Veterinary Medicine placements

We're one of the first UK universities to offer placements in Year One on our BVMS course. They're an excellent way to gain the real-world skills and experience you'll need to become a vet. 

Placement types

Students holding a snake

Animal Handling Training Placements (AH)

Between Years 1 – 3 of the BVMS, you'll have the chance to build practical animal handling training that typically takes place on local farms, stable yards and other animal handling facilities near our Preston Campus. You'll typically spend 1 day per week doing this training during term time, and you'll gain experience handling small animals, horses and a range of larger farm animals like cattle and sheep. What's more, all travel costs and arrangements are covered by the University. 

Student and tutor checking a cow with stethoscope

Intra Mural Rotation Placements (IMR) – Years 1-4 and 5

In Years 1-4, you'll spend one week per semester training at veterinary practices providing care for a wide range of animal species. You'll work alongside expert veterinary practice staff and have a chance to learn and build confidence in your clinical skills. In Year Five, you'll spend 28 weeks (split into seven four-week blocks) in various veterinary practices.

In this intensive training period, you'll be exposed to different scenarios, providing clinical care for small animals, horses, farm animals, and less common species. You'll gain practical clinical skills, including surgery and anaesthesia.

The University will organise these placements, and travel and/or accommodation will be covered or subsidised. We've built a network of local placement providers, but if you know of a practice in your local area that you'd like to work with, please let us know – we are always open to expanding our practice network. 

Young female veterinarian reviewing sickly colt in veterinary clinic

Pre-Clinical and Clinical Extra Mural Studies (EMS)

During Years One and Two, we'll support you in gaining 12 weeks of pre-clinical EMS placements during the holidays. You'll gain exposure to various species through several EMS providers during this time. You'll gain a deeper insight into animal husbandry alongside furthering your animal handling skills.

During Years Three to Five, the requirement changes to 26 weeks of clinical extra clinical mural studies during the holiday. These placements are held at veterinary practices, where our students will gain a deeper insight into the vet profession. We'll support you in finding a placement through our list of approved EMS providers. 

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons requires these placements, and the University doesn't typically provide financial support for travel and accommodation.

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Useful links

Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, BVMS

Our exciting Veterinary Medicine and Surgery degree has been developed to meet RCVS requirements. Training you for a multitude of veterinary careers.

Becoming a vet in the UK

Want to know how to become a veterinary surgeon in the UK? This page will answer all your frequently asked questions (FAQs). This includes information about training, placements and what support is available.

School of Veterinary Medicine

Our brand-new School of Veterinary Medicine is the UK’s 11th Veterinary School, only the second in the North of England and the first in Lancashire.