How the University of Glasgow stole my heart

Entry, Experiences Category
Greer Tison, University of Glasgow

Four years ago I made the most important decision of my life, to accept an offer to attend vet school in Glasgow, Scotland.  During my application process  I poured through possible schools to apply to wondering  if I would get in and if I did where on earth I would end up.  I thought about the east coast, close to my family, the west coast or even perhaps somewhere in the middle of country (unknown territory for an east coast girl!).  After doing a bit more research I came across AVMA accredited international schools and a light went off in my brain, how great would it be to earn my veterinary degree and embark on the journey of a lifetime all at once. I was tempted; I applied to 8 schools total, 4 being international. At my interview for Glasgow I immediately liked them, they asked very probing ethical and clinical questions but were welcoming, it felt like a conversation more than an inquisition, as some of my interviews went! I received my acceptance letter and that was it, I packed up and moved across the ocean to continue my dream of being a vet, with heroes of the likes of James Herriot dancing in my head. 

Going to school in Glasgow has given me a unique experience to say the least, I’ve had the opportunities to travel all over the UK and a little bit of the world  learning animal husbandry and health as well as taking part in animal charities that focus on disease prevention and spaying and neutering.  My second year during our March break, I went lambing in Wales for three weeks, one of the best trips of my life! I worked hands on with a local sheep farmer from dawn until way after dusk to help the farm lamb over 500 ewes.  I was taken aback by the dedication, hard work, and never ending enthusiasm that the farmer had every single day. All UK vet schools require that each vet student do at least 2 weeks of lambing in their student careers. 

  In my 3rd year I travelled to Pushkar, India to work for an animal charity that focuses on rabies prevention through vaccination and control of the stray dog and cat population by neutering.   That was an experience that will always be close to my heart.  The University of Glasgow is constantly pushing their students to the limit academically and clinically, to learn all we can while being a student not only in the classroom but in the veterinary community as a whole. They know that being a good veterinarian isn’t just about small animals or large animals it’s about incorporating veterinary medicine into our lives and giving back to the community, whether that community be in Scotland, India or America. They focus on producing well rounded veterinarians that have the ability to flourish once they graduate and enter the great big world. 

 The past four years have flown by and I’ve loved every excruciating minute of it. Vet school has been a hard road, definitely one of the most trying experiences I have ever embarked on, the stress, the exams, the grades, but in the end it has been brilliant and well worth it. I have one year left in school and I can’t wait to see what it has in store.

Entry, Experiences CategoryGreer Tison, University of Glasgow
Four years ago I made the most important decision of my life, to accept an offer to attend vet school in Glasgow, Scotland.  During my application process  I poured through possible schools to apply to wondering  if I would get in and if I did where on earth I would end up.  I thought about the east coast, close to my family, the west coast or even perhaps somewhere in the middle of country (unknown territory for an east coast girl!).  After doing a bit more research I came across AVMA accredited international schools and a light went off in my brain, how great would it be to earn my veterinary degree and embark on the journey of a lifetime all at once. I was tempted; I applied to 8 schools total, 4 being international. At my interview for Glasgow I immediately liked them, they asked very probing ethical and clinical questions but were welcoming, it felt like a conversation more than an inquisition, as some of my interviews went! I received my acceptance letter and that was it, I packed up and moved across the ocean to continue my dream of being a vet, with heroes of the likes of James Herriot dancing in my head. Going to school in Glasgow has given me a unique experience to say the least, I’ve had the opportunities to travel all over the UK and a little bit of the world  learning animal husbandry and health as well as taking part in animal charities that focus on disease prevention and spaying and neutering.  My second year during our March break, I went lambing in Wales for three weeks, one of the best trips of my life! I worked hands on with a local sheep farmer from dawn until way after dusk to help the farm lamb over 500 ewes.  I was taken aback by the dedication, hard work, and never ending enthusiasm that the farmer had every single day. All UK vet schools require that each vet student do at least 2 weeks of lambing in their student careers.   In my 3rd year I travelled to Pushkar, India to work for an animal charity that focuses on rabies prevention through vaccination and control of the stray dog and cat population by neutering.   That was an experience that will always be close to my heart.  The University of Glasgow is constantly pushing their students to the limit academically and clinically, to learn all we can while being a student not only in the classroom but in the veterinary community as a whole. They know that being a good veterinarian isn’t just about small animals or large animals it’s about incorporating veterinary medicine into our lives and giving back to the community, whether that community be in Scotland, India or America. They focus on producing well rounded veterinarians that have the ability to flourish once they graduate and enter the great big world.  The past four years have flown by and I’ve loved every excruciating minute of it. Vet school has been a hard road, definitely one of the most trying experiences I have ever embarked on, the stress, the exams, the grades, but in the end it has been brilliant and well worth it. I have one year left in school and I can’t wait to see what it has in store.

Comments

[Kim Tison]

Scotland the Brave. No wonder your heart was captured...that is the sweetest little lamb I ever saw!