Veterinary Medicine and Surgery including a Gateway Year

Veterinary medicine and surgery is one of the most demanding professional degree programmes available, requiring a combination of rigorous scientific knowledge, complex clinical skills, and the ethical and communicative qualities needed to care for animals and to support their owners. Veterinary surgeons diagnose and treat illness and injury across a wide range of species, from companion animals and horses through to farm livestock and wildlife, and they also play critical roles in public health, food safety, and the control of diseases that can transfer between animals and humans.

At Nottingham, this six-year programme including a gateway year is designed to provide a supported entry route for students who demonstrate strong potential and commitment to veterinary medicine but who need an additional preparatory year before progressing to the main degree. The gateway year builds the scientific and academic foundations needed to succeed in the demanding veterinary curriculum that follows. Across the full programme you will study animal anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, and the clinical sciences, developing both the theoretical knowledge and the practical skills required to practise as a registered veterinary surgeon.

Nottingham's veterinary school has purpose-built facilities and strong clinical partnerships, providing the learning environment needed for the practical training that is central to the degree.

Graduates of veterinary medicine and surgery register with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and practise as veterinary surgeons in a wide range of settings. Small animal practice, equine medicine, farm and mixed practice, and zoo and wildlife medicine are the main clinical areas. Beyond clinical practice, veterinary graduates also work in government veterinary services, food safety, pharmaceutical research, military veterinary services, and international development.

The degree is one of the most highly regulated in UK higher education, and the gateway year route makes it accessible to a broader range of talented candidates than standard entry alone.