Royal Veterinary College (London)

[2BaVet]

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Hello!!

Sorry I've been gone for a while..

We have a trimester system. Usually school startes end of September, beginning of October and first term ends mid December. Second term starts early January until mid March and third term is from end of April to mid june.
You have about 20-25 days of Christmas break, 6 weeks of easter break (where you will most likely do at least 3 weeks of animal handling extramural studies- AHEMS) and then a two week break after third term to study for the exams. The year ends early July and then you have a long summer break. (during which you are supposed to do some AHEMS again..)

At first it was a bit difficult to adjust as the british life style is different than the american one.. Personally, I feel like in the states everything is more organized and it's faster and easier to do things (like opening a bank account etc) but you learn how to work with it..

The teaching style is quite different too! It's not like you have classes that you take (I mean biochem etc..) Instead, you learn about a different subject every other week (usually you work on one subject 1.5-2 wks). It's a bit confusing but actually this way you learn how to integrate all the subjects and be able to see the big picture. I find it quite interesting because you cannot get bored this way..

Examss.. So this is how it works:

First term:
-Mid-term: You have a formative multiple choice quiz (MCQ) - no grades, just to see how you are doing...
-End of term: MCQ - 5% of your overall grade + You write a research type of essay - 7.5% of overall grade + a mock lab exam (no grades)

2nd term:
-End of term MCQ = 2.5% of your grade + a mock oral exam (no grades)

3rd term: I don't know about the mocks or formative exams yet but at the end of third term, the real exams start! I forgot the percentage of each exam, but they make up the rest of your grades basically.. We will have an MCQ, a short problem exam and a short essay exam (6 essay within 3 hours). And after that we will have oral exams and I think we might have a lab exam at some point too..

So far, exams I had were ok. The strange thing here is that if you get a 60, it's a really good grade! 65% is merit and 75 or above is distinction! So we all have been getting pretty low grades compared to the states, but that's supposed to be really good! I'm still having trouble understanding it..🙂 The examining style is quite different too, so it requires some adjustment but I think the system really works to distinguish who knows the material and who doesn't.. you cannot just learn everything by heart, you have to make sure that you understand everything because during the exams they want you to use your knowledge, logic and commensense all together to come up with an answer sometimes.. which is very progfessional --that's how a vet school should be!

About the city... It is beautiful and I'm loving it! I already knew a lot of ppl living in London, and I'm meeting new ppl every day! I can't think of anything to tell you right now but I would be willing to tell you if you have any specific questions about it..

I guess that's it, hope this was helpful! Hope to see you guys here next year, it' quite an impressive and fun school, I'm sure you all will like it, of course only if you are open to changes!

Thanks Lalzi21, right now we are just looking for hotels while i wait for the conformation date. If you know of any good one by the area would be helpful (1601 broadway).

For question about the school, how do the semesters work? When do you start and when do you end? and how do breaks work? Do you find the life style there difficult? How is the curriculum (classes, exam (hard), teaching style? And anything else about the school, city, living, would be helpful.

Thanks a bunch

 

[99potions]

Wow that's a Lot of great info I'm sure many potentials will appreciate 2BaVet ^_^ I'm a 4th year Vet Student at RVC about to go into rotations. Unlike the previous post, My year had the old curriculum, so exams and modules were different. We still do have trimesters. This summer we do not get a break. It will be spent working long hours at the University hospitals, which are impressive.

About the parking situation that was noted in another thread I saw, It has gotten better. The school just recently added shuttles every half hour running from Potters Bar station to the main campus starting at 7am to 7pm.

 

[chatter07]

That is awesome information. Thanks alot. I'm going to my interview in a week. Freaking out a little, but excited at the same time. I am just hoping the winter storm stops by next week. Which looks like it will.

 

[chatter07]

hey 2BaVet, I was wondering if you can post the pros and cons about the school in ur opinion.

 

[leolupa]

BVet I got offered a place on the 4 year program. Do you know anything about it or know anyone you can ask about it, as I'm still lacking on info on how stuff is done.

