***

See  career coaching  for details: http://www.lifeinvetschool.com/coaching/, share this:, 6 thoughts on “veterinary school – personal statement example”.

Thank you 🙂 Always helps reading some things x

This helped me a lot! Thank you for posting 🙂

That’s a sweet story.

Thank you so much for sharing your personal statement with the rest of is. It always helps to read some samples before assembling our own!

I really appreciate you posting this! This personal statement is stressing me out and it is helpful to see what other people have written.

Nice post, I love the website.

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How to write a *great* personal statement?

Any tips would be welcomed with open arms. I’m not sure how to approach it. I have some ideas based on this one time my dog got severely injured... I say she learned how to fly to hook people... and I wanted to become a vet.

I also want to change the perspective of the public on veterinarians if that counts for anything. But honestly don’t even know what to do.

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The Bartlett School of Planning

Writing an urban planning personal statement

Are you applying to study an urban planning master’s degree but don’t know where to start with your personal statement? This guide gives tips on how to write an urban planning personal statement.

This guide shares some tips on what you should include in your statement. Whilst we’ve given generic examples, your statement is personal to you. Give specific examples relevant to your life experiences. The admissions tutors want to learn more about you as an individual, your motivations and ambitions. 

A final tip – avoid using AI tools to write your statement. It’s more obvious to us than you might think.

What to include in your personal statement

1.   introduce yourself.

Introduce yourself, briefly sharing why you want to study your chosen urban planning degree. What are your interests in the field, and what sparked them? Was it a particular event, experience, or realisation? 

2.   Give your academic background

You may have already studied urban planning in the past. You also might have studied another relevant degree or want to move into the urban planning field using transferrable skills from another academic background. Either way, you should demonstrate your interest in the master’s degree and how you past degree fits with your urban planning interests and ambitions.

3.    Share your career goals and professional experience

Share with us what is it about this course at this time in your personal and professional development that interests you? If you have previous professional experience, tell us about it. You may have already worked for a few years or have undertaken internships in a relevant field. You can discuss specific relevant projects you worked on, focusing on what you contributed and the impact of your work. 

4.    Tell us about your skills and competencies

What existing skills and knowledge do you bring to the course? This could be technical skills, such as using software or design skills relevant to the urban planning degree you have chosen. It could also be transferable skills such as problem solving, teamwork or leadership. Demonstrate how your unique skill-set fits with your degree of choice.

5.   Explain why you want to study this particular course

Let us know why you want to study this degree at UCL’s Bartlett School of Planning. You might mention specific faculty members, courses, or resources that align with your goals. Discuss your long-term career aspirations and how this master’s degree will help you achieve them. You can be specific about the types of roles or organisations you aspire to work in.

6.    End with a concluding statement

Wrap it all up summarising your main points and reiterating your enthusiasm to study this degree. Leave a lasting impression about your passion for the field.

Final thoughts

Hopefully these tips have sparked some ideas for how you can write an impactful personal statement. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing [email protected] .

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Parents of the HS Class of 2025

I was really surprised at how hard it was for my S25 to come up with a personal statement essay. He is the most non-introspective kid I know. He does not like to be vulnerable. His answer to all my questions about why he likes or does things is “I don’t know”. It’s frustrating. But we got it done, it might not be a wow kind of essay but I think it’s good enough.

Yeah I have been so disappointment in the writing education my kids have gotten but I also truly blame the rise of YouTube and social media and texting as communication…my kid’s vocabulary often consists of words with all the vowels removed or words shortened beyond recognition. Now instead of saying “thank you” he writes “prec” which is short for “I appreciate it”

This sounds familiar! We finally hired a consultant 2 weeks ago…I just couldn’t get '25 to do it - they were worried about topics being “stupid” and “who cares about this” - needed a 3rd party to reiterate that AOs want to hear this stuff! Also easier when external people give deadlines:)

Sounds like you have things well under control! we don’t have a final list (or close to it!) We have 5 “definitely” applies which are a bit all over the place but at least are a good mix of likely/reaches for their stats! I think 3 have short extra writing - but are “why major” or “why this school” which seem more manageable!

My kids use text-speak to text, but luckily seem to know when to use what sort of language…they switch between “languages”. I think they may write in school more than most HS students, as well. (I don’t think one of them gets enough feedback on their writing to truly improve greatly, but they do write).

The lack of feedback on writing has been an issue at our school…one I fought with a teacher about way back in the Covid online era and brought up again with a dual credit college professor. How can they learn with no feedback? And I mean…none. Lucky for them (I guess?) I’m a good writer willing to painstakingly work with them on occasion. Neither of us loves that process but they recognize the benefit when the grade comes in.

I’m unfortunately a bit too frugal to pay an essay coach for something I’m skilled at. But I KNOW it would be helpful. If they were desperately wanting to go to highly rejective SLACs or something I would probably pay someone just to reduce the stress. But both kids wanted big state schools with big time sports above anything else. And the DS25 only wants Chemical Engineering (which my husband and I both are) so that really narrows down the list to a few solid programs within a day’s drive. This process has been SO easy the second time around now that I know the drill.

My S25 just finished his 20th and LAST supplemental essay last night. We did pay for a college counselor and it was worth every penny. There is no way he would have gotten these done without deadlines from someone other than me.

