What are your key values?

What the interviewers are looking for

Genuine values
Values that match your experiences
Maturity emotionally
Alignment with the profession
Alignment with the vet school
Traits that will aid you in succeeding

Example structure

State your main values, these could include any of the following, compassion, integrity, resilience, empathy, teamwork, communication, accountability, respect, adaptability and many more.

Define what these values mean to you.
E.g. ‘Empathy means to take your time to understand how someone is feeling, and responding in an appropriate way to support them’

You may want to give a short example of why this value resonates with you and what experiences you had to see that this value is important.

Connect to vet med – why are these values important within the course?

Example answer

‘Empathy is important to me, and I believe it means taking your time to understand how someone is feeling and responding in an appropriate way to support them. During my work experience in a small animal clinic, I met a lot of owners who were worried about their pet’s health, and in particular, one man became very distressed during his dog’s appointment. The vet sat and listened to him and acknowledged how he was feeling, and the vet explained a treatment plan that would help his dog try and get better. At the end of the consultation, the owner left feeling much happier and supported. This showed me the importance of empathy in veterinary medicine; the job involves clients who may be distressed. Understanding their feelings and easing them as much as you can ultimately helps give the animals better veterinary care.’