 

[2BaVet]

Hi everyone!
Sorry I’ve been gone a while. Thank you for PM’ing me leolupa. I don’t always follow SDN, so whenever you don’t hear from me, you all should feel free to PM me!

BTW CONGRATS ON YOUR ACCEPTANCE!!! You must feel so relieved right now! I know, been there, done that 🙂))

To Chatter07:

Pro’s:
-lots of animal handling experience (AHEMS, during classes, and exams on it)
-learning to do things by yourself (researching, finding good book sources, etc) (could be a burden too)
-starting of easy , reducing the stress of vet school and moving into a new country (that prob. Won’t be the case for 4yr program.. so be ready for it!!)
-visiting a topic for 2 weeks, revisiting over and over, tying it to other topics
-lots of dissections!
-classes on communication (it’s annoying to attend those, sometimes very boring, but I’m sure in the long run we will appreciate it)
-sometimes there are challenges but one good thing about RVC is that they always realize the problem and try to get to the bottom of things as soon as they can.. so they constantly improve themselves
-student discount at the school’s vet clinic for your petJ (we just went today and I was suprised how cheap it was! Paid only 17£ for a physical examinaton + antibiotics for my dogs diarrhea.)
-Wednesdays, half day—so that we can be involved in things (like sports etc) and it ends early on most Fridays too.. but 4 yr program could be different.

Con’s:
-disorganized : sometimes things don’t make sense the way they are and it seems like RVC has no clue on what’s going on..
-not very helpful: they expect you to take the responsibility yourself and learn to do it yourself (like arranging your own ahems, etc) During the time it’s a bit annoying but then you appreciate it, because in your career there won’t be anyone helping you out all the time, you have to learn how to communicate and solve challenges yourself
-sometimes classes are overcrowded (dissections/practicals or directed learning sessions). But that’s mostly people would not go to the allocated session but join the more desired session (earlier one, so that they can go home early). And since there is no attendance, they can’t really check it.
-dissection manuals.. not very clear, most of the time you don’t know what you are supposed to do, but there is lots of staff going around all the time and you always find someone to ask a q. (that was a problem in the beginning of the year but they realized it and hired more staff right away..)

Neutral:
-Exams at the end of the year. Can’t decide yet if it’s a good thing or bad..
We’ll see this summer!

These are the main ones I can think of atm. Let me know if u have any q’s.

To leolupa:
What would you like to know? I don’t know much about it but I know the professor in charge of the 4yr program so I can ask him for you!

 

[lei325]

So I have a quick question: When did you receive the acceptance packet from RVC? I've been DYING for it to come in so I can accept. I remember them saying at the interview that it will arrive in March, but I'm impatient. 😀 I got offered a place in the 4-yr program after my interview in January and I've been waiting to hear back from the other schools I've applied to (which I have) and now I'm ready to say yes to RVC.

 

[mtambaschi]

I emailed Rachel last week and she said my packet was mailed (priority) last Thursday, so I think "priority" is something other than FedEx 🙄

 

[leolupa]

I' ve been in contact with the professor in charge of it. LOL hes made me nervous whether I can handle the workload. I don't mind self-directed learning, but I hope to have help, etc tutorials if I need it, thats what worries me. I can only teach myself so much, if I could teach myself everything I wouldn't need to go to school.

I'm going to be calling him to speak to him about more stuff. I just don't want to be one of those people who end up dropping to the 5 year program and spending tons of money in the process. I have a degree in zoology + I'm a licensed veterinary technician (nurse). So I'm hoping the material won't be over my head and that its still clinically relevent, tied together. I can't stand not being able to apply what I'm learning, since I have experience in medicine. Do you know any of the 4th year track students, and how many are there in total and how many americans?

