The Scottish Government’s Minister for Agriculture has backed a ground-breaking programme supporting young people who wish to pursue careers in veterinary medicine.
Organised by Future Vets, the three day camp is held at the Oatridge, West Lothian campus of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). Now in its second year, the event will give 70 young people the chance to learn through hands-on sessions with animals led by practising vets and nurses.
Participants will also take part in laboratory workshops and emotional intelligence training, as well as having the chance to meet admissions teams from all three of Scotland’s vet schools.
Recently published data shows that the sector is facing mounting problems, with around half of all vets having considered leaving the profession entirely in the past year, and three quarters requiring time off over the last twelve months to deal with work-related mental health issues.
Applications from Scottish students seeking to study veterinary medicine have also fallen in recent years, and fewer students are choosing to pursue a ‘mixed practice’ career involving both domestic pets and livestock. Brexit has caused further problems for the sector, with pressures especially acute in rural and island areas.
Commenting on the value of the Future Vets programme, which was established to help reduce the barriers faced by those who want to become vets, Mr Fairlie said:
“Our agriculture sector relies heavily on vets to keep our animals healthy and this event will help us increase awareness of the wide variety of professions within veterinary medicine amongst high school children, and dispel some of the myths surrounding admission to vet school.
“As well as the organisers, I would like to thank those from the Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh Vet Schools for taking the time to inspire our next generation of vets which I have no doubt will help us address some of the current problems with capacity, recruitment and retention of veterinary surgeons in Scotland, especially within farming practice in rural communities.”
Dr Karen Gardiner, Founder of Future Vets Scotland, says: “A lack of vets will impact us all in terms of the Scottish food we choose to eat, our beloved animals and the benefits of their companionship post-covid, to all ages but notably those who would otherwise be isolated in old age. Our future food security, animal welfare and public health depend on vets.
“This camp has been uniquely designed to give young people practical insight and experience of life as a vet, and to give them practical tools to help them navigate the challenges they will face professionally and personally.
“It also gives them a priceless network of peers with similar aspirations, which will be enormously helpful in the years to come. Many of them are likely to be the only person in their school who is choosing this career path.
She added: “Engaging more vets in mixed rural practice requires a radical rethink. Labour shortages aren’t just an inconvenience; they pose a serious threat to service provision. Food safety, disease surveillance and emergency response are under threat and animal welfare, food security and public health are all going to be impacted unless we address these issues.
“Reimagining veterinary practice in Scotland requires bold, courageous and emotionally intelligent leadership. It needs innovation, flexibility and a new structure which supports the world we live in today, not that of bygone James Herriot era. Clients are better informed, information is easier to access, technology is advancing. Economic challenges mean that providing appropriate affordable care is imperative.
“We need a veterinary profession that embraces the technological fast track we are living in. We have a collective responsibility to ensure that veterinary care in Scotland and particularly in our remote and rural areas is fit for the 21st Century and the communities living there, protecting our farming, our heritage, our health and our people.”
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In addition to supporting the Future Vets camp, Mr Fairlie has also praised the “world-class, innovative veterinary curriculum” on offer at the SRUC School of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences Aberdeen Campus. The programme accepted its first students in October 2024 after SUC attained Taught Degree Awarding Powers, and is seeking applicants for undergraduate and postgraduate courses for the coming academic year. Following his first visit to the campus, Mr Fairlie highlighted the “practical, real-world experience” that would support students to enter “high demand, but often overlooked, areas within the veterinary profession.”
He added: “This is such an important programme for Scotland, and I was delighted to finally get a chance to see this wonderful new facility first hand. The accessibility of programmes, particularly for rural applicants, to gain the kind of world-class, focused education that Scotland is famed for is really exciting. The Scottish Government recognises the outstanding economic and social contribution of SRUC and our world-leading higher education institutions, which is why we are investing over £1.1 billion in teaching and research for the sector in 2025-26.
“Giving those young Scots the opportunity to get practical, hands-on experience and the tools to live, work and manage good businesses in their own communities is so important. The work the SRUC team has done to make it a reality is an exemplar of brilliant lateral thinking and I would like to congratulate everyone involved.”
Professor Caroline Argo, Head of SRUC’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, said: “We were delighted to welcome Mr Fairlie to the School, where he was able to witness first-hand, the ways in which our unique degree in Veterinary Science encompasses the breath of veterinary professional activity, and which provides essential new pathways into the profession for students in some of Scotland’s most remote and rural areas.”
Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of SRUC, said: “I would like to thank the Minister for taking the time to visit our School of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences. The team are doing an exceptional job and we look forward to welcoming our new cohort of future vets in September.”
To find out more about studying veterinary science at SRUC visit: Study at SRUC: BVSci Veterinary Science
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