Eighty-four students made history on 22 July 2011 when they graduated from the first purpose-built vet school in Britain for 50 years.

The students were the first to complete an innovative five-year veterinary degree course, which has helped change the way veterinary medicine is taught in Britain.

The course is unique in that students get hands-on experience with animals from day one and it awards three separate degrees: Bachelor of Veterinary Medical Sciences (BVMedSci) is awarded in year three after completion of a research project, and the professional qualifications, the Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM) and Bachelor of Veterinary Surgery (BVS) degrees in year five.

Earlier this year, The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons made its unanimous recommendation for the degree’s approval to the Privy Council after a detailed visitation and audit process.

Prof Lance Lanyon, chairman of the visitation panel, said: “The visitors were struck by the level of commitment staff showed to meeting the objectives of the school and the pride in its achievement displayed by all the staff and students that they met. Achieving such unity of purpose in a university setting is a remarkable testament to the high standard of leadership from the Dean and his senior colleagues working within a refreshingly supportive environment of devolved authority provided by the University.”

Prof Gary England, Foundation Dean and Professor of Comparative Veterinary Reproduction, said: “Recognition by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons was the highest possible accolade they could award — their approval and the graduation ceremony is the culmination of five years’ successful hard work for staff and students.”

Its first graduates included ex-Harrier pilot Mark Westwood, now working with Animates Veterinary Clinic in Bourne, Lincolnshire. Jennifer Hall is joining St David’s Farm Practice in Exeter. Carolyn Harvey-Myers is working at a small animal hospital in her home city of Lincoln, and Toby Trimble has found his dream job as an exotics and small animal houseman at Manor Vets in Birmingham.

Mark said: “The vet school presents a unique opportunity to master the skills required of a vet on the first day of their first job. It is unrivalled in the opportunities it offers to develop communication skills with clients and to learn the many practical skills required of a vet in a working environment. ”

Toby said: “Originally I was interested in how animals worked, then I came to understand how vets could improve animal welfare. Having always been in interested in birds, being able to study them in a clinical context was a great opportunity. Manor Vets is developing a new exotics service at its Edgbaston practice. I’ll be working with Marie Kubiak, who’s a specialist in avian medicine and surgery. This is a great opportunity.”

Jennifer seized her chance while completing her degree in Biosciences. “The vet school appeared so I applied!  I’d heard so much about the course and had watched the buildings go up. I couldn’t resist trying just one more time to pursue my chosen career.

“The course suited my style of learning perfectly.  Everything was based on practical application and there were many opportunities to learn with different resources.  We were positively encouraged to look at the real thing and not sit for hours poring over books which, when you’re going into a practical profession, makes sense.”

Carolyn Harvey-Myers said: “It has been fantastic having so much practical teaching and clinical information taught from the beginning of the course. Hopefully all of the practical teaching we have experienced will mean that we can hit the ground running when we get to our first jobs.”

Professor David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor, said: “Having set up the new school from a standing start the graduation of our first cohort of vet students is a chance to celebrate a remarkable achievement. Our congratulations go to the students and we wish them well in their future veterinary careers — whether in clinical practice or research.”

David Noakes, Emeritus Professor of the Royal Veterinary College, received an honorary degree during the ceremony.

Research is central to the school’s activities, both in terms of maintaining its position at the forefront of national and international efforts in veterinary medicine and as an integral part of the training and education. It focuses on five strategic areas: infection and immunity; population health and welfare; comparative medicine; reproductive biology and veterinary educational research.  It was recognised as top, in a joint submission with the School of Biosciences, in Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science in the last Research Assessment Exercise for the power of its research.