I heard about the student discounts. I'm hoping to get my cat in the geriatric clinic. Hes a older boy

 

[mtambaschi]

2BaVet - Do you know anyone living closer to Hawkshead, for example in Potter's Bar. How does it work out for them? I heard the train into the city was pretty pricey and am unsure how long of a ride it is.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Mistoffeles]

leolupa: 1 american on the 4 year program this year, it was the first year they even allowed us on the course. she's a very motivated student, so i think she's handling it ok. most of my flat-mates are 4-yr program ("G&T = Graduate and Transition"). they find the couse challenging for all the reasons you mentioned (lots of self-directed learning, lectures only covering the overview with the details often left up to you, large amount of information in short amount of time, etc.), but they're all doing well. dr. chantler, whom you spoke with, is also in the process of getting more information together on one of the major requirements of the first year of the 4 year program, the 12 weeks of animal husbandry extramural studies (AHEMS) that you need to complete before starting year 2. you're allowed to complete up to six weeks of the AHEMS before you start the program, and you should be getting some information from the school about how to make sure any experiences you choose to take in the US meet the guidelines for the AHEMS office.

mtambaschi: train from PB is about 15-20 minute ride on the express, maybe 25-30 on the local, so no challenge for anyone who is used to commuting in a large city for work (my commute living in NYC, when I was working in manhattan, was an hour each way). the train drops you at Kings Cross station, which is a 5-10 minute walk from college. cost is (i think) about £1000 for a year pass, which is covered by rent savings living in PB. as i mentioned, i'm moving out there next year, the house we're looking at is £300/week, about £75 per person per week, which is close to £50 less than I'm paying now in Camden.

also, re: acceptance packs, "priority" is relative for mail in the UK. I mailed one of my loan checks home in October, "priority," and it still hasn't arrived. 😱 luckily, i was able to cancel it and have it reissued.

 

[leolupa]

Thats really interesting Mist. I'm in the midst of a postgraduate nursing internship at the University of Tennessee Vet School, perhaps I could apply some of my time here to my AHEMs or work something out whilst I'm here. I'm speaking to him tomorrow. So they only go over the overview and not details, yipes! Do you have any of your flatmates or contacts of the one American I can speak to be able to get an idea from someone in it. American Vet schools are only 4 years so I don't think it would be any more difficult then that.

 

[Mistoffeles]

you can ask about the time at the internship, but i doubt they'll approve it - the AHEMS are NOT meant to be clinical in any way, strictly husbandry based. i had a proposed placement rejected because the summary of my duties was too behavioral in nature, with not enough husbandry involved. you can, however, do up to six weeks of the AHEMS placements overseas - so provided that what you find in the US meets the guidelines, that would be acceptable. as i mentioned, that is one of the things which Dr. Chantler is currently trying to fit together.

when i say "overview only," i'm not being strictly accurate. they give you the framework and the vital details, and a blueprint for the rest. bear in mind, it's just this first year which is different for you - everything from your year 2 (my year 3) onwards is the same, in fact, we'll be in the same clinical year classes.

i'll ask the american lady if she doesn't mind talking to you - but the four year program (and 2nd years) finished their term last friday, so they've mostly scattered to placements and home. my term doesn't end until this coming friday.

 

[beausky]

I still haven't heard from RVC...🙁
I was assuming it was a no, so I called Rachel a few days ago just to put it to rest for myself, but she said that they would be sending out late interview invitations out in the next week. Has anyone out there heard good news yet?

 

[DreamComeTrue09]

Hey Beausky, don't give up hope just yet, I just got an interview invite yesterday 😉

 

[beausky]

Hey Beausky, don't give up hope just yet, I just got an interview invite yesterday 😉

Thanks for the update🙂 and Congrats on your interview!

 

[2BaVet]

Well, Mistoffeles answered all the q's for me🙂 Thank you !

Sorry, we have an MCQ this friday, and I've been trying to (!) concentrate on that..

Last year, I had my interview at the end of March I think, so I was the second bunch they interviewed. One morning when I gave up on RVC, I received an email. I thought it was a rejection but there it was, the interview invite! So, don't give up hope! RVC is a bit slow about getting things done. Also, don't worry about the packages.. It takes quite a while for them to arrive, but it eventually will🙂

 

[DreamComeTrue09]

Hi all,

I have an interview w/ RVC coming up really soon! I just have 2 questions. On the website it says to review the DEFRA site prior to interviewing...just wondering if anyone knows if they want to to know current newsworthy veterinary info for just the UK, or worldwide? My second question is whether you attended the lunch after your interview? If so, would you recommend attending?

