My First Year Studying a Veterinary Nurse Course

As I type, I'm sitting, awaiting my final exam, which marks the last day of school. I'm overhearing friends talking, whilst daydreaming about how this semester flew by.

This semester, I have expanded my knowledge of veterinary nursing and experienced vet nursing-related activities. I am surprised by how far I’ve come. I did not realise I could learn and apply so much in under a year.

Starting as a complete beginner to the sector and ending up where I am now feels great. I’ve gone from zero to having a solid understanding of vet nursing and animal management. Through this vet nurse course, I developed a good idea of each subject and had the opportunity to practise what I learned.

What this veterinary course taught me is that some of the best subjects are the ones you've never heard of before. For example, Apiculture was a completely new discovery for me. I hadn't realised how bees can connect to animal health and management. The poultry unit had me raise broiler chicks as part of my assignment, which gave me hands-on experience with livestock I wouldn't have gotten any other way. Vet nursing turned out to be far more complex than I thought. The depth of knowledge required, from surgical equipment to disease recognition, made me eager to learn more.

I not only gained knowledge and practical skills, but I also met people working in the industry and classmates with similar interests. Looking back on my first year, I'm proud of how far I've come, and I'm excited to see where I'll be a year from now.

Whether you're considering a vet assistant role, a vet nurse role or looking to explore veterinary courses for the first time, I hope this gave you a good look into what might come.