Document Actions
College Student Scoops Place at Top Vet School
A student who gave up sixth form in order to pursue her dream of becoming a vet has just been accepted onto a course at the Royal Veterinary College in London.
Sophie Harrigan with ‘Leg It’ – one of the dogs that she looks after on her college course at Otley
Sophie Harrigan did not enjoy her time spent doing A-levels. So she switched to study on a vocational National Diploma course in Animal Studies, at Otley College in Suffolk.
Since starting in September 2006, she has received distinctions in every piece of coursework achieved over the last two years.
Buoyed by her marks at college, (and with encouragement from her family and section leader), she completed an application form.
Not long after sending the form away, Sophie was summonsed to the self-proclaimed ‘UK’s oldest and largest independent veterinary school’ for an interview.
During the interview, she was told that the vet school rarely accepted National Diploma students. But a few weeks later, a letter dropped on her door mat to tell her that she had been provisionally invited onto the gateway course that starts in September 08.
Sophie – whose mum proudly burst into tears on hearing the news – cannot wait to begin her six years of training.
“The only thing I have been certain of in my life is that I want to be a vet, so although this is just a provisional offer, I am not going to blow this chance of fulfilling my ultimate dream.”
The Colchester based 19 year old is currently working at the vet practice called Penrose Partners in Essex and feels this experience and her college course will stand her in good stead when it comes to her degree.
“I have gained valuable experience in terms of observing surgery and participating in consultations and this experience definitely helped me get my offer... The most rewarding part of working at the vet’s has been seeing animals reunited (‘Animal Hospital’ style), with their owners after a long stretch in enforced isolation because of illness,”
Section leader for Animal Studies, Rob Bamford, is delighted. He said:
“This is wonderful news for Sophie and a testament to the quality of training that she has received from our staff... Many of our students have gone to work at veterinary practices but this will be our first vet school post graduate since starting courses at the college in 2000. I think this goes to show that both the college and our students are heading in the right direction.”
For more information about this news release, contact: jnice@otleycollege.ac.uk
