Beyond the Setback
Updated: Jul 18
If you ask any group of veterinary students about the toughest part of vet school, you'll hear stories of endless practicals, sleepless nights, impossible exams, and the constant pressure to keep going. But there's no experience we rarely talk about openly: failing an exam, resitting a course, or repeating a year. For many students, it's one of the loneliest moments of their academic journey. It can feel as though everyone else is moving forward while you're standing still. Confidence takes a hit, self-doubt creeps in, and it's easy to believe that you've somehow fallen behind for good. The truth is, setbacks are far more common than most people realise. Behind every white coat is a story that isn't always visible - a difficult semester, a disappointing result, or a moment when giving up seemed easier than trying again. This month, we spoke to a group of veterinary students who know exactly what that feels like. Some repeated a year. Others battled through resits. All of them chose to keep going. Their journeys are different, but the message is the same: one setback does not define the veterinarians you will become.
There is no single "right" way to experience disappointment. For some, it arrives as a shock. For others, it feels like embarrassment, frustration, or grief. We began by asking them to look back at those first difficult moments.
What was the hardest part?
Time has a way of changing perspective. What once felt like the end of the road can become one of the experiences that shape who we are. Looking back now, we asked our contributors what those setbacks eventually taught them.
What did you learn?
One of the most powerful things about shared experiences is the wisdom they leave behind. If they could speak to the version of themselves who had just received those results, what would they say?
If you could tell your past self one thing, what would it be?
Resilience isn't simply getting back up - it's learning how to move forward differently. Whether it meant changing study habits, asking for help sooner, or permitting themselves to rest, each student found their own way forward.
What's one thing you do differently now?
Somewhere on campus, someone is opening results today and wondering if they're good enough to continue. These final words are for that student.
One piece of advice for someone currently facing a resit
Lessons We Learned
Although every journey was different, certain themes appeared again and again. Different students, different circumstances, yet many arrived at the same lessons. Perhaps that's because resilience isn't about never struggling. It's about refusing to let struggle write the ending of your story. Here are some of the lessons we heard most often.
Veterinary school isn't a race, and there is no prize for reaching the finish line first. Every student follows a different path, shaped by different challenges, different strengths, and different timelines. The students featured here didn't pretend their setbacks were easy. They spoke honestly about disappointment, frustration, and moments of uncertainty. But they also showed something equally important: setbacks are chapters, not conclusions.
Years from now, clients won't ask how many resits you had. Animals won't know whether you repeated a year. What they will benefit from is the knowledge, compassion, perseverance, and resilience you developed along the way.
If you're currently facing a setback, we hope these stories remind you of one thing: you are not alone. Many students have stood exactly where you are now, questioned themselves, and wondered whether they belonged. They kept going, and so can you.
Sometimes progress looks like passing every exam on the first attempt. Sometimes it looks like finding the courage to try again.
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