Thank you

 

[mtambaschi]

I would definitely recommend attending the lunch. They give a bunch of info. regarding their new curriculum and you can ask all the questions you want. I didn't get asked any questions regarding the defra site in my interview - I've just used it to get info. about bringing my cats with me 🙂

 

[DreamComeTrue09]

Thanks mtambaschi! I was reading the pet travel pages to! I actually found alot of interesting stuff on that DEFRA site! I'm glad I signed up for the lunch 🙂

 

[chatter07]

I was wondering, I know this school is accredited for the US. When we come back to the states do we still have to an exam to practice in the US? I was talking to someone and they made me start doubting it. Dont know

 

[mtambaschi]

Everyone who practices in the US needs to take the NAVLE exam. The RVC has a special review course now to help people who want to practice in the states to do well on the test.

 

[chatter07]

ok thanks. The person i was talking to said we had to take the PAVE and then NAVLE. So the NAVLE regardless what school you go to we still have to take that one? Now i understand

 

[flyhi]

you do not have to take the PAVE or ECVFG (tests for foreign grads) because RVC is accredited by the AVMA, which is the US accrediting agency. So, RVC is not considered 'foreign', even though it's an international school. Mtambaschi is correct, you only take the NAVLE, just like all other N. American graduates. The other cool thing, is you will also be able to practice in the UK, if you so desire.

 

[Mistoffeles]

you do not have to take the PAVE or ECVFG (tests for foreign grads) because RVC is accredited by the AVMA, which is the US accrediting agency. So, RVC is not considered 'foreign', even though it's an international school. Mtambaschi is correct, you only take the NAVLE, just like all other N. American graduates. The other cool thing, is you will also be able to practice in the UK, if you so desire.

Not only the UK, but pretty much anywhere in the commonwealths, as well as the EU (as we also recently passed our re-accreditation from the EAEVE (European Association on Establishments for Veterinary Education))!!

 

[leolupa]

So Dr. Chantler is awesome, spoke to him via Skype and answered all my questions. Sending in my acceptance. I've been trying to get a hold of Stedman to work out the AHEMs (i.e. places that are okay, amount of hours per week at place, etc) I already have one idea that will be all about husbandry, but need to know amount of hours per day per week to work it out.

So living,where do most of the first years live, as Camden is expensive, what other places do they venture to?
Also Mist, you brought your kitties over, what was the import fee once your arrived? I know about the passport and have been ontop of it

 

[chatter07]

I had my interview with RVC in Feb 18th, in which i think i didn't do so great. I've noticed that many people have already heard from them. Does that mean its a no for me or do i still have hope??? I'm getting really nervous

 

[Mistoffeles]

So Dr. Chantler is awesome, spoke to him via Skype and answered all my questions. Sending in my acceptance. I've been trying to get a hold of Stedman to work out the AHEMs (i.e. places that are okay, amount of hours per week at place, etc) I already have one idea that will be all about husbandry, but need to know amount of hours per day per week to work it out.

Wendy Griffin is the lady who reviews all overseas AHEMS placements and is fairly intractable as far as the set requirements go. If Dr. Chantler has had separate conversations with Dr. Stedman about reviewing requests for the incoming class, that is very good - Dr. Stedman is wonderful (he'll also be teaching you nutrition), and also takes a fairly common sense approach to things.

The expectation is for number of days, not hours. For example, in a week placement, you work six days. In a two week placement, 12 days. In a three week placement, 18 days. So basically, six days out of each week. Hours are to be whatever is normal for the placement - you're not expected to be slave labor, but you are expected to work hard. 🙂

So living,where do most of the first years live, as Camden is expensive, what other places do they venture to?
Also Mist, you brought your kitties over, what was the import fee once your arrived? I know about the passport and have been ontop of it

Most of the first years live in Camden. I live in College Grove, which is housing right on the campus, and that's allocated based on distance from home that you are - pretty much any north american who applies will get a place there. other first years live in Mary Brankner house, which is in Kentish Town, about 20 minutes walk. and a few live off campus in varied neighborhoods. rents average about GBP 120 a week, london is expensive. i mentioned earlier in this thread, i'm moving to potter's bar next year, for rent of about GBP 50 less per week than i'm paying now. if you're definitely not interested in college housing, that's something i might recommend that you consider - you might be able to find a place that you'll be happy with for all four years of the course, and therefore not need to move again. i chose college housing for 1st year because i didn't want the hassle of trying to find a place over there while still living in the US.

kitties . . . i actually haven't brought mine over yet - but there's no import fee, they just need to have passed their rabies titers and be appropriately microchipped, and have waited the proper time period before travel.

