Your future in veterinary medicine

A degree in veterinary medicine will equip you with the experience, skills and knowledge needed to start your career in this rewarding field. Discover more about our undergraduate Veterinary Medicine and Science course and what your future could hold.

Credit: Paul Stead / University of Surrey

Students practise endotracheal intubation on a horse model in the Large Animal Clinical Skills Centre.

With the professional, business and communication skills learnt throughout the course, you’ll also be highly desirable in other industries.

Your career, your choice

Our Veterinary Medicine and Science course is accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), which means that on successful completion of your studies, you'll have the academic requirements needed to register to work as a veterinary surgeon.

We'll prepare you for a wide range of careers, with typical roles including veterinary clinical practice, pathology, conservation medicine, research science, the pharmaceutical industry, food safety, and veterinary public health and policy.

With the professional, business and communication skills learnt throughout the course, you’ll also be highly desirable in other industries. This may include roles such as:

Ecologist
Environmental consultant
Higher education lecturer
Nature conservation officer
Scientific writer
Scientific researcher
Zookeeper.

Some students also use our course to apply for further study, including postgraduate research.

Since graduating I have been a small animal veterinary surgeon. A couple of notable highlights would be operating on a large dog at 2am to untwist its stomach and save its life, and my first Christmas at work, receiving thank you cards and gifts from clients – it means a huge amount to any veterinary surgeon. Tom, Veterinary Medicine and Science BVMSci

Tom is sitting down on a chair wearing a blue t-shirt, with a cat on his lap.

Employers

Our alumni can be found all around the world, with recent graduates working for:

Animal hospitals
The British Armed Forces
Charitable organisations such as the RSPCA
Research laboratories
Universities
Veterinary practices
Zoos.

100 per cent of graduates from our School of Veterinary Medicine are in work or further education (Graduate Outcomes 2024, HESA).

Locations

Once you’ve graduated and you’re registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), you can practise throughout the UK, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

You can also apply to practise outside of the UK and you’ll be recognised for automatic registration by the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) and the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC).

I'm currently a vet for the UK’s largest veterinary charity, the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA). I love working in the charity sector because we get to make a real difference for animals and people. Yasmin, Veterinary Medicine and Science BVMSci

Supporting your career journey

Over the last decade, our employment figures have been among the best in the UK. We offer careers information, advice and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University.

Find out more about our Veterinary Medicine and Science course