Many students have visited the vet school for their admission interview over the past few weeks. It was great to see the relieved expression everyone had on their face when the interviews were over. This reminded me of when I was in the same position 4 years ago. HAS IT REALLY BEEN FOUR YEARS?! It is crazy how time flies in the blink of an eye. This made me think that it would probably be a great idea to share my reasons for choosing Edinburgh’s Vet School.
Firstly, Edinburgh is a great city (besides the weather that can be a bit unpredictable). It has a lot to offer as a modern city but is also very rich in history and culture at the same time. The balance is struck perfectly as it is an exciting city to live in while not being too overwhelming. It is convenient to live in the centre as there are many supermarkets and restaurants. A bonus point is that there are also a few Chinese supermarkets, so it makes life easier when I can just grab something I really miss from home. Besides that, Edinburgh’s world-wide reputation as a tourist destination comes as no surprise. There are so many historical places to explore. Just to name a few here: Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Calton Hill, Arthur’s Seat and many more. My flat is just 5 minutes walk away from the base of Arthur’s Seat and it makes me want to hike up on a sunny day.
Secondly, the Royal (Dick) School has an excellent reputation. It was ranked 8th in the world for veterinary medicine by the QS World University Rankings 2018. It is also widely accredited by international bodies which means you get to practise around the world after you graduate. The Roslin Institute, which is located just opposite to the Vet School, is heavily involved in research. It includes research in all aspects of veterinary medicine, from molecules and genes to animal and human populations. Students also get a chance to participate in research, if that is where their interests lie for their final year projects. It means that being a clinician is not your only choice when you graduate from vet school.
Thirdly, people’s friendliness here was another big selling point for me. The whole admission process was smooth and I got prompt replies to the questions I had. I was really fond of the ‘student buddy’ system where I got paired up with a current matriculated student. It would usually be someone who comes from a similar geographical location as you, so they can relate to the challenges and struggles you encounter in moving abroad to study. It was really helpful and reassuring to get some real insight into student life and experience before coming here. It definitely helped to alleviate my anxiety about coming to a totally new and strange place without knowing anyone beforehand. So watch out for that and make sure you sign up!
Last but not least, I have never thought I made the wrong decision in choosing to study at Edinburgh. I am still enjoying the programme four years on – except for exams of course! The learning experience has been remarkable so far. I really appreciate the amount of student support that the school provides. There are always people that you can reach out to if you are going through a hard time.
I hope that, by reading this, you feel reassured about moving to Edinburgh. This is my last post for this academic year and I wish the best of luck to everyone! Thank you for tagging along with me.
