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What the students say:

Grace Price

Life at Medwards must be experienced to be believed.  A warm, welcoming environment where personal growth is a priority, and lifelong friendships are formed. My first week saw me surrounded by non-judgmental people with a zest for life; I knew instantly I would belong. Whether meeting friends for coffee in the Art Café, donning my gown for formal hall in the Dome or simply getting lost in a good book in the garden (or library), there is a ‘you’ space for all. Regular meetings with my Director of Studies remind me of the importance of pursuing personal passions. Mine is all things equine. You may have yet to discover yours, but when you do, there will be a CU society to accommodate it.

What I love about the Veterinary Medicine course is the integrated approach it employs. Most mornings are spent in a Molecules in Medical Science lecture, led by internationally renowned academics, in the Department of Biochemistry. Midmorning could be devoted to dissecting a sheep, followed by an afternoon practical using oxygen electrodes to monitor respiration in mitochondria. I am privileged to have access to cutting-edge technology in state-of-the-art laboratories. The Cambridge University Veterinary Society host regular talks on topics of clinical interest (pizza included); the equine ones are the first to be set on my reminders! Not only has the course expanded my skillset, it has ignited my interest in veterinary anatomy and physiology. It truly is an unparalleled learning experience. 

Meet an alumna

Emily Craven

Technically, I am the last of the New Hall girls! I matriculated in 2007 as a New Hall girl, and finished my BA in 2010 from 51¸£ÀûÉç, as well as finishing my Vet Degree in 2013. I loved my time in Cambridge, both in terms of the college experience and as part of the wider University. The course was great and I am always proud to say I am a Cambridge graduate and set me up well for my future career as a farm vet, and currently as an academic (I am doing a PhD). I did 10 years as a farm vet, progressing from intern to clinical director, and have also spent time as a policy and regulatory advisor and a pig vet for Vet Partners. Although I am currently doing a PhD in positive welfare in dairy cows, I still get out locumming regularly.

Cambridge helped me in so many ways, and not just in the clinical skills that I learnt that allowed me to enter the veterinary profession. The confidence it gave me and the scientific background have really helped me, both in my day job but also in going beyond, through further learning such as my CertAVP and Post Graduate Diploma in Animal Welfare, and in going on to doing Committee work for BVA (Policy Committee and then Ethics and Welfare Advisory Panel) and DEFRA (Animal Welfare Committee). Cambridge gave me the grounding and the confidence to pursue these opportunities and skills (writing an essay in 2^nd year translates rather well to writing articles and proofing draft policy statements)!

Whilst I use the term loosely for Cambridge, I am well aware that college played a major role both in my Cambridge experience and through my education. Being a member of a smaller community and from various subjects really helped me through the course but also means that some of my best friends from my university days come from a variety of subjects.

My one regret from my time in college was that I never tried to row in Bumps- a combination of disliking early starts and knowing I had 6 years meant that I always had an excuse to put it off into the future so my word of advice would be to really make the most of your time there. That said I did make up for it by doing Athletics for the college, and the University so I can proudly say I beat Oxford on several occasions in Varsity Matches and frankly that probably is a good definition of success at Cambridge!