Sylvia Admitted to Royal Veterinary College

Sylvia Admitted to Royal Veterinary College

Most people like cute furry animals, but being a vet is not an easy task. Sylvia Huang from the Dulwich International High School Suzhou loved both medicine and small animals from a very early age. Now she has received an offer from the British Royal Veterinary College, widely known as the cradle of British veterinarians. It is one of the best veterinary research centers in Europe and it is Britain's oldest and largest veterinary school. Each year, the school only admits around five international students, which is a much lower figure than either Oxford or Cambridge. You have to be a straight A student to be admitted to this school.

Sylvia’s grandfather is a Chinese medicine practitioner. As a result, this became the first profession that young Sylvia was able to recognize. This planted a seed in her mind, which has now grown to fruition.

In the biology class, when the teacher explained the human body, the blood flowing quietly in the blood vessels and the breath sounds when breathing, she really felt the rhythm of life. Since that time, she has strengthened her desire to become a veterinary doctor. When she was a child, Sylvia loved animals and kept countless pets that she cared for attentively. When she was in high school, she often went to the local pet hospital to learn and practice veterinary care skills. She delighted in watching small animals get better. From that time on,she was determined to be a veterinarian. "Although this seems like a very niche specialty, it is my real interest," she said.

Last summer, Sylvia went to Bali to participate in turtle rescue activities. According to her, turtle rescue is actually a very challenging but deeply repetitive task. Newly hatched baby turtles were released back into the sea every day and their pool required regular cleaning. "Although it is a little bit of a trifle, I feel I took a step toward helping small animals improve their living conditions."

Sylvia and a Panda

In December of last year, Sylvia went to Chengdu Giant Panda Base as a volunteer on her own. “I have always felt that the giant panda is so cute. I just happened to see the relevant recruitment information and applied without hesitation.” At the base, her daily work was to rake bamboo, tidy up the cage, and make food for the panda. “When I finished my work I loved to observe at them and although the works was difficult I loved being close to them."

There, Sylvia met a professor and was fortunate to communicate with him. Not only did she gain more knowledge about pandas, she also began to have a deeper understanding of what it means to be a vet. “Caring for small animals is a kind of love. The so-called kindness is more about treating people and animals with equal respect. It is not only about caring for them but also respecting their living habits.”

This wealth of work experience helped Sylvia greatly during the interview process. British veterinary professional entry requirements are high. A-level must have both biological and chemistry scores. Applicants must have at least A-level AAB. The Royal Veterinary College even requires at least four weeks of work experience. In the end, Sylvia qualified for the interview with IELTS 7.0 and subject AAA.