 

[Mistoffeles]

I had my interview with RVC in Feb 18th, in which i think i didn't do so great. I've noticed that many people have already heard from them. Does that mean its a no for me or do i still have hope??? I'm getting really nervous

you can e-mail margaret kilyon to check on the status of your application. i had my interview last year on 9th February, and e-mailed her on 10th March, as she indicated that decisions would be made by the end of February 2009. If she gave you an indication of when decisions would be made, and that time has passed, i think that an e-mail would not be inappropriate.

in my case, they had sent an acceptance e-mail, but i had not received it for some reason.

 

[leolupa]

Thanks so much for your input Mist, there is admin fee of 270 pounds for them to look over pets paperwork. Ugh. Got another question for you, when did you receive your loan money, as I'm trying to figure things out, as I will be using some of it for moving expenses, etc. Thanks

 

[Mistoffeles]

Thanks so much for your input Mist, there is admin fee of 270 pounds for them to look over pets paperwork. Ugh. Got another question for you, when did you receive your loan money, as I'm trying to figure things out, as I will be using some of it for moving expenses, etc. Thanks

where do you find that fee? neither DEFRA nor HM Customs and Revenue makes any charges for bringing animals into the country. is that from a pet transport company? can you provide a link? 🙂

you don't get your first set of loan checks until you're officially registered for the first term, which isn't until you get there, enroll, etc. so, don't count on having the loan money up front to help with moving costs. you can certainly use savings against the loan money (e.g. pay out up front and then use loan money to reimburse yourself), but you won't have the loans before classes actually start. this is very annoying, i know, but the school has had issues in the past where students showed up, took their entire year loan, and then vanished. so many more safeguards in place now.

 

[DreamComeTrue09]

Deleted post

 

[lei325]

Bumping up this thread since I have a question...

I've been researching loan options (other than Federal) and it looks like the only viable option is Sallie Mae. 2BaVet and Mistoffeles: where did you guys take out loans (if you did take out loans)?

 

[DreamComeTrue09]

This question is also for Mistoffeles and 2BaVet:

How much money do you recommend securing for year 1? It seems like their recommended 79K USD is on the high side. I plan to live in College Grove and figured I could save a ton since room is cheaper and it is on campus. They also estimated we'd need 8K USD for food, which also seems high to me. How do grocery prices in London compare to the U.S.?

 

[Mistoffeles]

DCT:
i thought that i had replied to this, but i guess the system ate my message.

i think that 79K for the first year is high. i took 60K last year (35 for tuition, 15 for cost of living including startup), and will likely do so again this year - but i plan to reduce it after that. also, i plan to do mixed practice in rural new england, so i'm hopefully going to be able to enroll in a tuition forgiveness program, either before or after my internship/residency - so i'm less concerned about the end size of my loan than i otherwise might be.

8K a year for food is high. groceries are about the same absolute price (e.g. a coffee from starbucks is $2.10 here and £2.10 there) as here - but it's a matter of how you choose to live. i budget myself £20 a week for groceries, and £15 extra for overflow. of course, i eat a very boring diet, very repetitive, which would bother some people. i also don't go out very much to restaurants or bars.

lei:
my loans are stafford and PLUS, i didn't want to get involved with private lenders.

i'm off back to the UK today, and in north York for 2 weeks on my lambing placement. i'll have sporadic access to the internet, so i'll do my best to answer any other questions as time permits. i'll be back at school on the 23rd, and will be able to be more responsive.