The lack of feedback is so maddening! How are they supposed to improve if they don’t know what they’re doing badly/incorrrectly!

As a linguist, I have to step in and defend textspeak and such.

Complaints about kids’ writing ability and the ways they write that differ from the ways older individuals write have been a constant since we started seeing widespread literacy (so for several hundred years, arguably several thousand years in parts of Southeast Asia). What is happening right now is no different than it has always been—language is changing, teens are a large part of that process, and those who aren’t part of the changes are made uncomfortable by them.

But the kids are alright (and literacy rates in the anglosphere are higher than they’ve ever been).

Yes, but . . . get off my lawn [shaking fist emoji].

The class schedule came out and it’s very different from what the gc said just 2 weeks ago. I do know they messed up by offering AP government at the same time as AP macro but that wouldn’t have affected my D who isn’t interested in the gov class. She is in the macro class and my guess is they moved it to a different block shifting what’s available. Macro is a grad requirement since it’s combined with a financial literacy portion. My kid who’s a music major was pulled from AP music theory. Her school lists that 19 AP/DE courses are available but it’s really misleading since the vast majority of them get canceled due to low enrollment. So the few left are rarely offered. D emailed her counselor so now she waits.

Join us for the second session of the CC Bootcamp line-up on Wed, Aug 21 at 7pm ET and learn more about the importance of standardized tests in the college admissions process. This session is hosted by our partner @Tony_PrincetonReview .

Session Outline:

• Overview of Different Standardized Testing Policies
• Some Case Studies on Test-Optional Admissions
• Why Have Schools Gone Test-Optional?
• Should I Send My Scores or Not?
• Taking/Retaking Soon? Some Advice for Juniors & Seniors

I think I need to write this on my bathroom mirror….and maybe put it on a sticky note on my laptop…and update it to be my Home Screen on my phone….

I have been spending too much time today worrying about how the applications are going and what the chances of acceptance are and looking over common data sets. I need to chill, and I think you have provided the perfect mantra to help me keep it all in perspective here.

Hmm I get that language is changing, which happens all the time. I still feel that their vocabulary is incredibly limited now as compared to when I went to school. Ok that feels VERY get off my lawn. But it certainly showed up when we started SAT prep and it happens in conversation with them a lot that I use words they don’t know. Which then stunts their efforts to write a really good essay. I genuinely believe it is due to the type and sheer volume of media they consume…they don’t read books anywhere near as much as I had to. I didn’t read as much as my grandparents did. My children can barely hold a normal conversation sometimes (they are pretty typical boys).

Enough ranting, I just lament their lack of writing ability a lot. Fortunately they are both math whizzes. My youngest daughter not so much. But she can cook better than most adults.

It’s a good mantra that I should work on adopting too. My two oldest are the overachievers who I’m always hoping will live up to their potential. It’s whiplash navigating my younger one’s education with major ADHD and dyslexia who really can’t tolerate much homework but still wants to make everyone happy and perform. She has other strengths. All the kids are alright.

Interesting…,I don’t think my kids have any worse vocabulary than I had at their age (and I was an excellent HS student).

They watch TONS of youtube (though a decent percentage is interesting stuff) and play loads of video games…

Then again, I don’t think they read that much less in school than I did either! They definitely read FAR less than I did outside school…

Things I shouldn’t care about but…C25’s ex-BFF has somewhat similar stats and I found out she isn’t EDing to any of C’s top 3 choices. I’m relieved both because of not competing directly against each other and it makes it more likely that they won’t wind up at the same school.

D25 is still switching around her senior year schedule. She no longer wants to take AP Env Science and GC is really making her stressed about options. I think D25 will be able to do what our school considers work study for credit where she will leave early from school to go to her job and get hs credits for it.

Parents of HS Class of 2025, I want to get your feedback about the ongoing CC Bootcamp for HS Seniors . The goal is to help Seniors get into the best college for them and we have lined up experts to help with various aspects of the application.

We already hosted two sessions with another one planned for tonight . Although close to 100 people registered, we have had little to no engagement so far, with very few to no questions asked.

Do you (as the main target audience) not find this Bootcamp helpful? What can we do differently to generate more interest?

Also, any general feedback is appreciated as we want to make sure we provide something of value for your kids as they start their Senior year.

I’m in a weird timezone, so there’s that. But still, in the interest of helping out:

• I think the topics you have listed are useful, though in many cases (e.g., standardized tests) more so for juniors than seniors, given the apparent demographics of CC users
• It is, very often, the singer not the song that makes the music move along—that is, topics are good, but personalities are what is more likely to draw people in to an AMA format
• As an educator who teaches a bit more than half my load in distance-accessible formats, I can say that getting interaction/engagement with students (including adult students, so in this case parents) is simply tough, and there often needs to be some sort of incentive to get it to happen

Last, first day today. I didn’t cry. I did cry Tuesday night, though, before my S28’s first day of 9th. It was his first day of school ever, since he was homeschooled until this year (D25 was homeschooled until 9th also). It’s weird having no kid home during the day.

I agree with what @chicagoshannon noted - a decent amount of senior parents are already past these hurdles. Maybe this type of thing is better in like Feb/March of junior year - before the end of junior year stress, before spring break so people can think about if they want to do spring break college visits etc.