26 Aug 2022
The VMG says ‘urgent work’ is needed to encourage young people to consider a veterinary career, after initial data showed a sharp fall in the number of places being taken up compared to last year.
Allister Webb
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The number of students being accepted on to veterinary science degree courses in the UK has fallen following the release of this year’s A-level and Higher exam results.
Early UCAS data suggests at least 10% fewer places have been taken up so far than last year and the 2022 figures are nearer, although slightly above, pre-pandemic levels.
But the VMG has called for “urgent work” to encourage young people into the sector, while the head of the Veterinary Schools Council (VSC) warned issues around education funding also needed to be addressed.
Initial estimates, published as A-level results were released on 18 August, suggested a 2% fall in the overall number of students that had secured a university place compared to last year.
This year’s grades were determined through traditional exams, after teacher assessments, and coursework were used in both 2020 and 2021, when exams were cancelled due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
But the downward trend appears much steeper in the veterinary science field as data from 24 August, four days after the release of results, showed 2,050 students had been accepted on to courses.
That is around 11% lower than the 2,310 accepted places recorded at the same point in 2021. But it is around 1.5% up on the equivalent figure of 2,020 recorded at the same stage in 2019, the last year in which grades were determined through formal exams.
In total, around 17,000 applications were made for places on veterinary degree programmes this year, down around 0.6% on 2021, but up by more than 16% on 2020.
UCAS officials said the full picture for the sector is likely to become clearer when it publishes its end-of-cycle data in December.
BVA president Justine Shotton suggested it was too early to say whether what she called the “dip” in acceptances was a longer-term trend.
She urged practices to adopt their good workplaces ideas, including flexible working where possible, to keep staff in the sector now.
She said: “Attracting new people to the profession is important, but in the short-term, it is essential that we retain the talent and skills we already have.”
However, VMG chair Ruth Mackay said current staff shortages meant any reduction in the number of vets in training was a cause for concern.
She said: “Given the trend towards more flexible working and shorter working hours, we will need more vets, not less, and to retain more of those already working in the sector.
“The problem is that if we don’t have sufficient vets coming through to help share the load, retention will become even more challenging and it becomes a vicious circle.
“While we continue to focus on fixing some of the problems faced by the current generation of vets, urgent work must be done to encourage young people from all backgrounds to show them that a career in veterinary medicine would be both rewarding and fulfilling.”
The issue of higher education funding is also being highlighted following calls from some university vice-chancellors, first reported by The Sunday Times, for the current £9,250-a-year tuition fees for UK-based students to be increased.
The VSC said it was committed to providing “high-quality graduates”, while warning that ensuring adequate numbers was a long-term process.
But, although it stopped short of backing the fee increase proposal, its chairperson Stuart Reid added: “Student recruitment and workforce capacity are part of a continuum, and one that must be underpinned by financial models that address the real costs of education, as well as providing sustainable careers.
“Shorter-term fixes can only be found in registering suitably qualified graduates from elsewhere who meet RCVS standards or encouraging those who have left the profession to return.”
The VSC has also sought to reassure the sector about the quality of training being offered after a recent study revealed doubts among some final-year students about their readiness for clinical work.
The research found that a majority of final-year students at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh did not feel comfortable tackling 9 out of 13 entrustable professional activities.
Although the full requirement for students to complete 38 weeks of EMS – 12 weeks in pre-clinical and 26 weeks of clinical work – will apply to students starting degree programmes this autumn, it has not been sought for students graduating this year and won’t be in full until 2026.
But, while he described the study as “interesting”, Prof Reid insisted there should be no question marks over new graduates entering the sector.
He said: “There is no doubt that experiences vary from university to university, but the profession should be assured graduating students meet all of the RCVS Day One requirements.
“There is a significant and ongoing debate as how best to ensure both competence and confidence, and the VSC is committed to working with the profession and the regulators as we continue to modernise and evolve our curricula.
“It cannot go without comment that the degree of resilience exhibited by all our students throughout the pandemic has been remarkable and humbling.”
The RCVS has also indicated it is willing to consider reforms to the rules, following discussions with stakeholders last year.