 

[lei325]

Thanks for the info Mistoffeles! And have fun at your placement! 🙂

 

[annemal22]

I got rejected from RVC this application cycle and want to have a file review done. I emailed asking for one, but never heard back. Does anyone know if they do file reviews? and if so who do you get in touch with. . .they said they had 300 international applicants this year!! Thanks in advance🙂

 

[mtambaschi]

Hi - This was on their website...
Latest news for 2010 Applicants:

Feedback following interviews

Competition for places has been particularly high this year and we have had to disappoint many good students. All requests for feedback will be responded to but there will be delays due to the number of requests already received.

And here is their contact information:
Admissions
The Royal Veterinary College
Royal College Street
London NW1 0TU
United Kingdom
Email: [email protected]
Tel : +44 (0) 20 7468 5147/5149. For international enquiries call +44 (0) 20 7468 5146
Fax : +44 (0) 20 7468 5311

 

[pyxystyx]

DCT:
i think that 79K for the first year is high. i took 60K last year (35 for tuition, 15 for cost of living including startup), and will likely do so again this year - but i plan to reduce it after that. also, i plan to do mixed practice in rural new england, so i'm hopefully going to be able to enroll in a tuition forgiveness program, either before or after my internship/residency - so i'm less concerned about the end size of my loan than i otherwise might be.

Hey all! I was just thinking about SDN the other day and how much I missed it, so thought I'd drop by. 🙂
I was accepted last year, but due to family issues decided to defer for a year. So hopefully I'll be joining a lot of you this September! 🙂

Mistoffeles- I'm curious about this tuition forgiveness program you mentioned...? Which program is it you're referring to, exactly?
Also, I take it you're waiting until after all of your EMS/AHEMs is done to bring your kitties over? When do you think that'll be?
I'm in the process of getting our mutt ready, and have spoken to several other people who have already done it before for their pets. They have mentioned that there are other fees besides the shipping/flight ticket involved, usually on both sides of Customs, but also that these can vary. Maybe these are the fees the other poster was referring to in order to look @ the paperwork...? That's what I'm thinking, anyhow.
I think I may end up using a pet travel company for pick-up and drop-off. My boss has worked with one in specific a couple times, and they seem to just make the whole process easier, less stressful. (Which I think I might need!)

 

[mtambaschi]

Hi - These are the fees I was quoted from Virgin for 2 cats (sorry about the formatting, I pasted from Excel). The price depends on the size and weight of the kennel.

Shipping cats from Boston on Virgin (800) 828-6822 (price is for both cats) - flight leaves at 7:45pm every day, fly pets into Heathrow Monday through Friday, must arrive 4 hours before departure, pets should be released within 3-4 hours of landing, they have an air conditioned quarantine van to drive between plane and animal reception center, animals are not fed en route but are given a meal upon arrival

21"L x 16"W x 15"H kennels, each with own kennel
28kg at $20.48/kg = $ 573.44
handling charge at Boston = $ 175.00
handling charge to pick up cats in London = (£270) $ 415.00

$1,153.86 is the total of all charges for both cats

 

[Mistoffeles]

^^^^^

so it looks like those are Virgin Atlantic specific charges. Continental only charges the fee for shipping the pets, you're responsible for all paperwork, transport, etc.

USDA does NOT charge a fee for signing off on your paperwork (at least not at JFK, that i'm aware of), and DEFRA / HM Customs and Revenue does not either (at least according to their website). if you use a pet transport company, you will be charged a fee (and possibly several, quite possibly exorbitant!). i had some nightmares with pet transport companies when i was working as a vet nurse - we tried to help clients out by getting paperwork to the appropriate places, and on time, etc . . . but the companies were often not very helpful. but that's just my 2p.

pyxystyx: the USDA has one (NoImagination posted a link to it somewhere, but i'm on a connection at my lambing placement that could go out at any moment, so no time to look for it). also, various state departments of agriculture have them - i'm hoping for vermont or maine.

and yes, i'm waiting until 3rd year to bring kitties over, after all AHEMS are done. i'll hopefully have 10 of 12 weeks done by the end of this summer, but that just means that i'll go home for nice long 2nd year breaks - 5 weeks at christmas, 7 weeks at easter, and all of 2nd year summer. 🙂